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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why is Mumsnet so anti-car?

375 replies

Ticketsto · 14/01/2023 07:37

There is at least one thread a week on here demonizing cars! What is with all the hate? I know they cause pollution and can kill people however they’ve revolutionized the way we live! Not all of us are fortunate enough to live somewhere with good public transport.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
MechanicaHound · 14/01/2023 11:12

BOOOORRRRIIINNNGGGG · 14/01/2023 07:57

As ever, it’s targeted by people with an agenda to change some aspect of society. See also Brexit, Covid, H&M threads, any brand that’s repeatedly mentioned in a short time etc

Yes it's almost like there are bots with agendas to push.

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:12

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:11

Whewillmylifebegin - suvs are the only option for child minders and people with more kids! Heard it all now

Yes, people exist outside your experience.

Shocking I know.

paintitallover · 14/01/2023 11:13

Never seen one previous thread on this subject. Nobody is anti car.

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:13

Whewillmylifebegin, I didn't realise food was delivered to supermarkets in cars?

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:14

Whewillmylifebegin, I have plenty of experience of transporting multiple kids without the use of an suv, sounds like that exists outside your experience

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:15

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:13

Whewillmylifebegin, I didn't realise food was delivered to supermarkets in cars?

Who grows your food?
Pixies?

QuertyGirl · 14/01/2023 11:15

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:09

My impression of mumsnet is having 2 cars or more is considered the norm

Yep, two cars, both parents full time, full schedule.

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:15

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:14

Whewillmylifebegin, I have plenty of experience of transporting multiple kids without the use of an suv, sounds like that exists outside your experience

Piggyback?

ivykaty44 · 14/01/2023 11:15

same reason people are anti smoking I guess?

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:21

Whewillmylifebeginagain - yes I expect the little pixies transport their food from the farms in little pixie cars. Are you confusing cars with lorries and trucks?

usernamealreadytaken · 14/01/2023 11:22

@DifferenceEngines
"Obesity kills people, but cars cause obesity. The Netherlands save thousands of lives each year by getting people onto bikes and making exercise a normal part of the day."

What utter nonsense. I have a car and "normal" BMI; I run several times a week regardless of how much I drive. Eating too much food and not exercising enough, or eating rubbish food, or having an eating disorder, or having mental health issues or learning difficulties or being lazy or hundreds of other things cause obesity, but cars aren't one of them.

Near to where I live there's a morbidly obese man who seems to cycle everywhere. Never seen him in a car; perhaps his bicycle caused his obesity? 🙄

Sparklingbrook · 14/01/2023 11:23

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:21

Whewillmylifebeginagain - yes I expect the little pixies transport their food from the farms in little pixie cars. Are you confusing cars with lorries and trucks?

I assume the lorry drivers and truck drivers have to get to work, you can’t really park a Morrison’s artic on the drive.

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:24

Quertygirl - I was trying to point out that mumsnet is most likely not anticar for that very reason, but there are plenty of families with both parents working that don't have 2 cars, indeed none sometimes

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:26

Sparkling Brook, yep, some people need cars to get to work, that was not being disputed, more the journey of the food itself

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:27

Sparklingbrook · 14/01/2023 11:23

I assume the lorry drivers and truck drivers have to get to work, you can’t really park a Morrison’s artic on the drive.

Show quote history

Well yes, she seems to have forgotten farm labourers, slaughterhouse workers etc all have to get to work somehow.

Way to tell me you live in a city without telling me you live in a city.

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:27

Whewillmylifebegin - so multiple kids can only be transported in a sports utility vehicle?

Spikeyball · 14/01/2023 11:28

"They're also the only option for childminders or those with more children."

Well that is not true. There are plenty of larger cars that are not SUVs.

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:30

Tbh I'm not a car expert. But yes, people with multiple children to transport need larger cars.
And people who live rurally need off-road vehicles.

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:31

Whewillmylifebegin - I have lived in a city, but not anymore. Sorry to disappoint. I was replying to your original point which has slightly shifted, about the transport of the food itself. I have never disagreed that some people need to drive to work

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:37

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:31

Whewillmylifebegin - I have lived in a city, but not anymore. Sorry to disappoint. I was replying to your original point which has slightly shifted, about the transport of the food itself. I have never disagreed that some people need to drive to work

Then you are arguing with the wind.
No one is arguing for people who live 2 minutes from work, school or shops to have the right to drive an SUV to the door.
What they are arguing is that a non car utopia is simply not possible in this country at this time for everyone in the country and if it is for you you are extremely privileged.

Whewillmylifebegin · 14/01/2023 11:38

My point never shifted, I mentioned labourers in my first post on this thread. It was your misunderstanding that assumed I was talking about supermarkets. I assume because you have a city Central way of thinking.
I would be very surprised if you actually live rurally as you don't seem to be able to grasp the logistics of it.

SprayedWithDettol · 14/01/2023 11:38

MN isn't the Borg with a hive mind. There are as many opinions as there are users.

whataboutsecondbreakfast · 14/01/2023 11:41

Devoutspoken · 14/01/2023 11:13

Whewillmylifebegin, I didn't realise food was delivered to supermarkets in cars?

How do you think everyone involved in getting food from the farms to your plates should get to work, then? Teleportation?

The food itself might not be transported by car, but the workers still need to get to work and last time I checked, you can't park an HGV on a residential street. They need to get to the big industrial estates and lorry parks somehow!

MenaiMna · 14/01/2023 11:56

LlynTegid · 14/01/2023 07:46

I don't demonise cars.

I do object though to SUVs driven by people and the impact of the environment, when what I would call a standard size car is perfectly adequate.

I object to travelling walkable distances and parking badly, and the impact it has on their health and the delays for whom there really is no easy alternatives.

I object to those (usually men) who drive aggressively, often in certain makes of car, to intimidate others (often women) on the road.

I object to those who want cyclists off the road, or tractors at the time they travel, because it inconveniences them for a minute or two.

I object to giving licences and not banning those who drink and drive, or who take illegal drugs. I want to see medical checks at reasonable intervals, as I think perhaps 10% of car drivers are sadly not fit to drive for health reasons.

I object to courts not taking motoring crimes seriously, and being allowed to accept bleeding heart excuses and not ban someone.

Agreed

Squamata · 14/01/2023 12:06

usernamealreadytaken · 14/01/2023 11:22

@DifferenceEngines
"Obesity kills people, but cars cause obesity. The Netherlands save thousands of lives each year by getting people onto bikes and making exercise a normal part of the day."

What utter nonsense. I have a car and "normal" BMI; I run several times a week regardless of how much I drive. Eating too much food and not exercising enough, or eating rubbish food, or having an eating disorder, or having mental health issues or learning difficulties or being lazy or hundreds of other things cause obesity, but cars aren't one of them.

Near to where I live there's a morbidly obese man who seems to cycle everywhere. Never seen him in a car; perhaps his bicycle caused his obesity? 🙄

@usernamealreadytaken there's the direct impact of car ownership - some people will use it to drive to the gym or to the nearest mountain range for hiking, some will use it to take them 200m to the newsagent.

But indirectly lots of cars impact the whole community - whether having a walk or cycling is something you'd do because of traffic, how long it takes to get places. Even how towns are designed, with out of town shops or walkable high streets. Whether you bump into neighbours who are walking around, or don't see them because they go from house to car in 2 seconds. Some neighbourhoods become disadvantaged when they're near big roads.

Of course it's possible to have a car and not be obese, but cars probably overall have a negative impact on public health. There's air pollution and climate change to consider too.

People used to walk much longer distances and not think twice about it, it was probably shit sometimes in rain etc but cars have definitely reduced people's ok overall activity levels.