ashamed

[needmorecoffee]

Gave in and got a car after struggling for 4 years with a child in a wheelchair and non-accessible buses.
Lucky in a way cos she had a massive epileptic fit last week and was rushed to hospital then rushed back in with suspected meningitis. But still feel ashemd of the thing sitting outside my house

i saw your thread a while ago and you are more than entitled to own a car, its not like your just cruising round in a huge 4x4, you need it to get from a to b with your children, dont beat yourself up over it, youve got one now, enjoy the luxury of not having to traipse everyone everywhere and getting there ten times faster

Please don't feel ashamed. You did your very best in horrifically difficult circumstances by the sound of it.
Oh, and park it round the corner if you can't bear the sight of it

You have done so well to manage as long as you have, you should be proud of yourself not ashamed. At the end of the day everybody has to do their own bit and if more people did it wouldn't be a problem, even with the car you do ore than the majority of people and the health and safety of your own family has to come above everything else.

Why not offer to car share or give (elderly?) neighbours a lift when you have be off out anyway?

Don't feel ashamed because you actually need your own vehicle, but just treat it responsibly in the same way you woiuld any other labour saving/(life-saving in your case!!) device.

Good idea bobsmum - or see whether there's a local car-pooling scheme you could join? (Or even start one up, with all your spare energy and time? )

Try looking at it this way - your children would be seriously disadvantaged if you gave up the car now, and your daughter's health could suffer. I'm not one of those people who believes in putting one's own kids before everyone else, but you really do have very legtimate reasons for using a car.

Do not feel ashamed. You need a car for your DD - that is your first and most important priority. It is like many things in life - it is how you use it that counts, not the fact that you have it.

the damage cars do to the environment compare to industry is insignificant, just a convenient way for the government to make you feel guilty.

car only has wheelchair room at back so is a little crap for lifts.
We did try and join a local car club but none of their vehicles are wheelchair accessible (ramps and tie downs)
I did get the smallest one I could find. with a 1.2 engine but still.
If we could just have accessible buses like London has we wouldn;t need the stupid car. But First Bus, knowing that its not required until 2016 seem to be waiting for 2015 before complying with the law. Sigh.

noise and congestion are also forms of pollution. Not just emmissions.

You have nothing at all to be ashamed of. You need a car, and not having one is verging on pointless self-sacrifice.
I frequently take the piss out of car owners who are able bodied (and have entirely able-bodied families), live in urban areas with plenty of accessible transport, buses, trains, tubes and trams - and still whine that they 'couldn't possibly manage without a car'. But none of that applies to you.

if i ever feel guilty about something (leaving lights on etc) I always tell myself that I'll change my ways when canary wharf turns all the light off at night. I'm sure they do more damage in one night than you will do in year in your car. Don't worry about it in the slightest.

You mustn't feel ashamed! With environmental issues, my attitude is that I will do my best for the environment, but that it can't be at the expense of my sanity!!

Goodness no, your daughter needs the car! You can always give people lifts if you want to.