You don't have to live in the deepest countryside to need a car!

podperson

Apricot wrote: »

No offence to anyone who doesn't drive but I don't see why I should have to mind what I say about what I do with my car. I paid for myself to learn to drive out of my wages age 18 - if others chose to spend their wages on more frivolous things then that's their fault IMO.

You can say whatever you like about what you do with the car but that's a little judgemental - am assuming you either had a really good job for an 18 year old or you were still living at home? At 18 all my wages went on rent, bills, food and supporting my partner who had mental health issues - which I actually saw as much less frivolous then learning to drive!

nickyhutch

podperson wrote: »

You can say whatever you like about what you do with the car but that's a little judgemental - am assuming you either had a really good job for an 18 year old or you were still living at home? At 18 all my wages went on rent, bills, food and supporting my partner who had mental health issues - which I actually saw as much less frivolous then learning to drive!

It's not judgemental at all - who's it passing judgement on? Just because you were unfortunate enough to be able to spend your wages on what you wanted to, does that mean no-one else should be able to? Should I have said "no, Mum, don't pay for my driving lessons because other people can't afford them"?

podperson

I have never said that anyone is not entitled to spend their money on whatever they please - but the comment clearly said that "other may choose to spend their wages on more frivolous things" - I merely stated that it that was a rather judgemental statement to suggest that if people can't afford to learn to drive it is because they are out blowing their money rather then needing it for essentials.

Arg

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

I think the context of the original remark was that someone couldn't afford to keep up the repayments on her car on a salary of over £21,000 a year, so the suggestion was don't have a car then. The reply from someone else was that this was impossible because everybody needs a car if they have children or work. Well, no, because plenty of people don't use one but get up a bit earlier in the morning and do it all by public transport instead.

If it were an essential tool for employment, surely the first thing that would happen when someone signs on as unemployed would be that they were instantly given free driving lessons or it was made part of the National Curriculum?

It's nice to have a car. But it isn't essential - it's convenient.

Just like electricity.

Oldernotwiser

GobbledyGook wrote: »

A car is essential in my job. I work in different schools, most days in 1 in the morning and another in the afternoon. Very occasionally (thankfully only once a month) I'm in 3 schools in a day. A car is completely essential to my job. If I had no car I'd lose my job, that makes it essential.
.

Sometimes you have to think laterally though.

I used to work on a split site college and could be on different sites morning and afternoon. If time was short I'd get a mini cab across town which colleagues thought was really extravagant. The cabs actually cost far less than running a car, which didn't strike people as extravagant at all!

Some people have a very blinkered viewpoint.

Oldernotwiser

thorsoak wrote: »

But when I was at work, I would not have been able so to do living where we did - and where we had lived whilst children were at school/college.

To repeat the point I made to MrsE, you wouldn't have chosen to live where you did if you hadn't had a car.

thorsoak

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

To repeat the point I made to MrsE, you wouldn't have chosen to live where you did if you hadn't had a car.

Actually when we moved there, I was going to college within walking distance, children were at junior school - and I walked them there on my way to college. Time moved on, circumstances changed and I had to find a job .....unfortunately not possible within walking distance. Children changed schools - senior school not in walking distance - and no footpaths along dual carriageway road

Apricot

podperson wrote: »

You can say whatever you like about what you do with the car but that's a little judgemental - am assuming you either had a really good job for an 18 year old or you were still living at home? At 18 all my wages went on rent, bills, food and supporting my partner who had mental health issues - which I actually saw as much less frivolous then learning to drive!

I was actually in full time University at the time earning approximately £60 per week. I did live at home but paid my mum £25 per week rent from the day I turned 18 so no my job was not well paying but I prioritised learning to drive over going out and getting drunk. I paid for my car and first year's insurance using money I had saved up since my first saturday job aged 12 - I saved half of everything I earnt so was able to pay for a car and a years insurance up front once I had passed.

I understand in some situations like yours it may not have been possible to pay for driving lessons but in reality, the majority of people have, at some point in their lives, been able to spare £20 per week/fortnight for driving lessons if they really wanted to.

Becles

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Guess I'll just have to go down the jobcentre, introduce myself (as I'm not on the dole) and tell them that everyone says I have to have a car, so they have to give me a free driving licence and car, then.

You may be able to hear the laughter from where you are.......

Nobody is saying that!

People are explaining why they need a car as an essential rather than for convenience. It's very easy to sit and say cars are a convenience if your circumstances mean you can quite easily manage without one. However, it seems you're not listening and understanding the reasons why others think their cars are essential to live and work.

ceridwen

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

There's a big difference between someone who hasn't ever had access to a car and someone who's used to running one. If you don't have a car you organise your life around that fact.

Good point. I have certainly organised my life round never having a car. I know I have some restrictions - like parts of the countryside I simply cant get to for leisure purposes (as there isnt any public transport going there). On the other hand - I cant even think of paying out £500 per month to have a car if I wanted on my low salary (ie as I recall - that is the sort of figure the AA quotes as what it costs to keep a car on the road - including depreciation). If I were on a decent salary - then I would much rather spend that money on other things anyway.

One point that is striking me is the number of times people refer to having to take their children to/from school by car. I dont believe I was ever once taken to school by car by my father when I was a child. I must have been walked to/from school by my mother when I was too young to recall (ie the first year or two) I presume. What I do remember is that I either walked or took a school bus (depending on what school I was at). I was certainly walking myself to and from school every time from at least 8 years old. I was very rarely given a lift anywhere in fact by my father - if I wanted to get somewhere then I knew I had to walk or take a bus or forget the idea - so I did a LOT of walking (as my parents certainly didnt live in a particularly convenient location):rotfl: