Well, I'm clearly strange in the same way as ewx, as I've never owned a car in Cambridge and have no intention of doing so. I've been insured on my housemate's car for a year, which he's just sold, and barely used it.
I live within walking distance of food shops, I get milk and vegetables delivered, I have too many unread books already, and my employers have always arranged return of computers themselves. I hire cars if I want to go somewhere where public transport is completely impractical, and that way I get the pleasure of driving something shiny and new when I do. For most weekends away, the train is far cheaper than car hire+fuel, especially if booked in advance (as most of my weekends tend to be). And that's before I factor in having to be sober and awake for the duration of the journey.
It's only really the guitars and amps that strike me as really requiring a car. I'm reminded of my friend who said he couldn't give up his car because he wouldn't be able to play golf any more.
I think it's starting from different assumptions. I start from the assumption that not owning a car is saving me 1k a year (at least, that's what my housemate calculated as the minimum cost to him) and regard the expenses of my workarounds as coming out of that saved 1k. I suppose it helps that I don't actually like huge supermarkets or driving in cities, so I regard avoiding both of these as extra bonuses.
no subject
I live within walking distance of food shops, I get milk and vegetables delivered, I have too many unread books already, and my employers have always arranged return of computers themselves. I hire cars if I want to go somewhere where public transport is completely impractical, and that way I get the pleasure of driving something shiny and new when I do. For most weekends away, the train is far cheaper than car hire+fuel, especially if booked in advance (as most of my weekends tend to be). And that's before I factor in having to be sober and awake for the duration of the journey.
It's only really the guitars and amps that strike me as really requiring a car. I'm reminded of my friend who said he couldn't give up his car because he wouldn't be able to play golf any more.
I think it's starting from different assumptions. I start from the assumption that not owning a car is saving me 1k a year (at least, that's what my housemate calculated as the minimum cost to him) and regard the expenses of my workarounds as coming out of that saved 1k. I suppose it helps that I don't actually like huge supermarkets or driving in cities, so I regard avoiding both of these as extra bonuses.