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It depends upon who, where, when, and the roll of the dice.
I know a couple that gave up their car on the theory they only needed it on days they could not use the bus, taxi, rental. It turns out as they aged and faced medical changes and financial challenges that is more often than anticipated.
We now avoid them to end being sucked into their taxi service. Although they still find a way to spend on some things they impose heavily on many to transport them.
It depends upon who, where, when, and the roll of the dice.
I know a couple that gave up their car on the theory they only needed it on days they could not use the bus, taxi, rental. It turns out as they aged and faced medical changes and financial challenges that is more often than anticipated.
We now avoid them to end being sucked into their taxi service. Although they still find a way to spend on some things they impose heavily on many to transport them.
You bring up an excellent point. People who do not drive should not become dependent upon their friends to take them where they need to go. Even when friends mean well and offer to drive them on a regular basis.
The only time I ask for a ride from one of my friends is when I have to take the kitty to the vet. She has always been happy to do so especially because I buy her lunch afterwards as a thank you.
But she has recently moved some distance away so I will be either taking a taxi (there is no bus I can take) or calling upon the lift service my city offers for Senior and disabled people.
Everything else I need: grocery store, bus etc I can walk to. I have been living this way all my life. If someone offers me a ride that's fine but I have never, and I think this is important, put myself in a position where I had to depend upon someone to drive me everywhere.
If someone wants to go carless, being able to get around by oneself is a major concern if they want to keep their friends.
I do all my own transporting by city bus, but I think retired people (and some not retired) could be more giving in providing rides for others - for acquaintances, neighbors, friends, people who are aged or frail or in need.
I don't understand why cdelena, for example, couldn't provide an occasional ride for the aged couple mentioned in his/her post. (perhaps the couple is too demanding - but an occasional helpful ride wouldn't hurt anyone)
Many people in the U.S. seem so stingy in that regard.
I am impressed with one of the posters in the Retirement topic (maybe it was EscortRider - not sure) who said once retired he established contacts for whom he willingly and graciously offered rides - or if he had not already established his service, it was his plan to do so.
It just seems selfish not to be helpful particularly if one has the financial means, the vehicle, and the time.
I do all my own transporting by city bus, but I think retired people (and some not retired) could be more giving in providing rides for others - for acquaintances, neighbors, friends, people who are aged or frail or in need.
I don't understand why cdelena, for example, couldn't provide an occasional ride for the aged couple mentioned in his/her post. (perhaps the couple is too demanding - but an occasional helpful ride wouldn't hurt anyone)
Many people in the U.S. seem so stingy in that regard.
I am impressed with one of the posters in the Retirement topic (maybe it was EscortRider - not sure) who said once retired he established contacts for whom he willingly and graciously offered rides - or if he had not already established his service, it was his plan to do so.
It just seems selfish not to be helpful particularly if one has the financial means, the vehicle, and the time.
After he retired, my dad was much more healthy than many of his friends who could no longer drive. He was more than happy to give them rides when they needed it. He was a very generous person and enjoyed helping out.
[quote=matisse12;23774579]I do all my own transporting by city bus, but I think retired people (and some not retired) could be more giving in providing rides for others - for acquaintances, neighbors, friends, people who are aged or frail or in need.
I don't understand why cdelena, for example, couldn't provide an occasional ride for the aged couple mentioned in his/her post. (perhaps the couple is too demanding - but an occasional helpful ride wouldn't hurt anyone)
Many people in the U.S. seem so stingy in that regard./quote]
I can answer this. An ex-friend of ours decided to live car free, and then berated us for not doing so. He was a true little snothead about it, like he was ever so much better than us people who drove cars. There wasn't ANYTHING he couldn't do on his bike or on foot, cars were totally unnecessary and we were absolutely EVIL for having them.
The next day (I am NOT kidding) he had the audacity to call me up and DEMAND I take him to a bordering city to pick up the new computer he just bought. DEMAND.... not asked.
The first words out of my mouth were EXCUSE ME? Because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The next words were Good luck, because you can go to hell.
Last time we ever heard from him.
It's not up to me to be a bus service for people who choose to have no cars. If you CHOOSE to live that way, you need to find a way to accomodate your lifestyle.
I'm not an unkind unfeeling person -- I've done driving for people that need help, but because I make it a point that my lifestyle choices do not impact others, I feel I should get the same consideration.
As in -- I choose to drive, therefore I keep my car up, tires inflated and get gas so I don't become a hazard, or have to call people to bail me out of having no gas.
I do all my own transporting by city bus, but I think retired people (and some not retired) could be more giving in providing rides for others - for acquaintances, neighbors, friends, people who are aged or frail or in need.
I don't understand why cdelena, for example, couldn't provide an occasional ride for the aged couple mentioned in his/her post. (perhaps the couple is too demanding - but an occasional helpful ride wouldn't hurt anyone)
Many people in the U.S. seem so stingy in that regard./quote]
I can answer this. An ex-friend of ours decided to live car free, and then berated us for not doing so. He was a true little snothead about it, like he was ever so much better than us people who drove cars. There wasn't ANYTHING he couldn't do on his bike or on foot, cars were totally unnecessary and we were absolutely EVIL for having them.
The next day (I am NOT kidding) he had the audacity to call me up and DEMAND I take him to a bordering city to pick up the new computer he just bought. DEMAND.... not asked.
The first words out of my mouth were EXCUSE ME? Because I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The next words were Good luck, because you can go to hell.
Last time we ever heard from him.
It's not up to me to be a bus service for people who choose to have no cars. If you CHOOSE to live that way, you need to find a way to accomodate your lifestyle.
I'm not an unkind unfeeling person -- I've done driving for people that need help, but because I make it a point that my lifestyle choices do not impact others, I feel I should get the same consideration.
As in -- I choose to drive, therefore I keep my car up, tires inflated and get gas so I don't become a hazard, or have to call people to bail me out of having no gas.
As a carless person, I agree. I usually have my friend take me to the groomers to get my cat's claws clipped. Then I take her to lunch as a thank you. She is happy with that.
But she recently moved and I know she is all discombobulated getting everything all set up. So I just took a cab this morning with the kitty. It's my cat, my responsibilty and my business to try to work it out.
Tallysmom, but your lifestyle of using a car does impact everyone.
Cars cause major pollution of the air by spewing toxic substances into the air which leads to disease among humans and environmental hazards.
The U.S. government fights middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil to keep your car easily full of gas.
The U.S. government is trillions of dollars in debt from fighting the middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil for your cars.
And all of the deaths and destruction of our soldiers and civilians in the middle east to keep the flow of oil steady is unnecessary and tragic.
The government has spent billions of dollars to constantly build and expand and remedy highways so the traffic of an excessive number of cars in the U.S. can flow.
Your choice of having a car does impact everyone else in the U.S.
Last edited by matisse12; 04-09-2012 at 05:38 PM..
Tallysmom, but your lifestyle of using a car does impact everyone.
The U.S. government fights middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil to keep your car easily full of gas.
The U.S. government is trillions of dollars in debt from fighting the middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil for your cars.
The government has to constantly build and expand and remedy highways so the traffic of way too many cars in the U.S. can flow.
Your choice of having a car does impact everyone else in the U.S.
Even though I belong to the group of people who choose to not drive (or rather, we do own a car but drive very little, instead, we put more miles on our legs than in the car,) I do not think we can blame car owners/aficionados for the oil or infrastructure problem in our country. In my very humble opinion, the government has a lot to answer for when they rather spending money on fighting for oil than building a good public transportation system across the country. If public transportation (local buses and interstate railways) were readily available, if the cost were less than or comparable to the cost of gasoline for an individual to drive the same distance, and if the convenience were there for the taking, I seriously doubt that the amount of cars on the streets and highways would still be as great as it is now.
Tallysmom, but your lifestyle of using a car does impact everyone.
Cars cause major pollution of the air by spewing toxic substances into the air which leads to disease among humans and environmental hazards.
The U.S. government fights middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil to keep your car easily full of gas.
The U.S. government is trillions of dollars in debt from fighting the middle eastern wars to maintain a steady flow of oil for your cars.
The government has spend billions of dollars to constantly build and expand and remedy highways so the traffic of an excessive number of cars in the U.S. can flow.
Your choice of having a car does impact everyone else in the U.S.
But especially you when she or others with cars refuse to provide you with free taxi service.
Happy in Wyoming, I already stated that I do all of my own transporting by city bus, and always have done so.
I was suggesting that occasionally offering rides or offering to do an errand for the aged, frail, or those in need would not hurt you.
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