I miss the car!

[Sandra6]

I like to think I cycle "everywhere". Well, I don't drive, so it's that walk or the bus. Or so I tell myself
I hadn't really considered just how many lifts I get with Mr6. Until now.
He's hurt his hand, minor fall off the bike, and has been in a cast for a couple of weeks now and we've a few more to go. And I am sick of walking or biking or getting the bus!!!
Weekly shop now has to be done online for delivery. If we forget anything, run out, or just fancy a treat I have to go for it. Not to mention it's costing much more to be shopping in tesco rather than good old Lidl.
Sundays we usually go out for breakfast, so that's out.
I need to go to the garden centre. And fair enough I can get there - 30 mins on the bike or 50 on the bus!! But I can't bring two large planters and a couple of bags of stones home. And, yes, I can get a lift from a friend, but I don't really want to have to ask, unless it's absolutely essential. And I can't go round all three and then decide what I really want to buy.
The summer's going to be a right off. Normally we'd chuck together a picnic and bomb out to the lakes or the beach, but £20 of petrol is affordable, and an hour or two drive reasonable, going by public transport triples the cost and the journey time. Not to mention a lot of places we go to aren't on a bus route.
I used to think we could be car free, but I've realised we can't.
How do those who genuinely are without a car actually manage?

 

[Bazzer]

IME ASDA are cheaper than Tesco.
On the positive side, you are savng money by not spending on fuel, planters and bags of stones

 

[Crackle]

I've never been car free but we went down to one which meant I was mostly without a car. I must have slowly adapted because now we've got two cars again (kids drive) I find I don't need to use it.

Adapt: Resistance is futile.

 

[screenman]

Is everything about how much you can save? I can understand some people going car free for green reasons, or if course financial, but I would certainly need to relocate or change my lifestyle way more than I would happily do so.

 

[Sandra6]

IME ASDA are cheaper than Tesco.
On the positive side, you are savng money by not spending on fuel, planters and bags of stones

Asda here are shockingly bad with online delivery. They think nothing of cancelling your delivery, not informing you, then not refunding the money for 7 days!

You could manage, you are managing, you just don't really want to. Get a taxi home from the garden centre, still cheaper than owning a car.

It would cost close to £20 for a taxi - and we still have to pay for the car. Which is also annoying me!!

 

[Sandra6]

Is everything about how much you can save? I can understand some people going car free for green reasons, or if course financial, but I would certainly need to relocate or change my lifestyle way more than I would happily do so.

^^^^ This.

 

[fossyant]

2 cars here. Could manage with one as we both commute together but it's handy having two. My car can take the bikes although I'd need a step ladder to a put bikes on the missus car. Mines 15 years old so owes us nothing.

 

[NorthernDave]

I understand where you're coming from.
I used public transport for the commute twice this week - the 45 minutes it normally takes on a morning became just under two hours, the return in the evening something similar.
And the cost - over £20 a day for the two of us!

PS, I can recommend Morrison's for getting your shopping delivered

 

[screenman]

We have reliable public transport here, just not in the evenings or on a Sunday.

 

[gbb]

I'm of the opinion that not having a car limits you, it makes your life insular...which for some is fine but would never do for me. Yes its expensive (owning a car), yes its not good for the environment etc etc etc...but sensible use has always been my motto, I walk to the shops, cycle if I'm going into town myself, occasionally cycle commute 14 miles each way to work...but no car...not for me....and make no apologies for it.

 

[Sandra6]

You were asking about how people manage without a car.

I read it as a suggestion for how I could get to/from the garden centre, and I was pointing out it was cost prohibitive.
But , obviously, if we didn't have a car we were already paying for the costs of occasional taxis would balance out.

 

[biggs682]

Only 1 car , all my commuting done by bike weather permitting. Cars main usage is short sub 10 mile journeys and any holiday and breaks .

Oh and the occasional bike delivery or collection

 

[screenman]

2 cars here, both needed.

 

[fossyant]

Public transport isn't good where I live, and for us both to do things we want and the kids means we have two. I've seriously thought about getting rid of one but there is usually something that comes up.

Working full time, kids and elderly demanding relatives makes it tricky.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I rather like driving.