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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To despair at our obession with cars

633 replies

SelkieQualia · 09/03/2022 11:11

They are awful. Noisy. Polluting. 4 million people die every year from the effects of air pollution. Housing developments are built around them, which means that the most vulnerable people in our society - young people, the elderly - are made even more dependant on those who drive.
Why do we tolerate such terrible public transport and cycling infrastructure?

OP posts:
Underhisi · 09/03/2022 12:06

There is no possible public transport that could work for ds (severe autism). He cannot even share school transport. The public transport system is not good enough but there will always be those that cannot use it. Putting him on a bike would be unbelievably unsafe even just as a 'passenger'.

gamerchick · 09/03/2022 12:06

Time poor and it's cheaper to drive! I had a taste of life without a car with my usual routine, it cost me a fortune in taxis and public transport and I was still an hour late for work.

No thank you

tinytemper66 · 09/03/2022 12:09

[quote Momicrone]Peer to peer car sharing is a solution where people make money by hiring out their own cars, schemes like hiya car
www.hiyacar.co.uk/[/quote]
I car share on a daily basis between 3 of us. We live near each other and the drive is 50 mins/30 miles each way. I have a hybrid which has saved me ££.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/03/2022 12:09

@irregularegular

Our next car - soon - will be electric!
Great contribution, thanks for sharing.
Original poster
SelkieQualia · 09/03/2022 12:10

@Weirdlykind With safe cycling infrastructure, most parents with kids can manage at least short distances - school age kids on their own bikes, younger ones on a baklofiets. However, real safe cycle spaces don't really exist where I am.

I'm not saying that there aren't people who need cars - just that there is currently no real other option where I am, and I would like people to have the choice to not use a car.

OP posts:
balalake · 09/03/2022 12:10

What I object to most is people not walking short distances who can, and large SUVs. The latter I would reduce by requiring a separate driving test, as many would opt for a smaller car instead.

Agrudge · 09/03/2022 12:12

@SelkieQualia

Do you have a driving licence?

Agrudge · 09/03/2022 12:14

@balalake

What I object to most is people not walking short distances who can, and large SUVs. The latter I would reduce by requiring a separate driving test, as many would opt for a smaller car instead.
Why should you need a separate licence Confused

I dont know why MN is so against SUVs

DetailMouse · 09/03/2022 12:14

4m people? Nearly 6 the the annual number of deaths in UK? So we're not talking about "our" reliance on cars or even pollution caused by cars.

mumda · 09/03/2022 12:15

You could argue the government are doing so much to entice people away from cars:

  1. The price of fuel.
  2. The cost of parking.
  3. The lack of parking on many new build housing estates.
  4. Reduction in parking at many places of work.
  5. Push for electric cars whilst not providing enough sustainable electricity production.
  6. The state of the roads.
  7. The excessive building of new builds on those green and pleasant land away from all the jobs.
  8. The completely useful, clean and pleasant and affordable public transport system.
Original poster
SelkieQualia · 09/03/2022 12:15

[quote Agrudge]@SelkieQualia

Do you have a driving licence?[/quote]
Yes, and I own a car ( although I'd prefer not to). I just want the option to not have to buy a second car for the household! I want access to alternatives!

OP posts:
Justcallmebebes · 09/03/2022 12:16

I commute into my nearest town, approximately 25 miles. It's cheaper to use the bus at £75 odd for a monthly pass so I stopped driving in to use the bus and do my bit for the climate.

It's been a nightmare. Dirty, late, freezing cold buses. Really rude and unhelpful drivers and often buses just cancelled with no warning. I've had to get buses into my nearest town and then try and get a lift home because the bus to my village has been cancelled. I leave work at 4.30pm and often didn't get home until nearly 7pm (a journey that takes 35 to 40 min by car) and often was late for work because the morning bus is cancelled with no prior warning.

I've gone back to using my car now and won't ever use the bus again unless they completely overhaul the service

irishfarmer · 09/03/2022 12:17

I think most people on here have very valid reasons for driving. As I do now, I live on a farm, no bus coming here! But there is a way over dependence/ entitlement to use a car. I trained in Dublin. People that absolutely did not need to drive (no health issues, no kids to drop off, on reliable transport routes to work) still drove because they could. That I couldn't get my head around. I like to take the train/ tram you can read, check messages, or dose.

And those large SUVs, yes we do have one. But as I said we have a farm. It is used for it's intended purpose. You'd be in very affluent areas parents dropping off their little darlings in these huge cars which are not needed in a city what so ever.

Justcallmebebes · 09/03/2022 12:17

Oh, and the service we do have to my village only runs Mon to Fri and last bust is at 7.10pm. Nothing on Sundays or bank holidays. How on earth are you supposed to get about (rural area) if you have no car??

Underhisi · 09/03/2022 12:19

We use car journeys as a way of regulating ds. We can control the environment in the car as opposed to the very unpredictable environment outside of it. Some days all you can do is 'go for a drive' on one of his regular routes.

FAQs · 09/03/2022 12:21

I had to make a relatively short 3 hr round trip yesterday, it worked out at about £40 in fuel and it would have cost £89 on the train, plus parking. The train was almost door to door, but twice the cost so I drove.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 09/03/2022 12:21

I can't drive. I quite like public transport. Would never live anywhere rural where I couldn't access it. I don't live in London.

Pyewhacket · 09/03/2022 12:22

... because this isn't the 1930's.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 09/03/2022 12:22

I live in London, yes we have options not to use cars but I’ll be honest I love having a car. It makes life so much easier and efficient. The demands on working parents are sky high, having a car saves me time- and that is the biggest commodity for me!

FAQs · 09/03/2022 12:22

@SelkieQualia you are not wrong to raise the issue though, very annoying the costs and lack of options.

StrawberrySquash · 09/03/2022 12:24

OP: public transport is terrible. We should make it better.
Many posters: YABU. Public transport is terrible.

Seriously, people. There are obviously many places where public transport is never going to be the most practical option. But there are many places where it could be made so much better and reduce the number of car journeys.

PineappleStunt · 09/03/2022 12:27

@SelkieQualia

They are awful. Noisy. Polluting. 4 million people die every year from the effects of air pollution. Housing developments are built around them, which means that the most vulnerable people in our society - young people, the elderly - are made even more dependant on those who drive. Why do we tolerate such terrible public transport and cycling infrastructure?
Clearly you're able bodied and know and care only about able bodied people.
Sirzy · 09/03/2022 12:27

4 of us are going to a rugby match tomorrow. 10 miles away. To take the train would cost £20 each return and include one change (at a station in the opposite direction!) would be a 15 minute walk either way to the station.

So I’m going to drive. Even with the cost of petrol it won’t cost £80.

We wanted to use public transport but getting between two neighbouring towns wasn’t possible!

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 09/03/2022 12:29

Its a catch-22 situation.

Cycle lanes and public transport won't improve until more people use them.
People won't use them as they arent as safe and convenient presently.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 09/03/2022 12:31

I dont know why MN is so against SUVs

They are easy to sneer at.

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