friday 22 september 2023 is WORLD car free day

Discuss with other, more polluting countries

And we all hop onto the mythical bus I suppose.
My nearest public transport must be about 5 miles away.
So um, no.

First time I have heard of this. It is DH's 80th and I have booked a meal out at a venue 4 miles away. In rural areas there is often no alternative to using a car.

We have lots of days when we do not use the car, just not this Friday.

I’m car sharing for my volunteer stint on Friday morning. That will have to do!

No

If you are all electric, does that count?

No. We could get to my son’s house in Edinburgh by public transport but we’d probably have to leave today and stay overnight in order to be on time to look after the children.

Like MOnica, there are often days in the week we don't use our car. As it's an ev, it's not polluting the atmosphere anyway so not a problem.

Never heard of it and not interested. Not on the radar here at all. It is easy to say stuff when you have public transport nearby. Most here don’t.

No.

I’d love to not use my car for a day. Unfortunately this is the world we have created now, no public transport system, countryside paved over, residential streets full of parked cars, in fact everything given over to the cult of the car. My son says cars have ruined everything and I think he’s right. But no, I’ll have to use my car on Friday just like every other day.

We only use ours 3 days a week at the most when at home and as Fridays are supermarket shopping days, we'll need ours tomorrow.

No way.

I don’t drive at all so it will be no inconvenience to me.
I gave up driving more than 20 years ago but my H drove until he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
By then it was too late for me to take over as my eyesight had deteriorated.
But that is circumstance not choice.
I think I would be prepared to give up for one day though to do my bit for the sake of my GC.

Yes, but of course it's very easy for me as I live just off the High Street with everything in walking distance. I've just returned from my craft group, been to the library, dropped a few things off at the charity shop, called in at the supermarket and visited the bank - all within an easy stroll. Tomorrow- coffee out, lunch out and a drop into my daughter- ditto.
However, I am aware that makes me very fortunate. There are good buses and trains on my doorstep, too.
I would not be able to do any of this without a car if I lived in one of the neighbouring villages.

No plans to go anywhere tomorrow but if I had I’d use the car, which is a gas guzzler and I have no plans to change it. No public transport round here and no shops in the village but that suits me fine.

I am lucky or should that be wise and live on several bus routes. Whenever I think of downsizing to a pretty place, perhaps near the seaside, I have to check myself and remember all the advantages I have here.
I am only driving in emergencies while I await my cataract operation and it hasn't been too bad as buses are frequent and free
Last week I lent my car to a df while hers was out of commission. Today she drove me to my yoga class and collected me as it's not on a bus route.

I realise not everyone can or wants to live on a bus route but perhaps think about goiing electric?

3 of my friends have electric cars now. The most impressive one is aged 87 . friend not car She bought it with an interest free loan from the Scottish government.

www.homeenergyscotland.org/funding/electric-vehicle-loans/

Electric cars are fine if you don’t make long journeys in areas where charging points are few and far between, and you can factor the time spent waiting/charging into your journey. Not for me.

I don’t often use a car anyway.
So I guess I’ll be car free tomorrow, are medals being given out?🥇

No. I use my car only when necessary. Tomorrow is a necessity. I’m spending the day with my grandchildren as their school is closed due to strike action.

No medal Oreo but a halo!

2 of the friends who have electric cars have charging points at their houses. In their front drives . The other lives on a busy main road with double yellow lines outside but they can park their car in a carpark which has free charging points.
They do suffer from rangeanxiety though which is very common until more charging points are available.

It’s a ‘no’ from me too. I’m about 4 miles from any shops, plus a long walk to the bus stop and 4 lanes of fast moving traffic to risk life and limb with!
Anyway, I’m taking Little Dog back in the morning, then into Newcastle for a hair cut. SinL will be driving up from Cheshire and I’ll be driving us out later to eat.