27 and no need to drive

johnbon1234

Hi all,

First time poster here, just looking for advice on a little problem I am having.

I am 27 and recently have been put under alot of pressure to learn to drive, my family, OH and freinds are have been at me to get some lessons and get a car.

I live in city with about a 10 minute walk to work with everything I need a short distance away. I do not feel I need to learn how to drive as I have everything on my doorstop and to get lessons and a car it will cost me alot of money.

I do not rely on other people for lifts and would never actively put anyone out of their way to bring me anywhere. My OH (who drives) informed me I needed to learn before the end of the year as her family think its a bit daft that I do not drive. She was firing out questions like what if she got pregnant and couldn't drive to the hospital or there was emergency in the middle of the night and I had to get somewhere quickly, I see her point of view from one angle but it just does not make sense in the whole scale of things. I walk, cycle or run everywhere and it keeps me very fit as a result. My parents are the same a my OH, even my younger siblings can drive and I am the butt of some of jokes with my friends.

It is really starting to bother me and I am just looking for some advice on what to do.

Thanks.

b_mac2

IF, she gets pregnant then I could see her point of view and maybe you should start thinking about taking lessons and get yourr licence.

BUT, until that day you get the good news? No OP, no one should be putting you under any pressure to start drving. Its your call.

Being able to hop into the car and take off anywhere around the country is a really good thing to be able to have. It gives you a lot of freedom you may not even appreciate until you do have it.
You don't have to start commuting to work or driving everywhere all the time, but I think it's a very useful skill to have if at all possible
And yes, you could then get somewhere in an emergency rather than waiting for a bus or hoping a taxi is free etc

LLMMML

If people in your family or OH want to give you lessons then accept them. Just tell them you're not paying for pro lessons and you're definitely not shelling out for a car (they are incredibly expensive to run).

It may not hurt to learn the basics from a family member, pay for some pro lessons to get ready for the exam (I think I needed 3 or 4 pro lessons which won't break the bank), get a license and become a named driver on your OH's car to allay her fears of an emergency. But any requests by anybody to pursue this in an expensive way should be told where to go.

One thing I'll say from personal experience is that you may not appreciate how useful driving is. I didn't learn until my late 20s. Even after parents started refusing lifts I would walk everywhere and think "what's all the fuss about driving"? I eventually learned and I look bak on my previous attitude and think how wrong I was. It gives you a LOT of freedom, and for me, is worth the expense. It's the only thing I'll admit to my mother she was right to nah me about.

ABajaninCork

Do you WANT to learn to drive? That's the only question you need to ask yourself. If you don't want to, then don't. Stuff what the families think. It's none of their bloody business. If you do - then you learn at your OWN pace,and in your own time. No time limits should be set. Why do you need to learn by the end of the year, BTW? If your OH and the families want you to learn in a hurry, then I respectfully suggest they put together and buy you an intensive course. If not - STFU and keep their noses out!

There's also this fantastic service called TAXIS, if you need to go somewhere in a hurry. Has your OH ever heard of them???

endacl

bluewolf wrote: »

Being able to hop into the car and take off anywhere around the country is a really good thing to be able to have. You don't have to start commuting to work or driving everywhere all the time, but I think it's a very useful skill to have if at all possible
And yes, you could then get somewhere in an emergency rather than waiting for a bus or hoping a taxi is free etc

The price of lessons, a car, tax, insurance, maintenance, petrol, and upkeep, would be vastly more expensive than paying for the odd bus or taxi in the case of emergency.



Don't bother till you want to or need to, OP. If I didn't need a car I wouldn't have bothered. I didn't start driving till I was on my mid 20s.

Oh. Cars also make you lazy. The first time you say 'ah sure feck it, I'll drive', is the top of a slippery slope to wider waistbands.

The_Morrigan

OP I'm nearly 34 and I just passed my test there in May, like you I never had the need for a car before, still don't really as I live in Dublin and there is ample public transport available. My folks are down the country though & my brothers both learnt to drive as they needed the car to get from A- B while living there. I have to say though since I learnt to drive I have a lot of freedom and I'm not at the mercy of public transport to head home to see the folks.

The thing to keep in mind is the lengthy process it now takes to pass your test & the cost (lessons, insurance, tax) - you have a six month wait before you can even sit your test , you must has the 12 EDT lessons taken and the pass rates are quite hard to achieve (a lot of test centres are below the 50% mark). Car insurance for a provisional licence holder and new driver is also still very high. If your gf is hinting at the whole pregnancy thing now, maybe it might be an idea to start the process and get those costs out of the way before baby costs become part of the equation.

Chara1001

I think it's a life skill op, and I'm of the opinion that everyone should be able to drive. I also know that it's become increasingly difficult attain and expensive however, but if you have the time and the money, you should think about starting.

I understand it's not an immediate priority but later on, you might need to move further from work, your gf may indeed get pregnant (and you will need to be able to drive then), or your situation might change where a bike just wont work anymore.

My best friend lives really far from her job, it's be about an hour in a car, and she cant drive- she's also a 20 minute walk from the nearest train station. She can never stay out in town later than the last train, and anything she organizes has to work around the train times- she's really limited with her freedom- even a trip to her parents takes about 3 hours on public transport.

I guarantee you, that if the situation arises where you need to drive (and that will happen someday) you will be very glad you did.
To me you're just delaying the inevitable

endacl

endacl wrote: »

The price of lessons, a car, tax, insurance, maintenance, petrol, and upkeep, would be vastly more expensive than paying for the odd bus or taxi in the case of emergency.

True but I didn't mention cost - in an emergency time would be of the essence which is what I was referring to

Cost will certainly have to be balanced when considering what to do but if OP has time and financial resources for it I do believe it's worth it
It also may end up that OP will not always live in a city and may move somewhere where he needs to know how to drive

ABajaninCork

LLMMML wrote: »

If people in your family or OH want to give you lessons then accept them. Just tell them you're not paying for pro lessons and you're definitely not shelling out for a car (they are incredibly expensive to run).

It may not hurt to learn the basics from a family member, pay for some pro lessons to get ready for the exam (I think I needed 3 or 4 pro lessons which won't break the bank), get a license and become a named driver on your OH's car to allay her fears of an emergency. But any requests by anybody to pursue this in an expensive way should be told where to go.

One thing I'll say from personal experience is that you may not appreciate how useful driving is. I didn't learn until my late 20s. Even after parents started refusing lifts I would walk everywhere and think "what's all the fuss about driving"? I eventually learned and I look bak on my previous attitude and think how wrong I was. It gives you a LOT of freedom, and for me, is worth the expense. It's the only thing I'll admit to my mother she was right to nah me about.

Incorrect. EDT has to be undertaken AND you have to wait at least six months after the permit is issued before you can sit the test. So even if the OP decided to go for it, it won't be the end of the year before he can get a licence.

MagicMarker

LLMMML wrote: »

It may not hurt to learn the basics from a family member, pay for some pro lessons to get ready for the exam (I think I needed 3 or 4 pro lessons which won't break the bank), get a license and become a named driver on your OH's car to allay her fears of an emergency. But any requests by anybody to pursue this in an expensive way should be told where to go.

It's mandatory now to do 12 lessons before you can do your driving test.

ABajaninCork

I should also say my husband never felt the need to learn either, living so close to the City centre. Guess what? He passed his test at the age of 46!!

LegacyUser

OP like yourself I had no interest in learning to drive as I lived in a big city with good public transport and many things on my doorstep, parents and friends spent ages pushing me to learn and I even went for a lesson but was so uninterested the instructor told me not to try until it was something I wanted to do. Fast forward few years and job had me move down the country were you couldn't get anywhere without a car so I learned. I am happy being able to drive now and I enjoy going for road trips but I certainly don't regret not learning earlier. I strongly feel if someone doesn't have a drive to learn or a need to learn then they shouldn't be pushed into it. I was early 30s learning, older sister learned the second she could as she loves to drive but brother 2 years younger still doesn't know and I can't see him learning unless something changes from him job or family wise.

Your parents and GF can throw lots of what's ifs at you but until it's a skill you want or need I wouldn't entertain them.

Dellnum

It's good to know how to drive even if you never own a car. It is like knowing how to swim. Knowledge is power.

Stavro Mueller

It's no harm being able to drive. You're looking at things from a very narrow point of view. At the moment your job and everything else is within walking distance. You don't know down the line how things might change. What if your job goes and you end up getting one that's not easily accessible by public transport? You have to move house and the ones within your price range aren't near public transport? Your child takes up a hobby that can't be got to by bus? You get a job that requires you to drive to other locations... By not having this skill you're potentially limiting your options.

Nobody's saying you need to go buy a car or anything. Once you have a full licence you've got the option to hire a car if you need it.

Mrs Garth Brooks

It can be expensive learning to drive and you also need the use of a car between lessons, well it helps alot.

I know you said you didnt rely on others for lifts. But can you get your girlfriend to add you as a named driver on her insurance, once you get your provisional licence. Its cheaper than being the named driver yourself.

Get the provisonal license first, its just a piece of paper after all. And then decide after that.

Rubberchikken

There's no law says a person has to know how to drive.
If you don't want to learn, then just don't.
And tell your family to pick on someone else. Their constant harping-on must be getting boring at this stage.

The Lost Sheep

You don't need to know how right at this moment but you may in the future.
You don't have to get a car to learn how to drive and know how to drive.
Do the theory test and get your provisional license and try driving you may really enjoy it! If you don't just don't look to get the full license

Being able to drive gives you a freedom that's just not possible if relying on public transport even if you are in city centre with everything close by.
You don't know but in the future your circumstances could change and you could have to learn in a short time and pressure on you would be higher so why not start now and make it easier on you

freshpopcorn

No, you don't have to learn to drive but its handy being able to drive.
Its great being able to sit in the the car and head somewhere for the day down/up the country with your friends/family. Even if you do go on a day out with your girlfriend, it be nice for her not to be doing all the driving.
Even lately a family member was seriously ill in hospital and every could drive to the hospital at all hours of the night/morning(when the persons condition worsened) this would not have being possible if everyone walked/ran/got the bus the whole time.

afkasurfjunkie

Like somebody mentioned before, it's a life skill. My oh has just passed his test at the age of 33. He didn't really need to drive until the past year or two and as I'm currently 5 months pregnant you would not believe the weight it is off my mind now that he can drive me to the hospital if anything happens. He is delighted with himself too.
Get a provisional licence and take some lessons. See where you want to go from there. Even if you live in a city it's great to have the freedom to say, ok, I'll drive here or there or wherever.

johnbon1234

Thanks for the reply guys, the general feeling I get from my OH and family is that im too lazy to learn and the later I leave it the harder it will be.

I am going to take all the advice on board and I think I will look into it, as mentioned in a few posts its a life skill and handy to have! I think with all the flak I have been receiving it just got to me a little.

Thanks again for the replies.

J

The_Morrigan

johnbon1234 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply guys, the general feeling I get from my OH and family is that im too lazy to learn and the later I leave it the harder it will be.

I am going to take all the advice on board and I think I will look into it, as mentioned in a few posts its a life skill and handy to have! I think with all the flak I have been receiving it just got to me a little.

Thanks again for the replies.

J

The bit in bold is true to an extent.
When you're older you are more aware of hazards, dangers and stupidity of others, so you may hesitate a bit where a 17 year old will just boot out of a junction as they tend to have no fear.

Lou.m

johnbon1234 wrote: »

Hi all,

First time poster here, just looking for advice on a little problem I am having.

I am 27 and recently have been put under alot of pressure to learn to drive, my family, OH and freinds are have been at me to get some lessons and get a car.

I live in city with about a 10 minute walk to work with everything I need a short distance away. I do not feel I need to learn how to drive as I have everything on my doorstop and to get lessons and a car it will cost me alot of money.

I do not rely on other people for lifts and would never actively put anyone out of their way to bring me anywhere. My OH (who drives) informed me I needed to learn before the end of the year as her family think its a bit daft that I do not drive. She was firing out questions like what if she got pregnant and couldn't drive to the hospital or there was emergency in the middle of the night and I had to get somewhere quickly, I see her point of view from one angle but it just does not make sense in the whole scale of things. I walk, cycle or run everywhere and it keeps me very fit as a result. My parents are the same a my OH, even my younger siblings can drive and I am the butt of some of jokes with my friends.

It is really starting to bother me and I am just looking for some advice on what to do.

Thanks.

I don't drive either I had a provisional license before but I didn't renew it. I have a lot of anxiety about roads etc. But I realize I need to get over that. I had had a couple of lessons and it's not that bad. But I made a really bad decision when a girlfriend offered to give me a lesson in her car. Now she is a bit crazy and in order to show me she did not mind if I 'bumped' her car she drove it into a tree. 'It's just a thing Lou.M don't worry about it'. But obviously it scared the crap out of me for a while.


I used to practice driving around in my mothers old car (the power steering was terrible and a nightmare for me) then she got a knew one and it was easier. My Dad's car is more expensive and that drives my anxiety crazy!

I also have a sneaking suspicion that people like me should not drive.

I used to cycle everywhere but I came off quite hard and dislocated my shoulder and got a bit bruised inside. I was grand but it takes a lot to get over the mental block.

But you can do it. It's all in your head.

No1 DO NOT GET A CRAZY FRIEND TO TEACH YOU.

No2 Get someone who is calm and will remain calm in the car with you.

No3 practice in different cars.

No4 Practice.

No5. Don't make people push you before you are ready you know how good or bad a driver you are so only go at your pace and ability.

No6. It is a life skill good to have but that does not mean you HAVE to drive after you learn if you don't want to. It can be healthier to walk.

The theory test is easy but the rules for learner permits have changed you cannot get a third one now unless you have a date for a test.

thegreatgonzo

When I was getting lessons it took me a while before I found an instructor that I felt comfortable with. I'd had lessons with different ones that made me feel more nervous or uncomfortable. It really helped my confidence finding an instructor who I could chat to and get on with while learning. My earlier experiences with grumpy instructors put me off learning for a few years, I wish I'd known then that they weren't all like that.

Big Bag of Chips

I like the idea of telling your family, your gf, her family etc that if they really want you to drive then they can put the money together for your theory test, learner's permit, 12 lessons, driving test, insurance etc!

Honestly, nobody HAS to drive. But it is a skill that is very useful to have. You may not need it immediately, but as you get older it may be something that is very useful to you.

Your gf might be pushing for it because sometimes it can become tiresome being the only driver. So if you go away somewhere for a weekend, she's the one who has to drive there and back etc. Little things like that can make a huge difference, and having someone to share the driving with is nice.

I don't like her insisting you have to learn by the end of the year. Ask her why?! And ask her if you don't what will happen. Is she going to break up with you? Seems a bit extreme and a childish ultimatum, especially if you don't get lifts off her very often.

But maybe it's not so much about you getting lifts off her, maybe she'd like the option of getting a lift off you occasionally.

OP - yourself and a few other posters are discussing the cost of a car - tax - fuel - and more. Are these things not irrelevent? Your thread is about learning to drive. You do not need to own a car to do this. Yuo can merely take lessons. And being capable of driving does not make it incumbant upon you to own or obtain a car.

So why not obtain the skill and leave it at that? Then you have the option - if you ever need it - to proceed from there. Obtaining a license however can be time consuming and what you do _not_ want is to have to do it in a rush last minute at some point in your life when you do suddenly decide you need to drive for some reason.

For example many car rental companies require that you hold your license for a minimum of 2 years before you are permitted to rent from them. As so many insurance companies - so to address your OHs concern about your ability to drive during a pregnancy for example - it might come to pass that you need to have had your license for 2 years before she is allowed put you as a named driver on her car insurance.

LegacyUser

I'm also in the same boat as you OP, 27 and don't drive. I genuinely just don't need to drive! Everything is easily accessible for me as I live in Dublin and my job is about 20 mins away on a bus. I actually went to do my theory test in May and failed by one which was disappointing. There's over 800 questions to learn so I have to fork out another 45 again for the test. Everyone I know that does drive always tells me how much money having a car requires, it's a huge cost and for me on the wage I'm on it's just not feasible. Do what's right for you. Maybe learn and then you have the skill should you need it. By the way, when I did my theory test everyone there was well older than me, so we're not the only ones

jester77

Unless you need to drive then there is no point.

I'm in the same position as you OP, except 10 years further on. Moved out of home at 17, travelled and lived in different parts of the world and had never a need for a car or to drive. Also got the same questions. About 10 years ago I was living in another city, didn't have much going on at the time and there just happened to be a driving school around the corner. I paid out the 2K, attended the 14 hours of mandatory school, did the first-aid course, driving lessons and passed the test. 3 weeks later I had to move again and I haven't driven or needed to drive a car since that day I passed my test.

LegacyUser

OP, I learned in my late 20's. I never had a need but due to pressure from my OH and family, I finally learned. Best thing that I ever did because not long after I passed my test, my OH lost his job, moved to the other end of the country and I had a few changes at work that meant instead of leaving the house to get the bus at 8, I had to get the train at seven, walking much further. It was so hard. I got myself a car but if I hadn't learned, I do think I would have just burned out completely. You can never tell. In hindsight, we probably wouldn't have lasted because he would have done all the travelling and just rightly, gotten sick of being the only one to make the effort (public transport still involved an hour and a half from the last point to where he was living)

I know someone who has resisted learning for years, now his girlfriend is pregnant, he had to sit his theory test, wait for his licence, and now he is starting his 12 lessons. He won't be a fully licences driver by the time his baby is born. I cannot imagine how his girlfriend feels, as the primary driver knowing that he will not be fully competent when it comes to driving her to the hospital. Her mother is driving her to the doctor, etc (severe morning sickness, so she isn't well enough to drive).

It seems monumental and it won't click straight away but it is just another life skill (like riding a bike) that just should just be viewed as something to get under your belt. I understand your thought process, but take it from someone that knows how you feel that you should just do it. Also, I know it is very expensive, I had loads of lessons, but I am a better driver than most of my family/OH because I learned so much more than they did about how to view everything while driving!

Danjamin1

OP I can see your point that it's not a necessity to drive when living in a city and of course you shouldn't be pressured in to learning if you don't want to.

My opinion is the same as most peoples here, it's something that will stand to you and will most likely benefit you in the future. It's definitely expensive, but it's more expensive now than it was when I learned and I'd imagine that's a trend that probably won't change any time soon.

I can see why your OH would want you to learn, if you're going somewhere it may be nice for you to be able to drive instead of relying on her. I know a few guys who don't drive and this is definitely a gripe their OH's have.

Also a very important point is that driving can be really fun, once you learn you'll most likely wonder why you left it so long!

jimmycrackcorm

While it might suit not to have to drive anywhere at present, what would happen in the future should you need to drive such as having to change jobs where public transport is either impractical or unavailable. It would be too late then.

JohnMearsheimer

The_Morrigan wrote: »

The bit in bold is true to an extent.
When you're older you are more aware of hazards, dangers and stupidity of others, so you may hesitate a bit where a 17 year old will just boot out of a junction as they tend to have no fear.

I'm sort of in a similar situation. I'm 30 and I'm under a bit of pressure from my parents and girlfriend to learn to drive. I've always lived in the city so I never really needed to learn to drive. I'm lucky that the place I work in is literally across the road from my bus stop and I also happen to live right next to a bus stop. The bus for me is literally door to door.

I've tried to learn twice in the past but abandoned my lessons. I'm terrified of hurting someone or causing an accident. I used to work in car insurance and have dealt with claims in some bad smashes. I think this has made things worse for me. The last time I took lessons my instructor said I was completely over thinking everything. I guess he had a point. I am a nervous driver. I was half thinking of thinking up lessons again but I'm not sure.

Stavro Mueller

This is totally anecdotal but I've noticed that people I know who've taken up driving later in life seem to be more nervous. I've a friend who like the OP had no interest in driving until circumstances forced her to in her mid thirties. She'd turned driving into a monster in her head by that stage and I'd say it took her a good two years to become fully confident. It is something people are better off learning as young as possible IMHO.

The_Morrigan

Stavro Mueller wrote: »

This is totally anecdotal but I've noticed that people I know who've taken up driving later in life seem to be more nervous. I've a friend who like the OP had no interest in driving until circumstances forced her to in her mid thirties. She'd turned driving into a monster in her head by that stage and I'd say it took her a good two years to become fully confident. It is something people are better off learning as young as possible IMHO.

I wasn't quite that bad now as I had a ten week period between my first lesson and passing my test - but I was more hesitant according to my instructor than some of the 17 year olds he had taking lessons. I was just that little bit more aware of speed and pedestrians/cyclists coming off footpaths, double and triple checking at junctions when I was pulling out etc.

I am quite happy to drive around now and I had absolutely no issues on the motorway on my todd either (probably because I was taken out on some of the big N roads when I was learning).

I think a big element is finding an instructor that can put you at ease, teach you to drive for life, not just to pass the test and to make you feel comfortable in the car and of your ability to control it.

Daisy M

Do it now, it'll be a lot easier to learn now when you're under no pressure rather than at a later date when you may have to.

Don't ask for or accept gifts of driving lessons, do this under your own steam and don't put yourself in the position where you've got to explain yourself to others.

PinkLemonade

I'm late 20's and have just started my EDT, my OH did force the issue, but I know he's right, it's not fair for him to chauffeur me around the whole time.

I'm only two lessons in but it's very exciting, I'm literally buzzing after every lesson, I know so many people can drive, but I'm proud of myself. If you can afford to take the test and have the time I think you should, it really is a life skill, it's better to have it and not need it!

No Pants

jester77 wrote: »

Unless you need to drive then there is no point.

I disagree. It'll never get easier to qualify for a licence, only more difficult. We've gone from having no tests, to a test amnesty (such a thing will never be politically possible again), to theory test, 12 hours of EDT and now Novice plates. In two years, who knows what restrictions will exist.

I advise learning how to drive, but not purchasing a car if you don't need it.

convert

I definitely think being able to drive is important, even if you live in the city centre and don't need a car. You don't have to automatically buy a car when you pass your test either. I know you're lucky that your girlfriend has a car, but even if she didn't, you always have the luxury of being able to rent a car if you need to travel somewhere, or even registering for a Go Car, which has been rolled out in Dublin relatively recently.

As you don't need to learn to drive urgently, you can always take your lessons over a period of time and move forward at the pace your happy with. Maybe your girlfriend could accompany you on the road when you're a little more comfortable driving, or even drive to a quiet industrial estate at the weekends/evenings where you could practice with little traffic. If she's that keen for you to learn to drive, then she should be willing to insure you (probably won't be that cheap - sorry!) and bring you on a few practice runs. Family members may be willing to do the same, if you visit them.

jester77

No Pants wrote: »

I disagree. It'll never get easier to qualify for a licence, only more difficult. We've gone from having no tests, to a test amnesty (such a thing will never be politically possible again), to theory test, 12 hours of EDT and now Novice plates. In two years, who knows what restrictions will exist.

I advise learning how to drive, but not purchasing a car if you don't need it.

I took this approach, it cost me over 2k at the time for driving school, first-aid, lessons, material, etc. and I now have a driving license, but that was 10 years ago. I haven't driven since I passed my test as I have had no reason to, and I wouldn't trust myself on the road right now.

It was just 2k wasted as I will have to pay out again if I ever need to drive a car. It would have been better waiting until I need to drive.

thejuggler

OP

Only you can decide that you want to drive. I went for lessons when I was 25/26, bought the car, got the insurance basically because everyone was telling me I should. I never felt confident in the car - was always anxious in the driving seat. After about 6 months I had a minor crash where I drove into the back of a car which was stopped on the road. (no injuries thankfully but an expensive repair job) That finished it for me. I kept driving until my insurance ran out and then sold the car.

Driving isn't for everyone. For me there were other factors such as poor eyesight and depth perception/peripheral vision. I haven't driven in over ten years and have no plans to. Obviously it depends where you live. I have access to public transport and my OH drives.

It was interesting to see a previous poster refer to driving as a life skill same as riding a bike. Funnily enough I never learned that one either

Molecule

I think in this country learning how to drive is a bit like buying a house - a lot of people see it as being some sort of 'must do' once you reach a certain age. That's their opinion but I know from experience that it can provoke a bit of a defensive reaction in those of us who disagree (i.e. making us become more and more stubbornly AGAINST doing the thing in question). However the danger with that is that you choose not to do something that might actually be of benefit to you.

Personal experience: I learned how to drive in my 30s, as did the vast majority of my friends. We all lived in Dublin city centre so driving wasn't necessary and in fact having a car was an inconvenience when it came to accommodation etc. Also, my country-dwelling family were always on my case to learn, which served to put me off the idea even further. In the end I had to move down the country for work so I learned because I had to. I'd agree with those who say that being older seems to result in greater anxiety when you start learning, probably because you're more aware of the damage that cars can do. It was all very stressful to begin with, and my car is a source of endless expense, but I am very glad I learned. It comes in useful for so many tasks and makes visiting friends and family in other cities a much easier experience. However, I'm very aware of how easily people become reliant on their cars and I make sure that I still walk or cycle on shorter journeys. Just because you have a car doesn't mean you always have to use it.