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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think people who say they cant live without there car are stupid ?

345 replies

lins1uk · 31/05/2008 00:37

havent got a car yet, my dp is taking lessons and will be getting a car when he passes but people who say they cant live without there car are surely stupid ?
havent they heard of the bus or tram etc ?
i have two kids and one on the way and i will still use public transport when we have a car!
plus i walk 25 mins to school and 25 mins back twice a day i just think people who rely on there car for everything are just plain lazy,
i agree it is nice to have a car but its not everything!
sorry if you feel diffrent but thats how i feel!

OP posts:
hunkermunker · 31/05/2008 19:02

Don't assume that city-living means it's always feasible to live car-free either.

If we didn't have children, we could - quite a few of my colleagues are in this position.

But not with the drop-off and pick-up around work, the limited time in which to shop/do any kind of errand/see friends whilst DS1 at school, etc.

If I didn't work - yes, probably, we could be car-free.

But we'd also be sodding house-free if I didn't work too!

foxinsocks · 31/05/2008 19:03

there's something very satisfying about driving in London early on a Sunday morning with the windows open and most people still fast asleep and the roads not fucking ridiculously gridlocked busy. It's very freeing.

cazboldy · 31/05/2008 19:03

so there is a herd of cows near you then is there????

we have to live where the work is.......

is there a choice in that?

cazboldy · 31/05/2008 19:04

that was to mylittlepudding btw

mylittlepudding · 31/05/2008 19:09

There is actually. I walk past the local creamery every morning and evening!!! Just depends how you look, and what's important.

cazboldy · 31/05/2008 19:11

well what's important is being able to feed and clothe my dc and having a roof over our heads

cazboldy · 31/05/2008 19:13

why should people have to crowd together in towns and cities?

As someone said earlier...if we all did it who would milk the cows, grow the wheat etc?

WanderingTrolley · 31/05/2008 19:14

I think people are lucky to have choices. Not everyone can choose where they live or have much choice in where they work.

I could get by without my car. I'd earn less, and life would be more complicated, but it's do-able. I choose to keep my car, which makes me lucky, not stupid.

mylittlepudding · 31/05/2008 19:18

I think it's fine to make those choices. As long as you realise it is a choice. Just as some of us choose to leave the smallest mark that we can in this beautiful place. It might, and has very much for me, closed off career angles - but I doubt our grandchildren and greatgrandchildren will give a toss about that. There's nothing glamorous about sacrifice, that's for sure.

scottishmummy · 31/05/2008 19:26

car ownership depends upon your needs for the car eg work/social/health etc.dont generalise all car owners as irresponsible as irresponsible gas guzzling wheels obsessed.

btw i dont have a car at the moment, but if those needs change then yes i would get a car

you have obviously assessed your needs accordingly, but conversely other people do need their car too

sarah293 · 31/05/2008 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

hunkermunker · 31/05/2008 19:28

Riven, I was solely referring to the OP saying "there car" when I said what I did about spelling and grammar. I think if you're going to call someone stupid, it's best not to get the sentence in which you do it out and out wrong.

hunkermunker · 31/05/2008 19:31

I do get the tube the majority of the way to work. DH also cycles to work one day a week.

There's also a safety issue in London.

If I go into town in the evening, I'll usually drive to the station, then get the tube in. There is no way I'm coming out of the tube at midnight or later and walking the mile and a bit home by myself.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 31/05/2008 19:32

my little pudding - well said.

SparklyGothKat · 31/05/2008 19:33

only read the OP, but YABVU.

i could not live without my car. I have 2 disabled kids and live 3 miles from their school.. to walk it with Ds1 it would take me about 2 hours with him walking, about 1 hour with him in his wheekchair. I live about 2 miles from the shops and again i need the car to get my kids there.

vixma · 31/05/2008 19:34

I do not drive and still am able to get to work, however my partner works in Harlow 40 mins away and the bus/train service is appauling. If he caught these he wouldn't see our son (who is 11) because of the connections. I am annoyed at peaple who drive short distance to places out of lazyness (school runs, shops). However, using daily in our town the public transport, it really annoys me and however much you complain about it....your lucky if anything gets done.

vixma · 31/05/2008 19:36

Wholly crumbs, sorry for poor spelling! New keyboard.

MsSparkle · 31/05/2008 19:42

I doubt the op thought about those who work unsocial hours. My dp starts at 5.30am in the morning and the earliest bus is 7am, we don't live near a train station and the last tram to run in area was 1960! How do you suppose he gets to work? Fly?

Dps employees also start after midnight, i suppose they could grow wings too!

SoupDragon · 31/05/2008 19:42

I don't care abot the OP or the rest of the posts, I'm too busy weeping with laughter at someone who uses "there" instead of "their" calling other people stupid....

Disclaimer: normally I don't give a toss about people's spelling or grammar.

Eve34 · 31/05/2008 19:48

In my job I have drive just under 1100 miles for work. No car no work. My job contributes 50% to household cost and gives me a small income to have a quallity of life we have. No car, no job we could pay the bills just, but would have nothing left for anything else.

kittywise · 31/05/2008 20:37

yeah, the grammar was fab. Didn't know whether to pipe up or not. how can you not know the difference?? ( genuinely baffled)

expatinscotland · 31/05/2008 20:38

ppl your being so mean.

scottishmummy · 31/05/2008 20:39

cos we is stoopid, there you go

sarah293 · 31/05/2008 20:45

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Message withdrawn

gscrym · 31/05/2008 20:53

I start work at 6.15am. It's 2 buses to get there, none of which would be running at the time in the morning. It would be the same coming home off nights. I probably could but would struggle with the 1hr walk home after 12.5hrs working. DH would need a bus, a train then another bus to get to work.

My dad would also need to get 4 buses a day to take DS to school.

Congrats that you manage so well but I'm neither stupid or lazy. I'm lucky that I can walk my son to school when I'm not working but not everyone else is.