How Do You Feel About Driving?

[Tora Ziyal]

For environmental reasons, I wish I had access to better public transportation and/or lived within walking distance of more places (one of the things I love about Manhattan is being able to walk almost everywhere). But I've always enjoyed driving.

 

[Trekker4747]

So, I have a dumb question, I've driven my whole adult life so I'm curious how do people without cars buy groceries? I often can't even get the groceries from my car into my house in one trip. How do you do it?

I assume they just buy as much as they can carry meaning they have to go to the grocery store several times in the week. Buy what you need for the next day or two then go back.

Heh. That's actually a good question, one that's never occurred to me even after I see people buying cart loads of groceries every day, loading up the car trunk with them. I guess it's just something you really can't do at all if you don't have a car.

 

[Pondwater]

I don't mind driving. Although, if its a big busy area I'd like someone else to do the driving.

 

[tomalak301]

I like to drive, but it depends on the mood. I realized I had to learn to drive because I was getting so frustrated with the bus system we had. I don't mind the train or BART, but taking the bus is awful.

 

[Davros]

I like driving more when there are less other drivers on the road.

 

[tomalak301]

I like driving more when there are less other drivers on the road.

Driving at 5:30 in the morning does have it's advantages.

 

[scotpens]

I like to drive, but it depends on the mood. I realized I had to learn to drive because I was getting so frustrated with the bus system we had. I don't mind the train or BART, but taking the bus is awful.

Tell me about it!

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjTZvk2j6m0[/yt]

 

[Melakon]

I've not had a car since 1996 and will never have one again due to vision problems, but I loved to drive. I grew up in a suburban/rural area (17 miles south of St. Louis off I-55), and used to drive the back roads within 30-50 miles. It was a past-time I occasionally indulged in up to end. Unfortunately, the last 4 years of driving were in Phoenix, which is like one giant suburb with no real downtown area in the classic sense. The only challenge was avoiding the other drivers.

 

[Miss Chicken]

So, I have a dumb question, I've driven my whole adult life so I'm curious how do people without cars buy groceries? I often can't even get the groceries from my car into my house in one trip. How do you do it?

Most of the time I order them online and have the groceries delivered.

If I have actually physically been to my larger supermarket (4 kilometres away) and have a large amount I catch a taxi, if it is only a small shop amount of shopping I catch a bus.

If I go to the smaller, nearer shopping centre (1.25 kilometres away) I walk home with them or else I send my son/s down to buy things.

 

[Captain Ice]

I generally enjoy driving, which is good as it accounts for about 40% of my job (I drive a bus for a good portion of my job).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I drive only because I have to - my city has a barely functional bus service, but that's it. If I lived in a city with a full assortment of public transit (such as NYC, Boston or Chicago), I would gladly sell my car.

 

[Gepard]

I strongly dislike-bordering-on-hate driving. It's tedious and stressful. Getting behind the wheel is a means of going from point A to point B as far as I'm concerned, and there's other ways to accomplish that.

I abandoned owning or operating a car years ago, and though there's times I miss the flexibility it offered (especially given how lousy the LA public transit system is), it's felt like basically the right decision. The day we see mass availability for self-driving cars, though....oh baby.

 

[Leviathan]

Automated cars are the tool of Beelzebub.

Seriously. I was at the meeting where he presented it. Little bastard thought it was the ultimate tool to destroy those proud few who can enjoy driving.

Automated driving is masturbating with mittens on.

 

[Rarewolf]

I don't drive and don't have any intentions to ever learn. I could not afford to buy and run a car. If I can't get somewhere by bus or taxi, train or tram, plane or ferry, or on foot its not worth going to IMO.

I'd never trust my eyesight (I see double when I have to refocus) but to be honest I've always used that as excuse. I think partly because my Mum never drove either, I've just got used to not having to depend on a car. My sister learnt as soon as she was old enough though.

Oddly I keep dreaming my mum can drive now

I've never wanted the responsibilty - it wouldn't be just my life I could ruin - but that's the story of my life.

On my own its cheaper to get the train anyway. Only a few times a year are there occasions where I call on a lift if availible. I think I've resorted to a Taxi three times in my life.

 

[scotpens]

Automated cars are the tool of Beelzebub.

Hear, hear!

Even driving with an automatic transmission isn't really driving. It's just aiming the car.

 

[Kelthaz]

So, I have a dumb question, I've driven my whole adult life so I'm curious how do people without cars buy groceries? I often can't even get the groceries from my car into my house in one trip. How do you do it?

I have two major grocery stores within 1km and 2km from my apartment, so after getting off the subway from work I stop in and buy a few things. I go grocery shopping 2-3 times a week.

 

[Relayer1]

So, I have a dumb question, I've driven my whole adult life so I'm curious how do people without cars buy groceries? I often can't even get the groceries from my car into my house in one trip. How do you do it?

I have one supermarket and local shops within 5 minutes walk and two more supermarkets within easy bus reach. I have a large backpack and shop once or twice a week. Occasionally I'll do a really big shop and get a cab.

Your lifestyle develops according to your facilities - I never got a job, childcare or anything else that I needed to drive to get to. My life is perfectly OK without a car.

And hugely cheaper.

 

[MacLeod]

Automated cars are the tool of Beelzebub.

Hear, hear!

Even driving with an automatic transmission isn't really driving. It's just aiming the car.

Fortunatly only about 1 in 10 cars sold in the UK are automatics. Not overly kean on driving them. I prefer manual transmission.

So why do people think automatics are prefered in the US whilst manual ais preferred elsewhere?

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

So, I have a dumb question, I've driven my whole adult life so I'm curious how do people without cars buy groceries? I often can't even get the groceries from my car into my house in one trip. How do you do it?

I have one supermarket and local shops within 5 minutes walk and two more supermarkets within easy bus reach. I have a large backpack and shop once or twice a week. Occasionally I'll do a really big shop and get a cab.

Your lifestyle develops according to your facilities - I never got a job, childcare or anything else that I needed to drive to get to. My life is perfectly OK without a car.

And hugely cheaper.

Definitely hugely cheaper. I never wanted to become dependent on a car when I was very low income either. You're just fucked if you need a car to get to work, buy food, take kids to activities or childcare or attend appointments.. your whole LIFE. And because you are poor your car is a piece of crap and it breaks down and costs you hundreds of dollars or a new car to get your whole life back. It's a vicious circle. I remember my friend who was in the same financial situation as me crying on the phone because her car was stuffed, she had to borrow money to fix it, she didn't know how she was going to continue her life while waiting for it to be fixed.. and I was like, you live right next to the train. Your kids school is right next to the train. Your course is right next to the train. The supermarket is right next to the train.. but this was like some psychological impossibility to her.

At this point in my life I could afford a car and it wouldn't be a drama. But I don't want one and I am VERY happy not to have one. I used to feel guilty and ashamed that I didn't drive or have a car even though I would rarely, maybe twice a year, ever ask anyone for a lift. But people would say "oh you don't have a car? do you have a license? Oh.." and they would sound like they were gently talking about your disability in some sympathetic yet bewildered way. It's like saying you can't be bothered having electricity in your house, it makes absolutely no sense to people. But now I phrase it that I am "car free" because it is a lifestyle choice and that sums up how I feel about it.

As to shopping, I live 5 minutes walk from a supermarket. It is a terrible supermarket but the train is right there taking me to any supermarket I want. I will sometimes get stuff delivered, sometimes order online, more frequently I just buy fresh vegies and meat as I need them on the way home. I think I save on shopping not being able to load up on extra crap every single trip.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I enjoy driving but I don't mind using mass transport. I guess you could say I swing both ways.

As for groceries, I didn't have a car when I was studying out of town, so I just stopped at the supermarket on the way home every couple of days to get what I needed. No biggies.

On the other hand, I live on the third (and last) floor in a walk-up bulding: now that is something that makes you conscious about what you buy!