to wonder where people get this expectation that they are entitled to drive round in cars, polluting the planet.

[totallybewildered]

How did it become an automatic right to drive round everywhere. Do people do it just because they can afford it? Does anyone avoid it for he sake of the human race, and the planet? I know some people have little choice, but many people who do have a choice, drive anyway.

ffs why does it not give me bold ? The asterix are there !

Car emissions cause asthma which kills people.
People are killed in car crashes.
If we all drove less we would see a drop in vehicle related deaths.
We would also get to use our legs more.

Most people don't even notice they orientate their lives entirely around their car.

I agree driving is a privilege not a right, but most people think it's important. But most of the time it isn't.
The real stupidity is America, when cars or fuel get too pricey their entire way of life will grind to a halt.

This assumption about mass car driving has only been around for the last 70 years yet people act as though the human race would grind to a halt without it - it won't. The stupidity of constructing your society around a short term transport solution is boggling.

I do drive have been for a few years but I do want to start walking more. I couldn't give up my car, it's useful to me. I only have a fiat 500 anyway so I don't think it pollutes that much

I drive sometimes purely because I want to, when I dont even have anywhere I need to go.
Will I drive over with your big shiny medal, OP?

Miggsie - the way that towns are planned nowadays, and the loss of the High Street/local shops, plus the cost and unreliability of public transport means that it is not practical for many people to manage without a car.

My mum, whose circumstances I described in an earlier post, does not have a car, but she has to rely on friends with cars to give her lifts for essential things like doctor's appointments, hospital visits, and for the things that make her life pleasant - social occasions - if she did not have access to people with cars, her life would be shut-in and unlivable.

ffs why does it not give me bold ? The asterix are there !

You need them at the beginning and end of each paragraph.

I love driving my car, by way of contribution to the thread.

My DH is one of those people who tries to do things for the sake of the planet. DH works in an industry where most people are pretty environmentally conscious, but most of them still do have cars - many have a Prius or some other sort of electric/hybrid car though.

We got rid of our car several years ago, and now use public transport or walk everywhere.

We live in a village actually, it's not always easy, but we chose to live in one with a school and doctors surgery and station, and a few shops, so day to day, we can do everything on foot.

DH goes to work by train and bike. It takes him twice as long as it would by car, which is frustrating. We had to get a taxi the other day because 2 buses didn't line up. You have to plan around bus and train timetables a lot.

I do sometimes think (as we stand at the bus stop with the DC) how much easier some things would be with a car, but it's something that is very important to DH. And it is actually cheaper for us not to run a car, so we do get a benefit that isn't completely altruistic!

Some great words used on here:
ð???Pious
ð???Goady
ð???Stupid

I just don't get why it's done to some person on a parenting site to judge what is an acceptable lifestyle. Usually such stupid people are anti vac and cycle 40 moles to buy some organic cucumbers flown in from Ecuador. I love driving and love my truck. People like the op just make me want to give even less of a shit.
Especially when they are the ones all cramming their endless kids into a crappojet plane for their holidays. I reckon being a vegan with one child offsets my truck and air commute a million times over from smug mum with 3 kids in a Micra.

This assumption about mass car driving has only been around for the last 70 years yet people act as though the human race would grind to a halt without it - it won't. The stupidity of constructing your society around a short term transport solution is boggling.

Do you not see the problem with those two sentences? Over the last 70 years we have built this country, apart from a few select cities, around car driving. If we suddenly ran out of petrol tomorrow society would not be exactly as it was before mass car-driving.

So, OP, given that you've dodged people's questions about your own environmental behaviours and choices, I did a tiny bit of an advanced search. Not an extensive one, but I thought it would be interesting to check whether your behaviour is in any way consistent, or rather you're targeting one source of emissions illogically.

From your posts, you have at least two children. You have one or more pets.

Did you think about the selfish choices of having children - especially more than one - or acquiring a pet? Do your pets eat meat?

Do you eat meat? How much? What sort of housing do you live in?

For me - I come from a place in another country where a car is truly a necessity, unless you have three days to walk to the nearest town. I lived in cities from the age of 18, and didn't have a car (or was a member of car clubs) until 4 years ago. On having children, I purchased a car (second hand, low emissions for its age). It wasn't strictly necessary but has enhanced our lives no end by what it has enabled. I commute by public transport. I live in a well-insulated semi, I eat red meat no more than once a week and usually much less, and chicken or fish once or twice a week. I have a second child on the way, and recognise the selfish choice I made there.

The planning system in this country is very poor, so the overall picture isn't assessed. In many ways, the system seems to encourage people to be unhealthy and inactive - just look at some of the viewpoints expressed on here about cycling.

There's a middle ground. You shouldn't be considered a lentil munching weirdo to suggest that access to public transport and employment is a sensible criterion in looking for a house, but apparently you are and I'm smug living in London.
looking at you, in every other way lovely extended family

Look at what OP is saying, she knows some have no choice. I silently question those who drive the 800m to drop their children off to school, in particular if there is no onward journey. OP does not appear to be having a go at those thwt absolutely have to drive.

We have a car, we have three children, however, whenever possible I try to walk. What's wrong with trying to get those who are able to walk, make walking their normal transport mode for short journeys?

We need to do something to ensure the next generation do not automatically jump in their cars. We would all be fitter, and the air cleaner.

Look at what OP is saying

Very little.

OP does not appear to be having a go at those thwt absolutely have to drive.

No, there's others doing that.

I absolutely love driving. However, the public transport system in my city is cheap and convenient, and it's very hard to park near my place of work, so I don't drive every day .

It is their right because we live in a free country.Who are YOU to say otherwise??
let me guess.Have you failed your test?, lost your licence?, are you a cyclist who won't let cars get past?

op very quiet. Maybe she has a puncture.

Because public transport is quite often shit and expensive at that?

Because not all aspects of life have caught up with a fairly common modern set up of both partners working full time 'office' type hours?

When I lived in the city centre I walked everywhere. I now live on the outskirts of a city and although it's not 'far' the public transport system on the outskirts is not well thought out (removal of circular bus routes in favour of hub and spoke only was not a great plan).

FWIW I cycle to work frequently (11-12 miles each way for my main office, carrying a laptop and change of clothes). Not everyone has that level of fitness, not to mention decent facilities at work for cyclists, but many people have a similar commute.

I have not driven now for 8 years but I won't lie to you...with two under five, it's a frigging nightmare and I still miss driving so so much. I have three kids therefore lose all moral highground with that lifestyle choice alone. I read a book about ethical living by Leo Hickman (sp?) but can only do about half of it atm. The one thing I am trying to do is just cut down on buying stuff full stop as consumption and clutter as,a result of buying Schnick schnack was my fatal flaw.
So OP whilst you may not be unreasonable long term you do come across as judgy and if you live in a glass house....

Of course I'm entitled to drive round in a fucking car.

It's my planet, I'll do what I like FFS.

I'm more interested in why people feel they're entitled to be pricks about other people's lifestyle choices on this fucking site today.

I'm watching the budget and I can't stop grinning. investment in roads so up yours Goady op.

Ah the thread about a thread! A disabled op asked for recommendations on cars...

I can't walk to our local bus stop anymore . My car gives me a freedom to prevent me being housebound! Or should i be housebound relying on others for everything?

If public transport was reliable and safe, twenty four hours a day and didn't leave me with a twenty minute walk at the end then I would probably use it. I used to quite enjoy commuting to London but now shifts elsewhere I need a car.

I'm not surprised about the somewhat rude and defensive posts here in answer to rather a thought provoking, albeit a tad hectoring OP.

I guess when it all boils down, we all make choices in our lives which suit us.
Not all those choices suit everyone on the planet, or every species on the planet either.

For example, having a family pet such as a friendly old Labrador, is as expensive to 'run' in carbon as having a gas guzzling 4X4 according to the ecomonist and sustainable living expert Robert Vale who wrote the book time to eat the dog

Having children is also an expensive event in terms of carbon and waste, but I doubt OP that you'd get many people except the very few reducing the size of their families on the basis of trying to cause less of a carbon footprint.

Fwiw, I have a small family, no pet, eat local produce, don't eat beef, and have no car in order to reduce my footprint. I have a few acres planted in broadleaf trees in an unmanaged woodland to sink any carbon I use flying for business.

Yes, I understand and share somewhat the frustration you show in your OP. I also wonder where people get their sense of entitlement about using up our planet's finite resources.

I wonder what kind of planet those who are entrenched in their so called petrol head ways want for their grandkids' kids?

You won't be around to know these children you share some of your genes with, or even help them if you could..... do you think they'll be able to lock themselves away in some uber ghetto, higher and higher up the hill, and avoid climate change, mass migration of all kinds of species, ecological desertification, biodiversity collapse, and mass human unrest and refugees from climate change?

Your descendants won't be able to isolate themselves and insulate themselves from the effects of climate change you know, and they'll probably curse you for not doing something about the problems they will have to deal with.
They'll learn from their history that the writing is upon the wall now for all to see, and yet we chose to ignore it, or deny it. (And give biscuits to those who challange resource wasting behaviour.)

Well, I suppose we all have to do our best. It's not always obvious where our choices are leading us in the short term, so it might be an idea to read that rather enlightening book I've posted a link to, or any other book or scientific paper on climate change you find, if you've the inclination and/or time, to gain a more global perspective on the actual effects of your day to day choices.

I'm sure our descendants, if we have any, will thank us all for doing the right thing. They'll reap what we sow for sure.

Best wishes all.