Are you living without a car - what's it like?

Most of us (we expect) are taking the opportunity to walk and cycle when we need to go to the shops. That means loads of us aren’t driving anymore :slight_smile:

We’ve started this topic so people can share their experiences of living without a car or perhaps any other form of transport. Has it been liberating or do you miss the car/train/bus sorely?

Would be interesting to know whether it’s going to change anyone’s habits for the long run. Do share!

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Until the other day we hadn’t used our car for 7 weeks! I’ve got to say that staying at home and just living my life in the neighbourhood has brought an enormous amount of peace to our family!

We are pretty busy with two little ones (3 1/2 and 1&4 months) so I do have sympathy for those who are by their own or are getting bored of the same face every day. I think we could live like this for some time :slight_smile:

I used the car the other day to pick up cement and sand as I need to do the patio and Jewsons was allowing click and collect. Otherwise it’s walking to get groceries and sometimes a long distance bike around the countryside with the 3 year old on the front (she fell asleep there the other day!).

Hope you’re all keeping well!

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We still have our two cars but obviously over the last few weeks have hardly used them at all - once a week to go food shopping. Over the last two years, I have been cycling or using the bus as opposed to the car where I can. However, I still find I am using the car for certain short journeys, for example taking my daughter to her music lesson - which is only a few miles but the roads are just not safe enough, especially during the dark winter nights, to cycle on. For me to give up my car totally, for short journeys, we need more cycle lanes around where I live.

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I don’t have a car - and at the moment I feel quite smug! I’m not spending money on something that I’m not using.

I set my life up so I don’t need a car - live close to town, with bus and train links. Plan my weekly shop so I know exactly what I need and don’t buy more than I can carry. If I need a bigger shop then I just do it over a couple of days.

I’ve never had a car (nor do I ever want one), so I don’t know any different.

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Great share Helen! Thanks for the insight and for making these choices. It’s great that you don’t really want a car!

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Thanks for sharing Rachel. I can see how it’s near impossible to live without a car if streets aren’t safe enough. Hopefully the government’s investments with help with that!