Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
My car is a tool of my trade. Without it I would be unemployed.
Do cars liberate us?
- Thread starter Hip Priest
- Start date
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Sara_H
Guru
Its now four years since I owned a car. The financial benefits to not owning a car are massive. I live a fairly local life - my work, family, friends and shopping centres are within a five mile radius.
Disadvantages? Having to be choosy about where I work. There's been a couple of jobs that I would have liked to apply for, but that would have needed me to buy a car. There are some annoying inconveniences, my sons footie team changed the home ground to one thats quite inaccessible without a car, so we do have to either cadge a lift or get a taxi.Similarly his athletic team is a bit difficult to get to, due to rubbish public transport links.
Holidays need more planning, I can't just chuck stuff in a car and go anymore - need to holiday in places I can get to by train/bus.
Of course, for anyone who chooses not to own a car, the impact of mass private car use has been utterly devastating. Public transport has been cut drastically, roads are unsafe and unpleasant for non car users due to the sheer volume of private vehicles.
My disclaimer is that my OH has a car, which I can occasionally use - so I have a foot in both camps.
Disadvantages? Having to be choosy about where I work. There's been a couple of jobs that I would have liked to apply for, but that would have needed me to buy a car. There are some annoying inconveniences, my sons footie team changed the home ground to one thats quite inaccessible without a car, so we do have to either cadge a lift or get a taxi.Similarly his athletic team is a bit difficult to get to, due to rubbish public transport links.
Holidays need more planning, I can't just chuck stuff in a car and go anymore - need to holiday in places I can get to by train/bus.
Of course, for anyone who chooses not to own a car, the impact of mass private car use has been utterly devastating. Public transport has been cut drastically, roads are unsafe and unpleasant for non car users due to the sheer volume of private vehicles.
My disclaimer is that my OH has a car, which I can occasionally use - so I have a foot in both camps.
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
The above is why the MSM do exactly that.
A car is no longer a luxury good. It's classed as a necessity.[/QUOTE]
that last bit is widely believed but isn't actually true, or certainly for a great many people and there's no shortage of people that have created that necessity for themselves pursuing a 'better' life. It is often just a tool of convenience that ignores any inconvenience to others it generates.
Smoking Joe makes a fair point but it is only valid in the sense that we've deliberately evolved our society in that direction.
RedRider
Pulling through
- Location
- Location Embrocation
The thing about this post that makes me smile is how it's brevity juxtaposes with the link. Thanks for sharing.
400bhp
Guru
Completely agree.
It's too deep for this place, but liberation is driven by the mental not the physical. To believe that a car can unlock that is frankly, ridiculous.
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
I'm not so sure it's too deep, don't be fooled by the seeming spread of views expressed, some are just contrary and some you couldn't make it shallow enough anyway. I'm also pretty sure there are a lot more that just read and don't wade in. Some of these sorts of ideas can be challenging in that they initially seem to contradict your own beliefs or the prevailing opinion. But they resonate and get stuck in peoples minds and the more they pick at them the more they realise how little their own beliefs or the prevailing opinion are based upon....and I fully include myself in that category.
I know you didn't mean it in this manner but I have always had a distrust of reasoning that resorts to 'it's all too complicated', which always seems to lead to a patronising don't worry your pretty little head about it approach. But it's strange that this is more often applied to our man made systems, politics, finance and networks. Yet the truly complicated stuff, like science, well we expect to be able to teach that to children....just thinking out loud here
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
It's only a necessity to many millions of people because they're bone idle lazy.
NorvernRob
Senior Member
- Location
- Sheffield
Having a car makes many things a whole lot easier and saves a lot of time. Anyone who argues differently doesn't have one.
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Thankyou for you enlightening comments. I'm guessing the rest of the thread may have passed you by, but you may want to read back through 
OP
OP
Hip Priest
Veteran
It's really handy having a car, yes. But I think the author's point goes a bit deeper than that.
Smurfy
Naturist Smurf
- Location
- Smurfette's Kitchen
I believe London receives more than its fair share of transport funding. I wonder if the Londoners on here would be happy with £5 per person, per year?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16235349
Transport spending per head
- London - £2,731
- South-east of England - £792
- East Midlands - £311
- West Midlands - £269
- Yorkshire and Humberside - £201
- North-west of England - £134
- Eastern England - £43
- South-west of England - £19
- North-east of England - £5
mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Trying to work out what point you are trying to make here, as that is the budget including road building nut anyway 1 in 4 people in the UK do not have access to a car, not just Londoners. So a car is not a 'necessity'.
What London does show, however is where alternatives exist people are more at liberty to use them. In many parts of the UK car usage has led to the mass reduction in the alternatives, meaning that far from being liberated by the car, both drivers and non drivers have had their liberty to choose taken away.
What London does show, however is where alternatives exist people are more at liberty to use them. In many parts of the UK car usage has led to the mass reduction in the alternatives, meaning that far from being liberated by the car, both drivers and non drivers have had their liberty to choose taken away.
GrumpyGregry
Here for rides.
I'll be looking for new job in the not too distant future. May have to make some tough choices. May even have to choose a car.
Tin Pot
Guru
I was on Google Maps today looking at how far it could route me, and there is a sense of freedom in knowing I can walk out of the door now and drive all the way to Lahore, Pakistan if I really wanted to in three or four days (Afghanistan/Iran might be tricky admittedly)
This is different to being able to book a flight or some other method.
This is different to being able to book a flight or some other method.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I could mount a .50 cal in the bed of my pickup and turn it into a Taliban Taxi. Syria and Iranistan would be no problem, especially with my beard.
