Published on 12, July, 2020
How do you get about and are you happy with your mode of transport?
I used my legs, pushbike, moped, buses and trains until 17 years ago when I got my 1st car.
Now my car has died and I don't anticipate being able to drive again, for various reasons.
I'm wanting to make the best of this - far less expense and what I find the unpleasant experience of driving and grappling with other aggressive drivers.
I might get fitter.
I do have a couple of people who would be willing to give me lifts when necessary.
Any upsides anyone can see to me being car free, but also, what about you?
ps. I no longer work, so that's a huge advantage when not having your own transport.
Sorry to hear you are facing this change. We autists can find adjusting to change difficult and I hope you are able to find solutions that work for you.
I have a car and I do like the freedom it brings but I find I am using it very infrequently these days. Maybe once or twice a month for shopping plus day trips / holidays a few times a year. Even when I do go for a day out or on holiday I prefer to leave the car parked up and walk everywhere when I get there.
It is becoming harder to justify the huge expense of having a lump of metal parked outside, unused and slowly rusting. Like me it is aging and getting it through the annual MOT is a source of great stress. In the not too distant future there is going to be a point where it is not worth repairing. I'm not sure what I'll do then. Where I live public transport is poor with only a handful of buses each day. If I were to give up driving I suspect I would become even more isolated at home.
Cycling is not an option for me due to balance problems. I do like walking but my nearest supermarket is around 8 miles away, so that's a bit far to walk. I also quite like travelling by train but my nearest station is around 20 miles away, so I still need a car to get there.
I am looking forward to a future where driverless cars are available on demand and car ownership becomes a thing of the past. I could order one online and the car would arrive at the door to take me wherever I want to go. I know I could order a taxi currently but I hate being a passenger, it makes me so uncomfortable especially if the driver tries to chat.
Autonomistic said:Cycling is not an option for me due to balance problems
Have you tried it - the gyroscopic effect of the wheels makes balance almost automatic as soon as you are moving so you only have to focus when you start or stop.
There are also battery assisted push bikes that can take away the difficult part of starting pedaling and balancing.
It may be worth borrowing one or renting one for a day to see how you get on. Ideally get someone to go with you who can ride to help you build confidence. It really is quite easy as soon as you get going.
Autonomistic said:I know I could order a taxi currently but I hate being a passenger, it makes me so uncomfortable especially if the driver tries to chat.
If you are in an area covered by Uber then there is often an option (certainly for the Black service) to select if you want the driver to not chat - quite handy.
Iain said:Have you tried it - the gyroscopic effect of the wheels makes balance almost automatic as soon as you are moving so you only have to focus when you start or stop.
Yes I have tried. I did eventually manage to learn as a child but it didn't really get easier with practice. It doesn't take very much to throw me off balance. I posted on the dyspraxia thread that I used to cycle to secondary school but I had to give up due to far too many falls and collisions. I even collided with a bus once!
Where I live now it really wouldn't be safe. The roads are narrow and uneven, with hills and blind bends. That's before considering the lunatic drivers.
Iain said:There are also battery assisted push bikes that can take away the difficult part of starting pedaling and balancing. It may be worth borrowing one or renting one for a day to see how you get on.
It may be worth borrowing one or renting one for a day to see how you get on.
I would be curious to try a power assisted bike in a safer environment. Maybe if I'm on holiday somewhere where I can rent one I'll consider trying it.
Iain said:If you are in an area covered by Uber then there is often an option (certainly for the Black service) to select if you want the driver to not chat - quite handy.
I'm not in an Uber area but that's useful to know if I use one on my travels in future.