Do you really need a car?

Chuchote · 05-06-2017 6:00pm

Trump doesn't! Nice take on him and the Paris Agreement by John Oliver

InTheTrees · 05-06-2017 6:22pm

Chuchote wrote: »

For instance, if what we grew up calling the Gulf Stream (the Ocean Conveyor Belt) is stopped or reversed due to the melting of Arctic ice, as looks likely, the Irish climate could change to be more like that of New York…

I don't see why it would change to be like new York, Ireland is far further north than new York. It's more likely to change by having a climate more suited to how far north Ireland is which is more like newfoundland.

Jamsiek · 07-06-2017 8:56pm

Brayan Tall Pup wrote: »

How many people really care about their carbon foot print anyway, I know I don't give it a second thought.

So you don't care about your kids or future generations?
That's nice

Chuchote · 08-06-2017 7:51am

Jamsiek wrote: »

So you don't care about your kids or future generations?
That's nice

And people who refuse to wash the plastics and tins they put into the green bin - contaminating whole truckloads of recycleables - do they think they're so much better than the people who work in the recycle centre? So mean!

billyhead · 18-09-2021 6:50pm

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread but with the increase in remote working and the fact that petrol costs are going through the roof and are to be increased in the upcoming budget has anyone contemplated getting rid of the car? Also the carbon emissions factor might come into peoples reasoning to get rid of it or at least cut down from 2 cars to 1 in the household.

DJD · 19-09-2021 11:42am

We went from two cars to one around the start of the pandemic. One friend did the same (that I know of).

Living in suburban Dublin makes it very doable. If I need a car there are 3 GoCars within a short walk. Also cycling most places nearby is reasonably easy. The saving on tax, insurance etc is very noticeable.

I remember speaking to family who live in rural Kilkenny at the time, definitely not an option for them though.

Ash.J.Williams · 19-09-2021 11:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057736711/do-you-really-need-a-car

I need my car

KaneToad · 19-09-2021 11:46am

Never an option for me. If you are outside a major urban area, you have very limited options.

Even if living in a large Irish town, you'd be hard pressed navigating it with public transport...e.g. Navan, Drogheda...

RandomViewer · 19-09-2021 11:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/103404194#Comment_103404194

Public transport is usually disgustingly dirty ,

Fr Tod Umptious · 19-09-2021 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117908873#Comment_117908873

Live in a small town/big village in Kerry.

It's not urban but it's not rural either.

Were a two car family before COVID.

One the family seven seater the other a small Fiesta that I used mainly to go to work 10 minutes away.

When tax was up on the Fiesta in May 2020 I did not renew it (declared it off the road)

Renewed my insurance in August 2020 because I thought we might be going back to the office.

By that stage the battery was dead in the Fiesta

By August 2021 I did not bother renewing my insurance.

We have done fine with one car, if I am going back to the office a few days a week I'll cycle or get a lift.

At the end of the day it's not that hard to give up the second car.

Hangdogroad · 19-09-2021 12:09pm

A lot of people in this country still have this attitude that if you don't have a car, or rather don't be seen to be driving one, people will think you're poor. A very plebby mindset ironically.

Manky O Toole · 19-09-2021 12:12pm

If you have a family you need a car.

venusdoom · 19-09-2021 12:18pm

Laughed at some of the comments about banning cars on this thread. People seriously have no idea of what it's like to live in rural Ireland. I drive 5/6kms 4times a day just leaving kids to preschools/school. 20ish km to the nearest supermarket. Could not survive without yet. And yes, my partner also has a car to travel to his work which is like 120km a day journey. Very little public transport. No option to car share with neighbours.

PsychoPete · 19-09-2021 12:29pm

Living in the back arse of nowhere so obviously need a car, of course I don't need the 6 cars I have

Strumms · 19-09-2021 1:17pm

nope...

wouldn't get rid of the car...

Covid...vaccinated or not I’d want to be sitting on a crowded train, Luas , bus or Metro, only as the exception rather then the regular rule.
Weather...it’s a poxy miserable, wet and cold climate here about 70% of the year, I don’t relish Qing and waiting for public transport from mid October to the start of May.
Public transport is not fit for purpose in many places... and often people say going to work 20 minutes drive away if to do the same by public transport just using my last job as an example...roughly

walk to bus stop - 6 minutes.

wait for bus - 10 minutes to be sure of getting it. run early / late.

Journey - 15 minutes

Walk to second stop - 4 minutes

Wait for bus - 5 minutes

Journey - 10 minutes

Walk - 6 minutes

bit faster getting home.

so basically with everything on time, I’d be spending ‘the guts’ of 90 - 110 minutes a day traveling 9.2 kilometers return ... about 28 minutes of that walking or waiting... in the elements...in a different climate and non covid times maybe...come home time on Friday you’d be cream crackered, freezing.

can do that in a car in about 32 minutes of driving a day max... dry, warm, comfortable, safe...

The country and especially urban areas are so chronically behind the 8 ball in terms of public transport...

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 19-09-2021 1:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117910574#Comment_117910574

Irish public transport,maybe.

Galwayguy35 · 19-09-2021 1:58pm

I do because I live in a village with no public transport and work in the city.

In fact BE has decided to stop the bus route through the nearest large town to me which will make more people use the car and make life even harder for those unable to drive.

If I lived in an urban area I'd be happy to ditch the car and cycle or take public transport for long distance journeys.

The Greens do nothing but talk shite when they have no clue about how things are outside the main urban areas.

Manky O Toole · 19-09-2021 5:37pm

I'd had enough 'interesting' experiences on public transport to last a lifetime. I'll stick to my car.

BobHopeless · 19-09-2021 5:53pm

I'd rather sit in my car for an hour commute than a 20 minute cycle or 30 minutes public transport tbh. Most days i jump on the motorbike and i'm in work in 15 minutes tops though.

PsychoPete · 19-09-2021 8:07pm

Public transport is for peasants

rob316 · 19-09-2021 8:18pm

Yock. Public transport no thanks.

bcklschaps · 19-09-2021 8:19pm

https://youtu.be/t1V_qz9I1Nk

I think the Inbetweeners share ye're opinion on public transport

witchgirl26 · 20-09-2021 11:40am

Nope not getting rid of cars in this household just yet. Commute to work isn't possible on public transport without some major bus hopping when I do go back to the office, plus managing a creche drop off too with that would be on the nightmare front. That said, I think looking at plug in hybrids, hybrids or full electric cars is something that is good. We have one of those as our 2nd car & try to use it for the short journeys.

dasdog · 20-09-2021 12:18pm

I hate cars - noisy, polluting annoying imports. When the Covid lockdown started the silence was bliss with regard to the lack of the poxy things trundling around. It's one of the reasons why I love heavy snow. Keeps the drivers at home. Dreadful waste of money and they are a clear path to obesity for some.

John_Rambo · 20-09-2021 12:43pm

Use the car for work about two days a week and the various shopping trips, otherwise we all cycle, walk or skate. School runs, local shopping (butchers, bakery etc… ) beach, park, swim all done sans car. City trips on public transport.

We were offered land to build rural but couldn’t deal with driving everywhere every day. Nightmare.

endacl · 20-09-2021 12:56pm

Home to work is a 15-20 minute drive*, with a big boot to carry everything I need, and an option to get the shopping on the way home. Public transport would take up to two hours each way. A choice between two buses, or bus-luas-long walk. Not a hope I'd use public transport.

I've been on three buses in the last 5 years. The last one I got off and hopped in a taxi because it was taking so bleedin' long with all the stopping and starting...

Sometimes I cycle, if I don't need to bring much with me. It's not like I'm anti-planet!

jimwallace197 · 20-09-2021 1:25pm

I think a large percentage of people like myself would use public transport more if it was better. I need my car for work but on every other occasion I'd be happy to use public transport. Unfortunately, it tends to be unreliable, overpriced and generally of a poor standard here even in the urban areas. Also, where I live which is close to Dublin city center, and even here its a good bit out of my way.

Dublin for example, should have a underground system by now & a much more efficient bus service. Also, a train back & forth from the city to the airport. It requires significant investment, someone with a vision and a bit of ambition, unfortunately, thats lacking in our politicians and counsellors. It would pay for itself in no time & make us much more attractive to foreign direct investment & tourism. Also, it would help ease the housing crisis as people would be able to live further(shorter commute times) out rather than everyone cramming to live as close as possible to the city centre.

blackbox · 20-09-2021 1:33pm

Hi OP.

I have two cars, but I only "need" one. As I can't drive the two at the same time. There is no additional pollution generated.

I have private parking, so nobody else is discommoded.

Flinty997 · 20-09-2021 2:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057736711/do-you-really-need-a-car

We do low mileage. We could possibly lose one car. But only if there was a cheap and convenient way to use an extra car at the weekends. At the moment the cost of doing that (car sharing or car rental) is so close to owning and running a second car. But far less convenient. That keeping an second car is still worth the little extra its costs.

dublinman1990 · 21-09-2021 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117914884#Comment_117914884

Well Leo has said in the Dail today that Metrolink is not being scrapped for people who live in North Dublin, contary to the MOS article on it last Sunday, because no government decision has been made on it yet. If that project is being included in the upcoming NDP very soon; I suppose that you would be happy to see it being committed to by both the government & the NTA. If you're travelling to Dublin Airport even in normal times the amount of cars & buses that travel through the Airport during the week would be monumental at times because of the amount of people who travel through it every so often. Plus when you use the car to travel to the airport. If you use the car to park it in the car parks; the charges could be eyewatering for less frequent foreign travellers living here.

Do you really need a car?

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