Accidentally car-free

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CopperBrompton

Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
Location
London
Well, not entirely by accident, but I didn’t set out with the goal of going car-free, I simply moved to Shadwell then found I’d gone three months without driving my car.

We had two cars before the move, sold one almost immediately but held onto the second one on the basis that it was by now 17 years old and worth next to nothing. We initially rented an underground car parking space for it, but that seemed an extravagance for something we never used, so left it in uncontrolled street parking in Rotherhithe. For three months.

Went over at the weekend to see if it was still there. It was, but someone had done a hit-and-run, scratching the driver side wing. That made me rather sad (it’s old but a nice car that was in very good condition), so decided that rather than leave it somewhere it was likely to suffer further neglect and not be used, I’d give it to a friend who would get some pleasure from it.

Dropped it off on Saturday. Still paperwork to sort out before it’s official, but basically I am now a non-car-owner. Have joined Zipcar as a backup, but honestly wonder when I’d ever use it. Everywhere in central London is within easy walking or cycling distance, and anywhere further afield is going to be more convenient by public transport.

As a former petrolhead who spent more time than I can count on racetracks, it feels very strange!
 

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
I understand you not needing a car in London but in the countryside, it is a very different story. A car is a necessity.
 
Well, not entirely by accident, but I didn’t set out with the goal of going car-free, I simply moved to Shadwell then found I’d gone three months without driving my car.

We had two cars before the move, sold one almost immediately but held onto the second one on the basis that it was by now 17 years old and worth next to nothing. We initially rented an underground car parking space for it, but that seemed an extravagance for something we never used, so left it in uncontrolled street parking in Rotherhithe. For three months.

Went over at the weekend to see if it was still there. It was, but someone had done a hit-and-run, scratching the driver side wing. That made me rather sad (it’s old but a nice car that was in very good condition), so decided that rather than leave it somewhere it was likely to suffer further neglect and not be used, I’d give it to a friend who would get some pleasure from it.

Dropped it off on Saturday. Still paperwork to sort out before it’s official, but basically I am now a non-car-owner. Have joined Zipcar as a backup, but honestly wonder when I’d ever use it. Everywhere in central London is within easy walking or cycling distance, and anywhere further afield is going to be more convenient by public transport.

As a former petrolhead who spent more time than I can count on racetracks, it feels very strange!
Yep, it’s pretty much the same with me. Driving is a P.I.T.A. My car very rarely gets used now.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I understand you not needing a car in London but in the countryside, it is a very different story. A car is a necessity.
It isn't essential to own a car in the countryside! It may well be much more convenient to own one but you could walk 3 or 4 miles to a shop or cycle 15 to 20 miles to one if you had to.

Admittedly, if the countryside in question was somewhere like the north coast of Scotland, that might be a bit tricky, but there can't be many places in England or Wales where the nearest shop is more than 20 miles away. (Anyway, most big stores will deliver these days.)
 

gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
My car hasn't moved in weeks either. Despite living in the countryside it spends more time with it's battery on charge than it does in motion.
We have two cars. I use mine to go to school, visit my children ( miles away) and go out with my wife. She uses her car mostly to go food shopping and she hates driving. Cycling is just recreational for me, beside, I like driving and having a car. I have always had a car since I was 20, (67 now). The day I will have to stop driving will be a sad day for me.
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
When i lived in Birmingham i didn't own a car for about 15 years. Now i live in mid Wales, a car is a necessity. I couldn't be without it out here. I do agree, there is no need to have a car in the city.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
We have two cars. I use mine to go to school, visit my children ( miles away) and go out with my wife. She uses her car mostly to go food shopping and she hates driving. Cycling is just recreational for me, beside, I like driving and having a car. I have always had a car since I was 20, (67 now). The day I will have to stop driving will be a sad day for me.

Ah, thats a big difference betwixt us - i cant stand driving. For me its a boring chore done under sufferance.
 

Tail End Charlie

Well, write it down boy ......
When I read the title, I thought it was going to be like the time I went car free after my son wrote off my car. Was car free for three years, but then bought a van. I did like the feeling of being car free,, no worries about the yearly MOT etc and, of course, the lack of expense, but having a van is very handy. Ironically I actually bought it to transport my tandem around.
 
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