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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find it annoying that some car drivers don't seem to know any other way of getting around?

92 replies

ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 13:32

Somewhat confusing title but I'll explain!

I travel a 65 mile round trip on a motorbike to get to my place of study, last week it was snowing and extremely cold and I still made it in. Yet there were 2 people on my course who didn't, who live about 10 minutes away. One of them the road was too icy in her estate as the council hadn't gritted it, the other his car's locks had frozen and he couldn't get in to his car.

Fair enough, the road is icy, don't drive, much safer. But they only live 10 minutes away! They could have easily walked or got a bus!

I used to live in a house with a couple, the girl got a job but she gave it up not long after because her bf wouldn't give her a lift to work every day? Either walk, bus or taxi!

I've only just recently gotten on the road and before that I used to either walk or cycle if the distance allowed, or bus/taxi if it didn't. Aibu to find it annoying how some people who drive cars just seem to think if the car is out if action for whatever reason, they basically can't leave the house?

OP posts:
Sn00p4d · 10/02/2015 13:36

Um, I'm certain they know they can walk, get a bus, taxi or whatever, they just don't want to! Easy excuse to get out of something you can't be arsed doing anyway, simple as that.

ChristmasMarketCrazy · 10/02/2015 13:38

yes its soo annoying!
dp's family drive EVERYWHERE. They even insist on collecting us or dropping us off home ifwe see them, we live about a 10-12 minute walk.
They bang on about how we will need a car when we finally have children.
We live in London with excellent transport links and no we don't want a car!

Original poster
ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 13:45

I'm sure they do know that they are available sn00p Grin It just seems like some people genuinely don't seem to see it as an option - the girl who missed that class moaned the next week that she really wanted to be there & missed so much stuff etc but didn't really make much effort considering she lives so close.

I've lived my entire adult life without a car and I'm baffled by the number if people who are so shocked when I travel somewhere on public transport.

OP posts:
museumum · 10/02/2015 13:53

The year of the really bad snow here (2010 i think) I was asked repeatedly if i'd be ok walking to work... (roads were shut for a fortnight) and loads of people were surprised I managed.

The walk was about 1.5miles each way... and they all knew that the previous year I'd been away on a snowshoeing holiday in the Pyrenees for a week walking 20miles a day :)

angelos02 · 10/02/2015 14:13

YANBU. We've had bad weather where we are and someone walked an hour and a half into work as they couldn't use their car. Some people don't even think as walking as an option Confused

TheHermitCrab · 10/02/2015 14:14

As someone who can't drive this annoys me so much. Weather, and just generally cars breaking down gives people an excuse not to show for anything. It's pathetic.

I once worked for a company where it started snowing a LOT everyone got sent home early except me... because I walked anyway so it made no difference.

People who NEED their cars to make any basic journey really annoy me. A lady I work with gets a lift up the road (5 min walk) and if the person who can't take her is ill she shows up 30 mins late. Where I need to get 2 busses and walk for work and I'm never late.

richthegreatcornholio · 10/02/2015 14:39

If you think I'm going to catch a filthy, stinking bus full of horrible people then you can think again!

TheHermitCrab · 10/02/2015 14:40

I have been known to be a filthy stinking horrible person. Goes with the territory of having a bus pass.

I'm just not clean enough to own a car ;)

hiddenhome · 10/02/2015 15:07

Buses are full of rude, entitled people.

Taxis are expensive.

Walking is slow and annoying.

I prefer driving ta Grin

richthegreatcornholio · 10/02/2015 15:12

I have been known to be a filthy stinking horrible person. Goes with the territory of having a bus pass

Unfortunately the great unwashed make the experience far more unpleasant than the nice folk such as yourself make it pleasant.

IAmNotAPrincessIAmAKahleesi · 10/02/2015 15:18

YANBU in general but it does depend if there are other things going on and they can't walk/take public transport

Enormouse · 10/02/2015 15:26

Is it a 125cc you've got jasper?

DrDre · 10/02/2015 15:34

Some people drive absolutely everywhere - irrationally it annoys me! I walk to the train station, it's about 10 minutes. One of our neighbours gets her Mum to pick her up and drop her off! To my knowledge she hasn't got any mobility issues. I know it's none of my business but I can't help thinking it's really lazy.

LaurieFairyCake · 10/02/2015 15:41

I wouldn't walk. I would fall over and break my hip if it was slippy - I'm useless at walking on uneven or slippy ground.

DeliciousMonster · 10/02/2015 15:51

I drove 96 miles to get to work when I was in one job, and the people that usually walked or bussed in couldn't get there. What is your point exactly?

Original poster
ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 15:54

Yes it is enormouse Grin

My point is not that people should be taking the bus/taxi/walking instead of using a car, just that those options are there for when the car is, for whatever reason, unavailable.

I once had to work a half shift on Boxing Day, no buses and I didn't have the bike then so I got a taxi there & back at double the normal rate, it actually cost me more to get to work than I earned (nmw job) but I still showed up!

OP posts:
Original poster
ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 15:55

That wasn't aimed at you delicious, I started writing before I saw yours :)

OP posts:
sliceofsoup · 10/02/2015 16:02

YANBU in general. But a lot of people don't live on bus routes, and if the roads are hazardous then the pavements are likely to be way worse, and no class or work is worth a broken leg.

If I had to get a bus it would involve more planning in advance, finding out the times and routes, and the same for getting home. Then theres the walk to the bus stop on hazardous pavements, to wait for a bus that might not even come due to the weather.

angelos02 · 10/02/2015 16:08

sliceofsoup do you have a disability? If you do, I apologise. If not, FFS, the country would grind to a halt if everyone had your attitude when it snows.

sliceofsoup · 10/02/2015 16:12

Piss off. Whether I have a disability is irrelevant. Who the fuck wants to be injured? I have shit to do, and I will avoid injury at all costs.

Original poster
ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 16:15

I see what you mean soup but I know the town where they live and there is a bus every 10minutes, which were all running as normal (I saw them), all the main roads were absolutely clear it's only the little roads the gritter hadn't been on that were a bit icy. We had less than an inch of snow so it really wasn't that bad, if it was I wouldn't have been riding my bike!

It's very easy to look up bus timetables online now....

OP posts:
Enormouse · 10/02/2015 16:37

Does the 125 do that distance ok? I have a similar distance to travel with a crap bus service.

I have my first DAS lesson on Saturday and am still wavering on getting a 125 in the short term.

Original poster
ApignamedJasper · 10/02/2015 16:46

Yes it does it fine, takes about an hour or so, maybe a bit less normally but with the rain/cold/wind at the moment I've been going a bit slower than usual

OP posts:
Frusso · 10/02/2015 16:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RiverTam · 10/02/2015 16:52

•If I had to get a bus it would involve more planning in advance, finding out the times and routes, and the same for getting home. Then theres the walk to the bus stop on hazardous pavements, to wait for a bus that might not even come due to the weather.•

oh dear, poor you Hmm. Honestly, unless you do have a disability, that's feeble beyond belief and you probably shouldn't be in paid employment (if you are).

I've had to deal with more bus, tube and train strikes than I care to mention, along with odd snowfalls. I've had to walk for over an hour to get in. But I've done it, because I have a responsibility to my employer to make the effort.