What would your life change if you had to get rid of your car/could no longer drive

[Netcurtainnelly]

Do you ever worry about this?
How would it change your life tomorrow?
Which things would not be possible anymore?

We would be really stuck. There's nothing I do that doesn't involve the car, and public transport here wouldn't go to the places I need to get to, in the main.
Husband would be ok as he works from home but me and the kids would be totally screwed.

In my case I need a car to take and collect DD and all her stuff to and from university and to take DH, who can no longer drive, to and from the three hospitals he is under, so it isn't a case of accepting that some activities have to stop.

It wouldn't change at all. I can drive but have never owned a car as I have lived my entire adult life in inner London. Pretty much everywhere I need to go on a regular basis is accessible by public transport or walking.

I will occasionally hire a car if I need one.

I admit that I loved it when I used to stay with DD in Newcastle because we just used the metro to get about.

I use the tram when I go into Sheffield, but it is a 25 minute drive to the nearest tram stop.

It is very freeing!

If you were hit by illness and couldn't drive you'd just need to accept that things would need to stop.
It would be very unfortunate for both you and DH to be hit by illnesses and not be able to drive but I guess it's part of life.

You literally would have to accept it (or spend a fortune on taxis etc). You can't just keep driving if the DVLA take your licence.

Due to a mix up with the GP, I was without a licence for six weeks (I have type 1 diabetes and therefore have to renew my licence every three years). As I live in London and we have grocery delivery it was ok for the short term. I walked, took the bus/tube if needed. My DD not so thrilled as no lifts to the station for school (or collecting when it was raining). But my car means freedom to me and I curtailed doing certain things and visiting some people which was fine because it was temporary.

If I was still at my previous address I would really miss having a car as public transportation was infrequent and doesn’t go where I want it to!
But I’m also in my 60s. Neither of my young adult kids have cars and they manage, as I did back then because I didn’t pass my test til mid 20s. You get spoilt having a car!

So if you became disabled like me would you say that you were then worthless? Would your family stop valuing you if you became unable to taxi them - how about a more severe disability that left you unable to care for yourself.

I got DD to & from uni by national Express. She had to beat in mind when she chose her uni that she wouldn't be driven around. Again she learned resilience & compromise as well as an acute awareness of ableism & other forms of prejudice & discrimination which made her a better person.

People with severe disabilities much worse than just not being able to drive can live fulfilling lives, have children, careers etc.

This happened to me as I was diagnosed with a medical condition which meant I could no longer drive. Luckily, I was only 21 and didn't have my own car and had just left uni so could make choices but it has massively impacted my life, there are certain places I can't live, jobs I can't apply for because I can't get there etc etc. DH drives everywhere which is a lot for him and I can't do exactly what I like when I like with the kids.

It does massively piss me off when I have to wait an hour for a bus that never turns up but I remind myself in the grand scheme of things it could be a lot worse. The only happy side effect is that I am very fit and can eat exactly what I like as I walk pretty much everywhere!

Yes, of course I would have to accept it.

I would hire a man with a van. DD has a lot of stuff as she is now in a flat and needs kitchen stuff, bedding etc. During the Christmas and Easter breaks she just gets a train home.

It would make my job very difficult. I drive around a multitude of different locations for my job, and without a car, having to rely on public transport, it would be very challenging, and very limiting.

I was chatting with a non-driving friend quite recently about this actually. She doesn't drive for health reasons, and was bemoaning the lack of hobbies out of the house she could attend, in her local area. I forget sometimes that she doesn't drive.

We live in similar but different cities, and there's TONS of stuff I could do within a 10 minute drive of my house. But I forget that would be an hours walk for her.

I'd have to drop DS2's swimming (but he can swim competently already) and a specific fitness class I do.

Work is fine, I normally walk/ cycle, but do like the fact that I can drive if I'm knackered or the weather is dreadful. Some hobbies and activities are already walking distance.

I'd join the gym 5 mins away and have to suck up online groceries (I prefer 20 min in Aldi/ Lidl when passing). I'd also have to get over my distrust of taxis/ ubers. Never tried uber as I've never needed it, and I haven't regularly used taxis since I was a student 20+ years ago and never felt relaxed about being driven by a stanger (there had been attacks around the time I was a student)

Our bus service is decent to the city centre, but going further afield would get faffy.

I'd miss the freedom to go anywhere on a whim, especially at awkward times. Little stuff like driving a couple of miles to run somewhere a bit different (and not always slog up hill in the final mile home!) but I already walk/ cycle/ bus a decent amount and don't feel totally dependent on my car.

One thing everyone has to remember any one of us could be injured or ill by this time tomorrow, injury or sudden illness, emergency operation no driving for 6 weeks, (not the driving thats the issue, its the stopping, painful wound unable to do emergency stop)
Everyone should consider public transport when they make life choices like where to live

Ok and what of thosevwho actually drive for a living? How well would everyone get on withour lorry drivers, van delivery drivers , taxis buses and driving instructors etc if nobody did thee jobs " just in case" something might happen to prevent them from doing so in the fuypture. The country would be fucked

Plenty of city dwellers used to live in the country and vice versa and some live in both

It would make my life quite difficult as I live in an area I have to drive for almost everything (school drop off/pick up, shopping, activities for my kid, etc). I can use a bus but would take me ages to get anything done so I’ll be spending my days on a bus going places (instead of 10 min to school would be 45-60 mins)

No-one suggested you should

Of course it totally depends what sort of area you live in. Both my grandparents and parents suffered from this, moved to a pretty rural area to retire which was great for 10- 15 years. As they aged they had to give up the cars due to failing health/eye sight/slowing reactions and were totally isolated. In hindsight they would have been happier in the long run staying in a town where a car isn’t a necessary to get out and about.

Not much really. I already walk to/from work everyday. I live on a bus route so would just use the bus to go into town when necessary. Already use internet shopping a lot, so don't need to go to physical shops much. Happy to use taxis as using them occasionally is cheaper than buying and running a car anyway. I think it's just a matter of having to plan more/better rather than relying on the car for "last minute" things.

And that's from someone who absolutely loves driving, has driven for over 45 years, done the police driving course, did the advanced driving test and "taught" advanced motoring in the local IAM group for many years, loves cars, etc. So I'd be upset and annoyed if I couldn't drive, but I can't think of any practical reasons why I couldn't do what I need to do for normal life - just no more self-drive road trips or hiring a car abroad on holiday etc.

Not much. I don’t use the car much anyway day to day. I live in a small city and walk everywhere. Went away last night and went by public transport because it was quicker and less hassle.

When I lived in the suburbs of a commuter town it rewound have been very tricky.

Easy to say, but houses close to good public transport, schools, and other amenities are often a lot more expensive and not everyone can afford the extra. Likewise even car drivers have to pay more for a house on a road with a drive/garage and easy on street parking whereas houses in roads without drives etc and with restricted/difficult parking on the road are the cheaper ones. Not everyone can afford the choice.

I would be very isolated as I live alone in a rural area with hardly any busses. I’m seriously thinking of moving to a town now - I’d like to be able to walk into town for breakfast, shopping, gym etc. I’d still keep a car - health permitting - but it would be good not to be so reliant on it.