I have owned a car of one make or another for forty eight years without a break.
From a Ford Prefect to my current car, a Vauxhall Agila.
When I worked in PAYE, a car was the mode of transport to drive to and from the various jobs I have held over the years. After leaving the pharmacy I became a full time carer for mum and the car was an essential part of our daily routine.
Before mum became too poorly to go out, we would take trips to town, chiropodist, dentist, doctors, Dunelm, cafes, garden centres, etc etc all made by car
When mum passed away in September 2014, my car became somewhat idle. A keen walker myself, I prefer to go to town on foot when I am not supermarket shopping, or requiring to carry heavy items. I use a shopping trolley two or three times a week to buy some groceries or to go clothes shopping.
So I have began to question whether or not I really NEED to keep my car
Being the age I am now, I qualify for a railcard, so visits to Devon to see my sister and younger son can be made by train(s). Elder son lives in Birmingham so the same mode of transport can be used to visit him too.
BUT a car gives me independence doesn't it? When it is pouring with rain and a friend wants to meet up, I can be in town in ten minutes if I drive instead of thirty minutes walking or going on a bus (which only comes every half hour and takes at least that amount of time to get to town, going round all the estates on the way). People who know me know that I do not like buses at all. I spent five long years from 11-16 going to a school in Kington twenty miles away which involved bus journeys five days a week, an hour each way.
During Lockdown, I have made very few trips, (no more than 5 miles max) and haven't put any petrol in since March! If we are to endure another six months restrictions to our lives, it doesn't look like I will be going anywhere further afield.
Cars depreciate in value very quickly, tax and insurance, petrol costs, all these factors add up.
