Carless

[lacktheknack]

Sidenote: How in the hell do you bike in the snow? I assume if you're 8 degrees out, you must be northern US with us Minnesotans.

As a Canadian who waved to my Dad as he biked off in -30 degrees plus wind chill and two feet of snow: YOU FIND WAYS.

You punch winter in the jaw if need be.

OT: Getting a car really was helpful. It's possible to go carless in my city, but you NEED to live near a train line or you have to deal with (DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN) our buses.

Or bike in two feet of snow in -30 degree weather.

 

[Sansha]

it's a symptom of insurance being a legal requirement

you pretty much summed it up. My car is a 200Hp sports car and i pay about £600 ($1200 NZ)a year with 2-3 years driving experience.

Eevee lives in a part of our country with notoriously high insurance rates. For the rest of us its expensive but not that bad

How are there not riots about this? It's nothing more than a scam perpetrated by the insurances companies under the laws of the government.

 

[Mad World]

I have a "friend" like that. He thinks that you have to drive in order to have a social life.

Also is interesting how once he got his license and own car, he suddenly didn't want to hang out as often; I used to drive him a lot. Anyway, we're not nearly as close as we used to be. He was extremely selfish, and lacked empathy. I refuse to be close friends with people like that.

Society is so superficial. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of people are like that.

 

[shootthebandit]

it's a symptom of insurance being a legal requirement

you pretty much summed it up. My car is a 200Hp sports car and i pay about £600 ($1200 NZ)a year with 2-3 years driving experience.

Eevee lives in a part of our country with notoriously high insurance rates. For the rest of us its expensive but not that bad

How are there not riots about this? It's nothing more than a scam perpetrated by the insurances companies under the laws of the government.

I dont know why not. To be honest its not the only way us brits get fucked on a daily basis. The fact that more than 50% of our fuel prices are tax (see image), The prices of a university education have gone up to £9000 a year, home energy bills have just increased because the energy companies have a monopoly and have been involved in price fixing. Everything in the UK just seems to benefit the corporations and fuck over the working/middle classes

to be honest its only a matter of time before there is a revolution in the UK

EDIT: insurance fraud is a lot like piracy. I can see why people do it, because its ridiculously expensive however it ends up making it more expensive for those who actually legitimately pay for their insurance

 

[Vegosiux]

The one thing that bothers me about being currently carless isn't convenience or laziness or anything, it's simply the fact that I like to drive.

Other than that, bike and walking are awesome, and they're good exercise without having to go to the gym a few times every week. And much less costly.

But yeah, I like driving.

 

[Sansha]

Everything in the UK just seems to benefit the corporations and fuck over the working/middle classes

to be honest its only a matter of time before there is a revolution in the UK

I guess old habits like the UK's class system die hard.

The one thing that bothers me about being currently carless isn't convenience or laziness or anything, it's simply the fact that I like to drive.

Other than that, bike and walking are awesome, and they're good exercise without having to go to the gym a few times every week. And much less costly.

But yeah, I like driving.

Do you drive stick?

 

[Vegosiux]

Do you drive stick?

Of course. Driving automatic takes so much interaction with your car away. And I fear if I say more I'm going to start to sound gushingly romantic, and that's going to both be bad for my cynic rep and put me in danger of breaking some anti-automobile-molestation laws.

 

[shootthebandit]

Do you drive stick?

Of course. Driving automatic takes so much interaction with your car away. And I fear if I say more I'm going to start to sound gushingly romantic, and that's going to both be bad for my cynic rep and put me in danger of breaking some anti-automobile-molestation laws.

I find it amusing that outside of the UK you actually have to ask if people drive a manual and people are like "uh, you drive a stick?" where as in the UK we have to ask people if they drive an auto. Id hazard a guess that the percentage of brits that drive an auto is the same as the amount of americans that drive a stick

driving an auto just isnt proper driving and you dont want to be spending a fortune on gearboxes

 

[Sansha]

Do you drive stick?

Of course. Driving automatic takes so much interaction with your car away. And I fear if I say more I'm going to start to sound gushingly romantic, and that's going to both be bad for my cynic rep and put me in danger of breaking some anti-automobile-molestation laws.

Do go on. I'm interested in your perspective on it.

Me, I started driving auto, and both my vehicles now are automatics. But when I try to drive stick, it just ends up a frustrating experience with an additional thing to worry about.

I can do it, I just don't enjoy it. Cornering and raw speed are what get my rocks off. I'm considering trading in my van for something a little racier early next year.

 

[freaper]

I'm a student living in a students' town. You can get anywhere almost twice as fast using a bicycle than with a car. Never mind parking; there are so many more shortcuts you can take. Suffice to say I've never really felt the need to learn how to drive, even though I took the theoretical exam when I was 18.

 

[Vegosiux]

Do you drive stick?

Of course. Driving automatic takes so much interaction with your car away. And I fear if I say more I'm going to start to sound gushingly romantic, and that's going to both be bad for my cynic rep and put me in danger of breaking some anti-automobile-molestation laws.

Do go on. I'm interested in your perspective on it.

Alright, keeping it in simple terms then, I'll try to explain. When I'm out there on the road, you know, it's just the car and me, and the music I put on. It's like some kind of harmony, and being involved in it just feels nice; to be a participant in the experience as active as I can be. I don't really think about shifting, I just do it, it's almost a form of communication. Heh, I've always been better with things than I have been with people. (Hah! Managed to sneak in a cynical line!)

Like, was quite happy when one day my boss sent me to drive over to Germany and pick up some equipment; spent 10 hours on the road and was one of the best workdays I had ^^

 

[Paragon Fury]

Sidenote: How in the hell do you bike in the snow? I assume if you're 8 degrees out, you must be northern US with us Minnesotans.

As a Canadian who waved to my Dad as he biked off in -30 degrees plus wind chill and two feet of snow: YOU FIND WAYS.

You punch winter in the jaw if need be.

This.

With care and patience.

And yes, I do wear my helmet at all times.

 

[Sansha]

Do you drive stick?

Of course. Driving automatic takes so much interaction with your car away. And I fear if I say more I'm going to start to sound gushingly romantic, and that's going to both be bad for my cynic rep and put me in danger of breaking some anti-automobile-molestation laws.

Do go on. I'm interested in your perspective on it.

Alright, keeping it in simple terms then, I'll try to explain. When I'm out there on the road, you know, it's just the car and me, and the music I put on. It's like some kind of harmony, and being involved in it just feels nice; to be a participant in the experience as active as I can be. I don't really think about shifting, I just do it, it's almost a form of communication. Heh, I've always been better with things than I have been with people. (Hah! Managed to sneak in a cynical line!)

Like, was quite happy when one day my boss sent me to drive over to Germany and pick up some equipment; spent 10 hours on the road and was one of the best workdays I had ^^

I know the feeling of long road trips. I've done it in New Zealand, Australia and New Zealand. It's the shit. But add a stick-shift to the mix, and I don't know - I can't get it to be the subconscious reaction you experience. I can see the appeal, but it doesn't work for me.

I love my car. Entirely too much. I really want to get something with a little muscle that I can take the top down off and scream my way down the Desert Road.

 

[michael87cn]

Can't afford the bloody thing. THEY COST SO MUCH MONEY!

And there's so much maintenance $$$ that just continually drains your pocket.

Not worth it!

 

[shootthebandit]

Me, I started driving auto, and both my vehicles now are automatics. But when I try to drive stick, it just ends up a frustrating experience with an additional thing to worry about.

I can do it, I just don't enjoy it. Cornering and raw speed are what get my rocks off. I'm considering trading in my van for something a little racier early next year.

driving a manual really isnt that frustrating, ive never driven an auto but i imagine id get really infuriated at the car changing gear for me. I know my car, I know when to change gear for the best economy and when to change gear for performance (when the needle hits the red line) and I can change gear at any point between the 2.

i fancied something a bit racier so i bought one of these

Spoiler

specs:

197bhp (from a 2 litre engine)
0-62 in about 6.5 seconds
6-speed manual box
weighs roughly 1.2 tons
handles like a dream, seriously it just grips round every corner

Its not the fastest car but a lot of my passengers have said its pushed them back into their seat. Its a simple formula big engine + small car = fun. These types of cars (hot hatchbacks) are really popular in the UK

 

[blackrave]

Get motorbike and decent gear.
When you will have family, only then there is a point in investing into 4 wheel vehicle.
Also, parking is much easier.
And consumes less fuel.
And gets you around much faster.
And some girls dig bikes.
Problem solved.
Your welcome.

 

[shootthebandit]

Get motorbike and decent gear.
When you will have family, only then there is a point in investing into 4 wheel vehicle.
Also, parking is much easier.
And consumes less fuel.
And gets you around much faster.
And some girls dig bikes.
Problem solved.
Your welcome.

you cant take anything with you
its uncomfortable on long journeys
its uncomfortable in cold and wet weather
you cant really ride it in the winter
you have to do another license

I have lots of friends who only have a bike license and they would love to have a car too (but doing a car test is expensive, probably the same reason I wouldnt get a bike license). Im always giving them a lift, the other other day my flatmate went for a ride and one of his fairings came off, i had to drive him around to pick up the fairing. Im not anti-bike, it doesnt interest me but i can see why people like it. Theres no arguing that there is more of a connection between a bike and a rider and they are a lot faster than cars but ideally you would want a car and a bike. A bike is more of a hobby/toy (not that theres anything wrong with that) rather than a form of transport

 

[Sansha]

driving a manual really isnt that frustrating, ive never driven an auto but i imagine id get really infuriated at the car changing gear for me. I know my car, I know when to change gear for the best economy and when to change gear for performance (when the needle hits the red line) and I can change gear at any point between the 2.

I've figured out how to 'tease' my auto into changing gear when I want it to. What I especially don't like about it is what I found to be the massively complicated and stressful hill starts and stalling. Tiptronic or flap-panel gearboxes seem to solve these problems but I've never driven one.
The last time I was learning manual, I found myself sitting at a roundabout constantly stalling then losing my opening, then the car rolled into the one behind me, and I was done. Went back to my auto, spent some time learning how to tease it and I've never looked back.

Most of the only manuals here are either really old cars, or ones that are popular with - thus frequently stolen by - street racers.

 

[shootthebandit]

I've figured out how to 'tease' my auto into changing gear when I want it to. What I especially don't like about it is what I found to be the massively complicated and stressful hill starts and stalling. Tiptronic or flap-panel gearboxes seem to solve these problems but I've never driven one.
The last time I was learning manual, I found myself sitting at a roundabout constantly stalling then losing my opening, then the car rolled into the one behind me, and I was done. Went back to my auto, spent some time learning how to tease it and I've never looked back.

Hill starts are really easy. All you do is put your handbrake on, mash the accelerator, lift the clutch so it starts to bite then release the handbrake as you lift the clutch. If you keep stalling you are either not giving it enough revs or you are lifting the clutch too quickly

 

[Sansha]

I've figured out how to 'tease' my auto into changing gear when I want it to. What I especially don't like about it is what I found to be the massively complicated and stressful hill starts and stalling. Tiptronic or flap-panel gearboxes seem to solve these problems but I've never driven one.
The last time I was learning manual, I found myself sitting at a roundabout constantly stalling then losing my opening, then the car rolled into the one behind me, and I was done. Went back to my auto, spent some time learning how to tease it and I've never looked back.

Hill starts are really easy. All you do is put your handbrake on, mash the accelerator, lift the clutch so it starts to bite then release the handbrake as you lift the clutch. If you keep stalling you are either not giving it enough revs or you are lifting the clutch too quickly

Not to insult you or your preference, but the way my logic works is with an automatic, a hill start is just pressing the gas... and that's the primary reason why I drive auto.

If I had access to a manual to practice in, I probably would, but everyone I know drives automatics.