Slightly sensitive question related to the going car free thread

[Night Train]

Anyway, it all depends how you meet. I knew NT online for months (years?) before we ever met, so first impressions were already made. And our first few meetings didn't involve him picking me up, we met somewhere - yes he drove there, but he could easily have got the train. If he'd been living in York, it's very unlikely he'd have driven to our dates.

It's quite odd telling people we met on a cycling forum due to our mutual interest in steam engines.


Transport shouldn't matter, being punctual and appropriately attired should matter more.

 

[Boris Bajic]

I got married at age 27. I've never owned or driven a car. I should think progressive-thinking people will prefer those who don't own a 3-ton money pit that costs thousands of pounds a year to maintain, drains our natural resources, despoils the environment and whose use tends to encourage obesity, heart disease and other sedentary illnesses.

Tee Hee.

How much more compelling this would be if you hadn't said in an earlier thread that your wife owns and drives a car.

When I met my wife I drove a 2CV, which is in many ways the inverse of owning a car. Some of her friends labelled me as what would now be called a tree hugger.

Once we'd fallen in love with one another, I taught her to fall in love with the walking-stick gearchange, the dash-mounted handbrake and the absurd lean angles.

She was most in love with me when I (briefly) drove a Moto Guzzi. I'm sure 'drive' in the right verb for travelling on a Guzzi.

Now we're used to one another, we both like a nice night's sleep. I imagine she'd stay whether I had a car or not.

 

[BrazingSaddles]

Simple. Only date girls with cars! Or have we regressed many years to a time when it is not acceptable for women to drive? Bit of a blokey thread...! We have been car free for a year and the world keeps turning (as do the pedals). Regarding the original question, I have dated blokes with no car, blokes with motorbikes, blokes with sports cars & blokes with 'average' cars... made no difference to me... I married the man with bicycles

 

[Arch]

When I met my wife I drove a 2CV, which is in many ways the inverse of owning a car.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

... I married the man with bicycles

Nice one BZ! I note the bicycles (plural)

 

[Banjo]

I would say if you are a dedicated cyclist then do your best to find a cycling partner.
Theres a lot in the old saying that "those that play together stay together" .

 

[Edwards80]

Well I'm married and I don't have a driving licence (aged 28) - so I wouldn't say it's worth worrying about. You can always rent a car for longer trips etc. and still be up on full ownership.

 

[Strick]

Simple. Only date girls with cars!

This!

 

[benb]

I have been reading the threads on here about going car free with interest as it is something I would ultimately like to do, and am very close to the point where I could sell my car without significant negative impacts on my lifestyle. There is one thing that has bothered me a little though. If one is single, on the dating scene, and ultimately interested in a relationship, is not having a car likely to be a turn off for women, thus stifling any chances in this area? Has anyone here been dating and formed relationships whilst being car free all the while?

Normally I don't give a toss about things like status symbols or materialism but in this case, whether or not you find someone to settle down with could significantly impact the rest of your life, so it is worthwhile knowing if not having a car could impact ones "chances".

I personally would not wish to be with someone who was so shallow as to discount you as a potential partner simply because you chose not to have a car.

 

[ianrauk]

I personally would not wish to be with someone who was so shallow as to discount you as a potential partner simply because you chose not to have a car.

I would.. I chose Mrs Ian because she had a nice car that could ferry me home from the pub.

 

[benb]

I would.. I chose Mrs Ian because she had a nice car that could ferry me home from the pub.

But presumably there were other things about her you liked, and you would still have liked her without her car?

 

[benb]

When I met my wife I drove a 2CV, which is in no sense at all the inverse of owning a car.

FTFY.

 

[I like Skol]

I personally would not wish to be with someone who was so shallow as to discount you as a potential partner simply because you chose not to have a car.

But you might miss being with the most perfect partner you could find because of a misconception rather than shallowness or materialism. The media doesn't help here as it commonly portrays people without cars as poor or treehuggers. Only by spending time together and finding common interests can you establish if you are suitable partners and this won't happen if you dismiss someone at the first impression (which is just what you are suggesting you would do!)

 

[benb]

But you might miss being with the most perfect partner you could find because of a misconception rather than shallowness or materialism. The media doesn't help here as it commonly portrays people without cars as poor or treehuggers. Only by spending time together and finding common interests can you establish if you are suitable partners and this won't happen if you dismiss someone at the first impression (which is just what you are suggesting you would do!)

But if she was so shallow that she thought "I'm not going out with him, he doesn't own a car" then she's certainly not the most perfect partner.

I think the OP should be crystal clear his reasons for going car free, and that he could own a car if he wanted to.

 

[ianrauk]

But presumably there were other things about her you liked, and you would still have liked her without her car?

no not really.