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Just before Sebastian was born we got rid of our car. I hadn't been driving it regularly. I worked in a bakery prior to Seb's birth and had to pay for parking. So I used to walk the 30 min to work or take the bus instead. I did that for a year until my maternity leave started and we moved. My driver's license had expired anyway. Why pay for a car I wasn't using? So we sold it.
I now don't have a driver's license. At all. It expired over 2 years ago. I know, crazy right?! This is pretty common around here. I only have a couple of friends who actually have a license. Most families are a 1 car family here in Scotland. Public transportation is easily accessible and getting a British license is pretty expensive. So...I don't have one. Maybe someday I will but not right now.
LD has a company car and we use that for whatever we need. But, I don't have a car during the day. Ever. I'm fine with this. Sebastian and I take our trusty stroller out to the park, library, pool, Doctor's, play date's, lunches in town, etc.This is my normal. I use my two feet to get me places. The train station is just down the street and the bus station is around the corner from me. Makes it easy!
When it rains {which let's face it is a lot} I just try to be prepared for if/when the rain stops or slows down. Or I just grab my boots and we head on out in the rain to where ever we are going. It is rare, but sometimes I do wish for a car. I could run on over to friends houses on a whim or I could go someplace without having to pack for every situation possible.
This is some of what life is like with a toddler in Scotland! No car and it's no problem!
LD has a company car and we use that for whatever we need. But, I don't have a car during the day. Ever. I'm fine with this. Sebastian and I take our trusty stroller out to the park, library, pool, Doctor's, play date's, lunches in town, etc.This is my normal. I use my two feet to get me places. The train station is just down the street and the bus station is around the corner from me. Makes it easy!
When it rains {which let's face it is a lot} I just try to be prepared for if/when the rain stops or slows down. Or I just grab my boots and we head on out in the rain to where ever we are going. It is rare, but sometimes I do wish for a car. I could run on over to friends houses on a whim or I could go someplace without having to pack for every situation possible.
This is some of what life is like with a toddler in Scotland! No car and it's no problem!
We won't have a car when we move to Gladgow. I'm actually looking forward to walking everywhere. I'll have two kiddos by then. I've been looking into compact double strollers. Any suggestions? We have a BOB that I love but it's only a single. We're not sure if it 's worth bringing with us or if we should just buy a new one when we get there.
ReplyDeleteGlasgow will be really easy for you to get around. There are so many places to get what you need that it isn't like the smaller Scottish cities that only have 1 grocery store, or one bus. You'll like it!
DeleteYou have to weigh if the stroller will cost more to move {or the space moving it could be better used for something else} or if you'd just be better buying one over here. You can get anything over here, so I'd save the moving space for something else.
I lived in Scotland for 4 years and didn't have a car or license then either and had two babies. I wore out a couple of strollers. : ) I really enjoyed walking all over.
ReplyDeleteWe did have a car though, but my husband had it at work so there was no need for me to have a car.
Yeah, because LD has the company car we do get around on the weekends and we use it to grocery shop etc. But, I don't have it during the day so we just walk everywhere. It has become my new normal.
DeleteI wish we had better mass transit.. I would gladly rid myself of the expense and maintenance of our vehicles. Grab my kindle and/or iPod and strap on the sneakers. I am in the process of deciding on a change in jobs that requires a longer commute. I soooo badly wish I could hop on a train and let them do the driving. The only reason I am remotely entertaining the commute issue is the future potential to work from home. And BTW.. he is such a super cutie in that pic...as always.
ReplyDeleteYou almost can't function in America without 2 cars in the family. It is pretty sad because the savings from them free up a lot of money for other things. When I lived in Utah and was going to school I didn't have a car for my first 1.5 yrs there. I took the bus and walked. I loved doing my homework on the bus or reading. It was nice to feel like I could get something done while somebody else did the driving. Plus the bus pass was free with my tuition, so I wasn't going to pass it up!
DeleteI don't have a car here in NZ either. Our public transport is so good that I don't really need one.
ReplyDeleteWe're lucky!!
DeleteWe will be getting rid of my car in the next few weeks. I have to admit I'm excited about it and not to worried about it either. :) I'm looking forward to simplifying life a bit with the activities, etc. we've been doing that we'll need to stop now. And it will make the weekends even more special because that's when we'll do more stuff, with Daddy-obviously, since he has a company car too!
ReplyDeleteIt will be different at the start for sure. You'll have to get yourself a little "plan" for getting out the door, but it will be nice not to have the expense of a car and simplifying your life.
DeleteWe'll need to meet up in Glasgow for lunch or something! A day on the town! I've not seen you guys in forever. We need to fix this.
I guess it depends where in Scotland you live! I have a car, but not a full license so I can't drive it yet. Not being able to drive in the western isles makes life very difficult. Everything is spread out, there is only one town with supermarkets and it is half an hour's drive away. There is a bus to town every two hours. When you decide to go home from town, you'll probably wait two hours for the bus to take you home, which is then an hour long journey as it visits every village on the way. I can't take life without a car much longer, can you tell? Haha! That's great you're in a place with good transport connections though. I lived in Aberdeen 6 years and never drove. Everywhere was within walking distance, if it wasn't there was a bus service there with buses every 10-15 mins. Very easy to get around there. No parking though, so you're best to not own a car there!
ReplyDeleteYou're so right Catherine! We had a friend who moved here and lived out in a tiny village. She was only about 30 min drive from us but it would take her almost 3 hrs to get here by public transit because of how remote she lived. She felt stuck most of the time and ended up leaving because it wasn't what she thought. If she'd only have moved closer to the city I do believe she would have had an amazing time and actually stayed here. If you're going to live far out you need a car. You just do!
DeleteGood luck with your license. You'll feel so free when you get it! Sometimes I do miss driving. I love just driving for no reason and thinking and relaxing.
I'm anxious about our car situation! My husband will have a company car but we think we'll need a bigger car to hold the two carseats...it's not a priority since I won't be out of the house much with two newborns in a new city, but I think we will end up getting one soon enough. I've heard horror stories about the license test, though. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of walking in the rain, here are some questions for you:
Do you use a rain cover for the stroller?
Do you wear hats or hooded jackets in the rain?
What type boots do you find most practical without compromising style? (for example, leather riding boots, snow boots, wellies, etc).
Double stroller's are so popular here. Because everyone walks, they need them. You'll get out with the wee ones. If you don't you'll go crazy! Grab the "double buggy" and head out for a walk around town. It will do you goo.
DeleteThe license test is...awful and bloody expensive. It's murder. Which is why many people don't have one!
I thought I'd answered this! Oops! I hope you check back...
I DO have a rain cover for the stroller. I NEED it. I carry it with me always.
I have hats and a hooded coat. Another must!
We have all kinds of boots. Wellies are the most common for all the wet weather. They are always in style here. But any type of boot that you like will work. Just as long as it keeps your feet and jeans dry!
Mary, I am so jealous of your walking lifestyle!! I live in a rural area in Manitoba, and I can't walk anywhere...the nearest gas station would probably take me about 1.5 hours of bike riding to get there! I hate having to drive everywhere, and it's one thing I miss about other places I have lived, because I love walking!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I miss the 30 min to work every day. It was awesome. I grabbed my iPod and really enjoyed the walk to and from work. Even in the rain. If it was too bad I'd take the bus...but the bus by my flat was never super reliable so it was quicker to walk anyway. Kept me moving my whole pregnancy! I actually LOVE not having a car.
DeleteWell, I’m happy for you, that you’re finding a carless life satisfying! In the future, though, you might find it easier to own a car. It would be useful when your son grows and you need to drive him to school. It would be hard for both of you to walk to school on rainy days. And it would also be handy to have another car that you can use when you husband’s company car is used. Anyway, maybe someday you can have a car for yourself. But, until then, enjoy the carless life!
ReplyDelete@Erwin Calverley
the school's here are smaller and there are more of them. I have 3 primary school's within walking distance from my home. Most people don't own a car here and we're doing fine without one. It is an un-necessary purchase at this time.
DeleteI agree with Erwin, Mary! I know that public transportation is easily accessible in your area, but think about how owning a car would be so useful during emergencies. If you barely used the car, you could have had it rented or leased as a source of extra income for your family.
ReplyDeleteStelle Courney
who would be rent or lease the car to? most people don't even have a license here.
Deletewe're just fine without a car and it is actually really easy to get around. Even if I did have a car, there isn't parking in town. So, I'd walk half as far just to find a parking space to get to where I need to go. We're pretty good to go here!
It’s possible to live without a car, but with a growing family like yours, I’m sure that in the future, you’ll soon realize the convenience of owning one. Anyway, not having a car will give you a lot of opportunities exercise through long walks! Just enjoy the moment!
ReplyDelete-Erwin Calverley
We're fine without a car. I have many friends with 4 kids, no license, and no car. They don't want one either. It is actually really easy to get around. It keeps me out doors and out and about.
DeleteIt is the norm here. You're thinking with an American experience. You don't know any different. You can't even imagine it. Most people in American can't even get along with just one car. They need 2. But not here in Scotland. Gas also costs $10 per gallon. Pay that for awhile then tell me how important a car {or 2} really is to you.