to think being able to drive is KEY skill for a woman ( particularly)

[FolornHope]

or not

well whenever we've gone somewhere in the car with DH driving that's more than about an hour away the DS's have always got bored pretty quick.

They never got bored going to Edinburgh on the coach, or Yarmouth in the train

And why bother going on public transport/foot/bike ??? Because I actually quite enjoy it !

awa, I am not so much comparing the time taken to get to the holiday destination as once you are there, how do you get around? I cannot imagine working out whether it is possible to ride around Tuscany by bike, if I knew I could just hire a car and have a map/satnav. The time involved in planning a non-driving holiday must be significantly more.

sorry - DS3 woke up

the "finer details" are usually the easier bits to work out - it's the getting there and getting the best deals on flights, accomodation (for DH - car hire) that take the longest - making sure you've got the best deal

and actually a quick google reveals that biking round Tuscany is very popular and lots of places offer bike hire (and even biking holidays if you want the whole package deal)

there you go family cylcling holiday package

I'm bet it's possible to do it a lot cheaper though

Fair enough, awa. What about the weather? And young children who don't cycle long distances?

young children - simple - you hire a trailer bike (or a seat for the bike if a very young children)

Weather - well cycling round in the rain, walking round in the rain after getting out the car - you still get wet

And lets face it - if they don't get driven around at home (Because of no car/lack of driver at home) they're going to be used to the weather already so that'a bit of a non-issue IMO.

We got rained on (lots) in Yarmouth and Edinburgh - and it was cold as well in Edinburgh (well it was January LOL) made no difference to my DS's as they would have got cold and wet if we'd stayed at home

you see - I could just as easily have a "no car" holiday as I could one with DH there driving. It makes no odds to me, it's just a different way of doing things, not a worse way, not a better way, just different.

I'm now actually letting DH go to Thailand for that weeks holiday (presuming he can get his passport and airfares sorted out) and buggering off on my own for a week somewhere on a biking holiday or some such like

Awa, I am impressed by your efforts. But I am getting the feeling that never the twain shall meet ...

It is a different lifestyle but to each their own.

I'm actually now thinking of letting - that should read

I@m sure the twain shall never meet LOL - DH doesn't "get" how I'm so happy when I can't drive either - although the last few months have been rather fun showing him solutions to problems he thought were impossible while he's been without motorised wheels.........but he still wants them back .

wow Riven your amazing, good on you. No driving is not essential, my dh (who drives) says that it makes you more dependent really, when the car breaks down or its not there some people really do not know what to do. There is a school at the end of my road, the lady opposite, if raining or snowing drives 1 miniute to the school to collect or drop off her ds .

There are ways to get round not having a car as Riven and some posters on here have stated. Sometimes its easier not to take a car.

i saw a program about obesity in the US ages ago and people relying too much on their cars played a very big factor. this man would drive about 300 metres to the closest post box a mum down our road does the same. she lives within 7 minutes walking distance of the school, but still opts to drive every day. she doesn't have health problems or work, so no excuse. some days we get there at the same time, as she gets stuck in traffic!

A car can break down but so can public transport. When I lived in central london, I had 3 different ways of getting to my office by tube, bus, foot. Now if I drove in those days, that would be another option.

No method of transport is perfect, so the example of a car breaking down is a non-point, really.

Getting around without a car is of course possible. But the having to arrange your life to make it feasible not to have to get around by car eg working locally and local schools, is limiting IMO.

no - as I said - I looked at a job in the next town (didn't got for it because I fell pg and stopped working ) - even if I drove that's the furthest I would look for work anyhow.

When I was single we lived MUCH further away from the school - no biggy - we walked there, some rain, shine or snow (lots of it in Feb this year LOL).

and I agree with Riven's

"so I would say driving is a useful skill but knowing how to be properly independant and get around without a car is a vital one"

How about re-casting it as: "... but knowing how to be properly independant and get around with or without a car is a vital one".

Exactly people are becoming too dependent on their cars that they do not know what to do when their car breaks down or dont have the use of it anymore. I dont drive, i tried but failed many tests, i would like to learn but too expensive at the moment, i would have to wait until i get a job. Even then i would only go within the locality as i would be too afriad, my confidence is not too good.

awa, if you drove, you could, for the same commuting time, look for work in a town further away. You will no doubt now say it will take the same time, but strangely is not borne out by my experience.

Just drivers are limited by their imagination in getting around without a car, I do feel non-drivers already have in-built limits in their horizons which, whether they realise it or not, are dictated by the inherent constraints (in terms of feasibility, time, options, ease) of their mobility.

Not everyone has the skills to drive, there are so many idiots on the road who though have passed their tests are dreadful drivers, and those like me who never get beyond the tests.

those who cant and are not able to drive should be looked down upon with pity and sympathy then and be outcast.

If i drove i still would have in built limits as to where i would go, a few people who i know who drive have limits where they would drive, some not on the motorway, some not within a 30 mile radius so there you go.