Who doesn't own or have access to an automobile?

Kadee said:
Iā€™m very capable of still driving in daylight and at night providing the roads are not wet.
The white lines on our main city roads , donā€™t have cat eyes like interstate roads ,so they canā€™t be seen when roads are wet/ itā€™s raining
My hubby mostly drives 99% of the time
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Hi Kadee! How are you doing?
 
I have a car but I can walk to most things. A shopping mall is a couple hundred metres away, my doctor is at the end of my street as is the chemist. The railway station is an eight minute walk, the club about 6 minutes walk.

Basically my car is only used for long journeys, if I visit my older kids in Canberra that's a 500km round trip, youngest son in Darwin that's over 8000km there and back

2025 Darwin Trip ā€“ OZ Camper Travels
 
My car was totaled while parked in 2005. Shortly after I got the settlement for it, I had glaucoma and cataract surgery, but one eye at a time, months apart. Since my specialist surprised me and corrected my nearsightedness and astigmatism in the right eye first, my vision was off and I couldn't drive. I opted not to get another car.

I live in a transportation hub, so if my husband or son couldn't take me to my doctor appointments, it was convenient to take the bus, even for out of town doctors (with the exception of one). After my husband died, Ubers and Lyfts were readily available, so I started ordering rides to go to all my appointments. My son usually takes me to my lab appointments, which I schedule for Saturday mornings, but that's only 3 times a year. Last Saturday, since my son was working, my Honorary Son #3 took me and said he'd be happy to do so anytime.

There's a supermarket within walking distance, as well as retail stores, financial institutions, restaurants and the gym we go to. The walk score for my neighborhood is 98. Since the local market doesn't have everything I want, my son stops at it's bigger "sister" store a couple of times a month. He also shops at Costco for us once a month. At least three times a year my son has to take me to Costco and Dollar Tree so I can indulge in shopping therapy. :)

I don't feel less independent nor do I feel isolated. I can choose whether to socialize or not socialize. I've had nice conversations with everyone from the supermarket employee who helped me look for my favorite bread (which they don't stock often enough) to people I run into wherever I happen to be.
 
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I still drive and own a car but it isnā€™t really necessary.

It has more to do with a psychological need for independence than transportation.

If I sold my car, I would be able to use car services for necessary trips and an occasional day trip to the mall along with delivery services for groceries, prescriptions, and a variety of internet purchases.

Even if Iā€™m forced to quit driving due to advancing age Iā€™ll probably keep a car in the parking garage covered in dust with four flat tires. šŸ˜‰šŸ¤­šŸ˜‚
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outlander said:
How do you grocery shop, go to doctor's appointments, or run errands?

Does not driving a car make you feel isolated?

Does it make you feel less independent?

Since I'm not working anymore, I question whether or not I really need a car?
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I bike or take the bus and train, but that's easy talking in Holland. You can even walk to the store. It's a 5 minute walk. Bike paths everywhere. They made em in Long Island too, I saw on youtube. A guy on a forum from America was inspired by the carriage bike I then had to bike the kids around, with a not so strong motor, but you still had to bike. He made one himself with a way stronger motor, 3 wheels, he couldn't care less and went to work with it, while he used to be a cool biker not with a bicycle, but a motorcycle.
 
I haven't owned a car in years. Even while living in rural Michigan. I just walked everywhere and sometimes miles to get to work. I just left two hours or more early. The health benefits paid off later in age. Driving isn't a big deal to me anymore. Live in the city now close to public transportation and still walking to all my appointments. Even walked through chemo radiation till they caught me and put me in the hospital.
 
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Me. I miss my car so much. I loved to drive. Crashed it going to my first chemo session in 2004. Was too nervous to drive myself but did anyway. Havenā€™t driven since.

Took public transportation till I couldnā€™t. Rely on NYC private transportation for disabled. Rely on son as well.

Miss my independence that my own car provided. Even looking for free parking. A NYC horror.
 
I have a car I bought in 1998 but it's the first reliable car I ever had.
I managed most of my life without one.

Even 11 miles out of town I think you might be fine without one, Outlander. Why feel isolated or dependent when Uber is just a phone call away? I used to rent a car once a year to go to the mall and do my Christmas shopping plus anything I needed for myself.

I grew up in a No Car family. Even though we had the nicest house of any of my classmates and my father had his own business in Charleston, they had simply done the math and decided cars were not worth the money. My dad's business was Art and Display. He trimmed windows, among other things, and was sometimes pictured in the Gazette carrying a naked mannequin through town. He just laughed.
 
outlander said:
How do you grocery shop, go to doctor's appointments, or run errands?

Does not driving a car make you feel isolated?

Does it make you feel less independent?

Since I'm not working anymore, I question whether or not I really need a car?
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I dont go out much but I still drive. I prefer day driving. I dont like driving at night especially if its raining.
Since I dont drive much I think when this car goes I might consider renting a car for a day. Hopefully that will be a while.

If you prefer not to go out you can have groceries delivered or order online. Visiting physician services will come to your house and bill your insurance.

On the other hand, if self-driving cars become reliable when we get old we can be chauffeured and not have to lose our independence.
And hopefully not have to worry about those who shouldnt be driving but wont give it up. :eek:
 
I did not know so many lived rural here at SF. Now I don't feel like the lone Rangeress. It's an absolute necessity for me since nothing is anywhere near where I live. And to bike these roads is asking for trouble.
 
outlander said:
How do you grocery shop, go to doctor's appointments, or run errands?

Does not driving a car make you feel isolated?

Does it make you feel less independent?

Since I'm not working anymore, I question whether or not I really need a car?
Click to expand...
I can't drive anymore due to poor vision. When my husband died I donated our three vehicles.

I do all my grocery shopping online with two local supermarkets and Costco. Not driving definitely makes me feel isolated and less independent.

I take a cab or an uber when I need to go somewhere, I have a couple of kind neighbors who will also take me to places like the Vet for my pets, etc. I try not to take advantage of them, as they have their own jobs/families to care for....but I'm thankful they are there for me if I need them.

My opinion is that you should keep your car, you won't realize how much you miss it until you don't have it anymore.
 
Veronica said:
If you prefer not to go out you can have groceries delivered or order online. Visiting physician services will come to your house and bill your insurance.
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Grocery delivery is spotty and unreliable where I live, and there are ZERO doctors who will come to my house.


Also, no busses here, very very few Ubers, and cabs/taxis are just for veterans. No bike lane, and often no "sides of the road" to even walk on (no sidewalks either!).
One truly needs a car and/or many very good friends/neighbors.
 
outlander said:
How do you grocery shop, go to doctor's appointments, or run errands?

Does not driving a car make you feel isolated?

Does it make you feel less independent?

Since I'm not working anymore, I question whether or not I really need a car?
Click to expand...
I've been without a car for 2 yrs now. And when I pulled my 401k to buy another I didn't have enough for a decent one plus insurance and now gas went up. Plus if something broke down and cost too much I wouldn't be able to afford to fix it. And because of a couple issues I am experiencing I have decided I don't wanna drive anymore.

So, I have the Walmart and DoorDash apps on my smart phone. I have everything delivered or shipped. Uber for dr appts and errands. If I need to go to the ER...ambulance unless it's not serious enough to warrant an ambulance but still need to be seen I can sometimes take an Uber to the hospital.

Less independent yes. More isolated...no more than usual.

I would make sure your city has plenty of transportation options and be aware of the cost. Uber does surge pricing when it's busy or there aren't many drivers available. So a ride can go from $5 to $10 in a heartbeat. Taxis are often more expensive and harder to book and actually get somewhere on time. The bus seems like a major pain. Plus around here there are people on the bus with bed bugs.

I would think long and hard before getting rid of your car.
 
outlander said:
I'm rural also, 11 miles one way to Walmart. I have made the 22 mile round trip on my bicycle 4 or 5 times, but near the end it does get tough when carrying groceries.
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