could you live without a car?

I'm selling mine today, with illness, I m not currently allowed to drive so is stupid to keep car on the road and as it is due tax, MOT, and insurance at the end of this month I am getting rid. Someone is getting a v good deal as it has done next to no mileage, but there's the breaks. Its the first time in my adult life I haven't had a car, starting off with a £75 10 year old Austin Maestro. Even though I can't currently drive, it feels very very very wierd not to have the flexibility and independence of a car...I so hope I am told I can drive again, I'd hate it if I couldn't, I enjoy driving as well as it being practical. What do you think? Could you go carless?

Never had one. Never needed one. Walk everywhere,but always get a lift to the match.
It's why I'm a fine figure of a man.
It's also why I fall down a lot of holes.

Sorry to hear that, Mand.

Just view this as a temporary hiatus from driving - you'll be back.

As for your question, I'd be screwed without my car.

I do about 20,000 miles a year on average, most of it on the motorway because of the nature of my job, so from that standpoint alone, I couldn't give up the motor.

It's funny you should start this thread today because Mrs B's developed a partially detached retina in one of her eyes and she can't drive at the moment, so I've been ferrying her about and we had the same discussion last night.

You really don't realise how dependent you are until you can't drive.

And I'm not sure that's such a good thing.

Do you not mean she has a retinal tear Breadders?

I have one of these and finally have an appointment to sort mine out in November, not looking forward to someone shining a laser in my eye to repair the damage.

karlypants wrote:Do you not mean she has a retinal tear Breadders?

I have one of these and finally have an appointment to sort mine out in November, not looking forward to someone shining a laser in my eye to repair the damage.

Not sure, if I'm completely honest.

It was all a bit rushed.

She developed a black shadow on the right side of her vision and the Optician said it was a piece of collagen pulling on her retina and she's now got a dark "floater" obscuring her vision.

She's getting lasered on Monday.

Breadman wrote:

karlypants wrote:Do you not mean she has a retinal tear Breadders?

I have one of these and finally have an appointment to sort mine out in November, not looking forward to someone shining a laser in my eye to repair the damage.

Not sure, if I'm completely honest.

It was all a bit rushed.

She developed a black shadow on the right side of her vision and the Optician said it was a piece of collagen pulling on her retina and she's now got a dark "floater" obscuring her vision.

She's getting lasered on Monday.

Ah that doesn't sound like the problem I have. I get like white flashes in my right eye due to some blood vessels that are broken from my retina and my brain interprets this as a flash.

If someone has a detached retina then they usually see like a dark curtain come over their eye and this is a medical emergency as it needs operating on to reattach it with in 24 hours or you go blind in that eye.

I think you are correct in what you say and must be a  partial detachment due to her symptoms are similar to a full detachment.

I hope her sight is back to normal after her lasering. 

Cheers bud.

best of wishes to Mrs B

Cheers Mand.

(Sorry for hijacking your thread.)

Sorry to hear, Charimanda. That's rough. I haven't owned a car since I left the UK in '98. I rent them here from time to time but it just doesn't seem worth owning one - parking is astronomical and trying to find a free sis pot nigh on impossible.

I take the mother-in-laws when we come back to the UK and boy do I miss driving. There's not a great deal better than cranking out some great music while driving.

Hopefully you'll be back driving before long.

Have you never been tempted to hire one of those massive RV's that sleep about 12 and head off across country on a road trip?

Breadman wrote:Have you never been tempted to hire one of those massive RV's that sleep about 12 and head off across country on a road trip?

So so tempting. I'd love to do it but one of my kids is  still an absolute twat at 5 so we'll have to wait a bit longer.

How was the DR? That where you went?

Yeah, Puerto Plata.

Very nice but a bit too hot. (95 degrees from half seven in the morning until long after dark.)

Enjoyed it but Mexico's better for the same money.

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Breadman wrote:Have you never been tempted to hire one of those massive RV's that sleep about 12 and head off across country on a road trip?

So so tempting. I'd love to do it but one of my kids is  still an absolute twat.

I'm sure he loves you to

Barb Dwyer wrote:

finlaymcdanger wrote:

Breadman wrote:Have you never been tempted to hire one of those massive RV's that sleep about 12 and head off across country on a road trip?

So so tempting. I'd love to do it but one of my kids is  still an absolute twat.

I'm sure he loves you to

Sitting in the car with him for any length of time isn't good.

Well stop letting him drive then!

He's only five, what do you expect?

He is the only one with a license!

In the UK - not a chance!

In the Netherlands - very easily and I did live without having a car for over 6 years!