Why Cars not bikes

olly300

More and more students now live at home and as a result have to commute long distances. If public transport is unreliable then it's sensible for them to have a car.

(I live near a university and have worked near several.)

Voyager2002

Poor students?

I live in Exeter, where most of the students are a lot better off than local young people. Students all seem to drive, mainly for social reasons. Staff (like me) generally cycle. What angers me is that university accommodation all has car parking, just pandering to student desires.

The very best universities (Oxford and Cambridge) have rules to stop students bringing cars with them to university. Exeter was asked to introduce such a rule by the City Council, but unfortunately refused to do so -- presumably for fear of upsetting their well-heeled customers.

It makes me sick!

Idiophreak

Voyager2002 wrote: »

It makes me sick!

It makes you sick that people drive cars?

becky_rtw

I went to APU in Cambridge and we had to sign a thing saying we wouldn't have a car in the city as part of our contract with the university...now some people did, but in my second year the uni removed all parking spaces except disabled so they made it nearly impossible to bring a car into uni (all street spaces nearby are permit places for residents)...but I accpet there are people who need a car - the problem is seperating them from those who think they do but who really dont!

Voyager2002

Idiophreak wrote: »

It makes you sick that people drive cars?

No, it makes me sick that the university does nothing to restrict student driving (in a city where students don't need cars, and where there is quite serious traffic congestion).

Idiophreak

Voyager2002 wrote: »

No, it makes me sick that the university does nothing to restrict student driving (in a city where students don't need cars, and where there is quite serious traffic congestion).

So?

Why do students have any less right to drive than anyone else?

Are you going to go door to door and say "why do you drive? oh, you visit your mother - right, that's social, you don't need a car - hand over your keys!"..?

We're fortunate enough to live in a society where we have quite a lot of freedom - not sure why you wish to rob people of it.

Shoshannah

Voyager2002 wrote: »

No, it makes me sick that the university does nothing to restrict student driving (in a city where students don't need cars, and where there is quite serious traffic congestion).

As a student car owner, I do see your point.

I lived for two years in central London. If I had wanted a car, I would have had nowhere to put the damned thing. I certainly didn't need one. In my opinion there is no need to own a car when you live in a city, where amenities are easily accessible and public transport is comparatively good. When I visited home I merely went by train!

In my third year of university we moved to a rural campus outside the city. For the first 18 months we were in lectures and no cars were allowed. There was a bus available, but I generally got lifts with my boyfriend on his way to/from work.

Halfway through fourth year we started clinics and that is when I started to need a car. Recognising this, parking is allowed for students on clinics. As mentioned above, there were some very unsociable hours and many nights/weekends spent on call. As I live 5 miles away from the campus in another village, I didn't fancy walking at 4am and if there was an emergency I had to get there quickly!

In my opinion, this is a good way of prioritising which students need a car and which don't. Some courses really do need a car. If you're spending all day on a campus in the city centre, then a car is an expensive and unecessary luxury which should be left at home and used during the holidays.

I have had my own car since I was 17 and as friends and family will tell you, I sometimes live in it. I will never give up my right to own and drive a car, for any reason. But common sense is occasionally needed and I survived without mine when I lived in the city.

Hutchch0920

Voyager2002 wrote: »

No, it makes me sick that the university does nothing to restrict student driving (in a city where students don't need cars, and where there is quite serious traffic congestion).

Why are you singling out students, why not single out all the residents too if the public transport system is so good in Exeter??????


I have a car, but take the train to Uni. I have a bike with no wheels because they were stolen (!!) otherwise i would cycle. No students drive to my university campus, A Because most students that go to my uni live on what's been said to be the busiest bus route in Europe and because there's no parking anyway. There is staff parking however which is always full.

Shoshannah

clairewych wrote: »

Why are you singling out students, why not single out all the residents too if the public transport system is so good in Exeter??????


I have a car, but take the train to Uni. I have a bike with no wheels because they were stolen (!!) otherwise i would cycle. No students drive to my university campus, A Because most students that go to my uni live on what's been said to be the busiest bus route in Europe and because there's no parking anyway. There is staff parking however which is always full.

I'd be scared about taking a car anywhere the bike wheels get stolen!

I have just made a long post about why students living in cities shouldn't really own cars... the specific reference to students was clumsy and unintentional...

NOBODY who lives/works in the inner city should really need to take a car in!

lauh88

to be honest, students are adults the same as everyone else in the general population, it is their choice to drive if they want to, no one can tell me not to drive to uni thanks!
not everyone needs to though!