As we are without a car for the last 3 months ( Our 20 year old went to the great cube in the Sky )
I can't say we have really missed It .
Apart from getting from A to B quicker and easier .
Also saved on Tanks of fuel ,costs on car upkeep.
To offset Travelling
We have Reverted to Using our Bus pass's
For local travel .
And for further Distance travel
We bought
Senior Rail cards ( I call them Senor cards
The Rail Station guard
Calls them
Ever Young Cards
So as we are on the Manchester - Crewe Main Rail line .
We have used our cards for Days out To Towns and Villages .
So It's Nice to be able to travel this way for a change .
I have to admit, we are members of that club who leave the car standing on the driveway most of its life. Used mostly nowadays for towing and journeys to family we could not see easily without our own transport. Also by Young Auntie to go to her evening yoga class (no buses after 6 pm.)
Apart from that, we try to use buses as much as possible for our transport. No driving hassle, no parking problems. While away in the caravan we try to use our e bikes as much as possible, even to visit the supermarket.
I remember the sister-in-law complaining about driving to her local town, queues of cars all the way and difficult to find parking which was expensive.
She had a bus pass and the bus stop to town was about 100 yards from her house with a 15 minute space between buses. She got no sympathy from me.
We don't tend to go out at all much this time of year, mainly because the weather's horrible. We only go out in the car for the monthly "big shop", and top up with bits and pieces from the shops in the village as we are lucky enough to still have some. The village high street is about 10-15 minutes walk. We have to pass the railway station on the way, and the main bus stop is right outside that, so we are spoilt for public transport really.
The car gets used mainly for my various volunteering activities as they would be virtually impossible without, although the Heritage Railway I volunteer on isn't running after tomorrow until half term. Home-checking for the dog rescue often takes me well off the beaten track, so I need the car for that. To get to the studio for my hospital radio show takes 30 minutes by car, but about 2 hours and a long walk by public transport. We can get to 4 local towns by bus or train, and we could get into London in about 45 minutes by train if we really wanted to, although we rarely do. I haven't been there in about 3 years now.
The other use the car gets put to is towing the caravan, but it's highly unlikely that will happen again before April at the earliest, and only then if the weather's really good.
The main reason we moved 30 years ago to where we are now is because it has a country village atmosphere but good public transport links. All the family was at home then, but I was and still am the only driver.
If you can generally manage without your car, then it might be no more expensive to use a taxi on the odd occasion. Holidays might be a bit more of a challenge if you normally drive or tow to a camping holiday.
I use the bus a lot, the stop is round the corner and buses run every 15 mins to the local towns. Manchester is more of a challenge, I have a number of choices, none of them particularly quick, but not impossible. And then I can catch a train. We are lucky here as our bus passes give us free travel on the Manchester Metrolink network, plus some free train travel within the central zone.
No good for us! We are out in the sticks with 1 bus a week which allows us 2 hours in a local town before returning.
Doesn't go anywhere near a train station so for us it's a case of "No Car, No Go!"
One of the buses into town where I live now operates once every 2 hours on Sundays, and would struggle to go out and about if I were to be carless.
I do not wish to live by public transport timetables.
Taxi is expensive nearly a tenner for 1.7 miles from town centre to my house after 22:30 at night, and I only use it if I know I shall be drinking.
I did not have or need a car when I was living in London.
DK
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I would love to use public transport more but it would make my life a lot more stressful. It takes me an hour to drive to work but if I used public transport it would be a 15 minute walk from my house to the bus stop, then a 15 minute bus ride into the city followed by a 45 minute train journey and then a 20 minute walk from the station to where I work. So, including all the waiting around for busses and trains, it would probably mean doubling the time of my daily commute. If I didn’t have the walk at each end it might be manageable but walking to and fro each day in all weathers carrying a load of books and other resources might just finish me off!!
Quote: Originally posted by Dave and Cyn on 08/1/2022
No good for us! We are out in the sticks with 1 bus a week which allows us 2 hours in a local town before returning.
Doesn't go anywhere near a train station so for us it's a case of "No Car, No Go!"
That is exactly how we were when we lived in a Norfolk village. No shops there either. If I wasn't home to drive the car, none of the family could go anywhere except on the Tuesday bus.
Quote: Originally posted by Pixie_Hez on 08/1/2022
I would love to use public transport more but it would make my life a lot more stressful. It takes me an hour to drive to work but if I used public transport it would be a 15 minute walk from my house to the bus stop, then a 15 minute bus ride into the city followed by a 45 minute train journey and then a 20 minute walk from the station to where I work. So, including all the waiting around for busses and trains, it would probably mean doubling the time of my daily commute. If I didn’t have the walk at each end it might be manageable but walking to and fro each day in all weathers carrying a load of books and other resources might just finish me off!!
Yes it's much harder if you are working. When I was I really needed the car as I often had to be at work 15 miles away to drive the first train, or on late shift get home after I had driven the last train back to the depot.
I had to look up TWIRLY as I’d never heard of it.
“An old person, usually a pensioner, who tries to use their free travel pass before the morning commuter rush is over. Contracted from "too early".”
Be aware, if you use the word at the bus stop, that Google also defines it as slang for something only a man can have, on occasion. I hope I’ve put that discreetly enough, but moderators please remove this part of the post if not.
Quote: Originally posted by Fiona W on 09/1/2022
I had to look up TWIRLY as I’d never heard of it.
“An old person, usually a pensioner, who tries to use their free travel pass before the morning commuter rush is over. Contracted from "too early".”
Be aware, if you use the word at the bus stop, that Google also defines it as slang for something only a man can have, on occasion. I hope I’ve put that discreetly enough, but moderators please remove this part of the post if not.
Ha Ha, it's one I'd forgotten about, and now I am one! I last heard that expression when I as a bus driver back in the 1970s, when my mates warned me about the Twirlies. The free passes started at 9:30 but some would try and get on at 9am or before.
Quote: Originally posted by franbee on 08/1/2022
..... We are lucky here as our bus passes give us free travel on the Manchester Metrolink network, plus some free train travel within the central zone.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Carless
via mobile 08/1/2022 at 4:47pm
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cards
