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Discussion of the Day
Car ownership
Karen S 84135017-Apr-25
Why does every Tom, Dick and Harriet (and their children) have to own a car? Isn't the world full of too many cars?
As an older person that no longer owns a vehicle, it seems ridiculous why 17-year-old Junior must have a car and Mum/Dad will get it for them. Many households in NZ have multiple cars, this is excessive within the cities when buses run and people can carpool. "Must own a car" for my independence mentality is wrecking the planet
What is your opinion?
Comments - Page 2
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  • SALLY 1524378
    Taxis (and even Uber, etc.) is EXPENSIVE. The nearest bus stop to our house is about 1 mile away. The closest grocery store is about 10 blocks...uphill. Owning a vehicle is darn near a necessity. Dread when my husband and I are no longer able to drive. That being said, we live on a 1-block cul-de-sac with our next-door neighbors owning 3 cars, and a multi-unit condo across the street where everyone living there owns cars. Parking and even trying to drive down the street (which has somehow almost become one-way) is treacherous.
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    • PETER M 134659
      feels great
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      • The dog house
        Going out at night is still safer in your own vehicle or car pool if you can.
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        • Tracey 1419192
          Well I live in the country, there are no buses here and a taxi would cost a small fortune. Everyone in my family has a car so we can go "to town" when we need to. Also our nearest city has a terrible bus system so a trip across town may take hours when a drive in your car takes minutes.
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          • Tavi
            It's a time factor. Waiting for a bus or train takes too long and then you have to walk to the place you need to go. It is a matter of convenience, especially in Perth WA.
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            • Linda 3
              We have one car. Our neighbors have a truck, two cars, a scooter, a van and a SUV, and all three people in the family work a few blocks away, and dont drive much other than that, Two of the vehicles have to get jump started often due to lack of use.
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              • BLACK LIVES MATTER
                Hi Karen S 841350. I like you 'Discussion of the Day' - CAR OWNERSHIP! One, I never got a drivers' license (and never own a car) - visual issues - but on a technicality I could have got a driving license AND BECAME A CAR OWNER. Two, I am guessing - most car drivers are going to use the rationale - that being a car driver (car owner) gives them a sense of Independence and Convenience (LOL). Three, gasoline powered cars are the number one polluter of the atmosphere on the planet (the only planet in the known universe humans can exist on). Last, I expect a 'ton' (lot) of AI responses to your question (Discussion of the Day) - ROFL! Still, in my humble opinion (HAHA) the best 'Discussion of the Day' posted this year (2025)!
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                • Karen S 841350
                  Thanks BLACK LIVES MATTER, a lot of people don't get it, or if they do, they justify their answers with, the convenience/independence issue. I don't own a car
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                • Elizabeth T 396096Karen S 841350
                  Necessity and practicality.
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              • Linda 1473555
                I couldnt do all the volunteer work I do if I didnt have a car. Public transport doesnt cut it.
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                • Ek M
                  cars can be a necessary evil
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                  • Victoria 1304258
                    No public transport in our area. My husband & I both need our vehicles as we work in different areas.
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                    • Victoria 1322770
                      Cars are 100% necessary in most places. This is especially the case when public transportation is infrequent or unsafe. Public policies making addictions OK make transport attacks frequent in cities. Until safety is restored, being car free isn't a good option.
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                      • APB
                        If you live somewhere sensible..like Brussels...the cars are mostly in tunnels...wherever you are there is a tram in 10 minutes max..and there are also interlinked buses and trains..nobody needs a car...but elsewhere....how else are you supposed to get around?....give people a decent cheap transport system....it is not rocket science...
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                        • View all 15 replies
                        • BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          it is about a decent, cheap, public transportation system that will convince car owners to sell their cars
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          Not that simple but it is helpful in the city.
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          It is that simple. In Chicago, New York City, and San Francisco (and only mention three cities because these cities ring a bell with people not raised in the USA) - the over whelming majority of residents of these cities (the cities I mention), never learn to drive a car - build a cheap, decent, reliable public transportation system and people will use it and will not think about becoming car drivers and/or car owners. If you decide to live somewhere where there is lousy, unreliable, and expensive public transportation that is a decision you made (without being coerced into that decision)!!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          In Australia many areas (urban and country) do not have sufficient public transport and it is not practical to only rely on public transport. Many employers state that you should not bother applying for a job unless you have a valid drivers license access to a reliable vehicle. It is also too expensive to Uber, taxi or pay for deliveries all the time in respect to basic grocery shopping AND it is not practical to take shopping on public transport and in many people's cases, it would take them too long to get home as well if they went via public transport (and then there are the safety and reliability issues not to mention comfort and health). There are many other scenarios why a car is still necessary and practical to many people but I will stop here.
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          Since Australia is a democracy - the overwhelming majority of Australian voters decided cheap, decent, reliable public transportations is not an issue (positive outcome) for them!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          Public transport is necessary but not always practical.
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          I think we should agree to disagree, because English is not my first language or my second language - practical and necessary are ringing the same bells in my mind!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          I would converse with you in French if I could but your English is wonderful. :)😁
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          Thanks for the compliment! However, English was the hardest language for me to learn and I still struggle with English when synonyms are used! Most of my closest acquaintances - English is not their first language - other words we do not speak to each other in English!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          Here is my limited French combined with English: Mon cherie, to moi your English is tres bien and, dare I say parfait! Mon ami, you should be proud that you are multilingual and in spite of English not even being your top two languages, that it is so great! Now you can see why your English is fantastic when you see how unremarkable my French is.
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                        • Daniel A 2
                          Bicycles should be used a lot more. They are cheaperr than cars. They don't pollute (except for production), they are so much faster that walking, they reduce fat, Although there's the posibility they can be a bit more dangerous than cars, Bicycles are safer on the large scale.
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          Okay! Touche! LOL!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          What would be a good substitute for LOL in French?
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                        • BLACK LIVES MATTERElizabeth T 396096
                          Mdr (formal) or mdr (informal) in French - the literal translation of French (Mdr or mdr) to English (LOL) is 'dead out of laughing' - still funny whether you are writing it in French (Mdr or mdr) or English (LOL) - if the person can read French and English!
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                        • Elizabeth T 396096BLACK LIVES MATTER
                          My French is merde and I appreciate any new words, phrases or expressions to add to my knowledge and vocabulary😘 I love Mdr. I think it translates well to English "murder" and "you are killing me" when something is so funny that you could die laughing. ...and since it is reported that people often defecate when they die, Mdr fits with merde as well Mdr ROFL LOL🤣
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                      • Dsmiles2U
                        no choice but to take public transport
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                        • Daniel A 2
                          Remember Public transport is just bigger cars. It doesn't mean it is reducing cars.
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                      • Zena 1539369
                        I bought my first car with no parental help. It was a money pit, aka hunk of junk. It taught me to take pride in my future cars and value their worth. I park in other postal codes to avoid dents and dings.: )...
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                        • lin r
                          i cannot imagine not being able to get in the car and go where i want to... at any time
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                          • Daniel A 2
                            Go and find a little town in 3rd world country. and live in it. It might give you the idea of what living with out a car is like.
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                          • lin rDaniel A 2
                            trump has turned america into a 3rd world country
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                        • Ryan 1284839
                          Depends on your situation. If you live in an urban area, there should be public transit options. If you don't use these options; there is a question of convenience - scheduling, distance between stops... or you don't want to be with others in a confined space. If you live in an area with infrequent or non-existent public transit options, car ownership may be your only option. As far as your kids having cars...who's facilitating their vehicle ownership. If the kids are working and deciding to fund vehicle ownership on their own, you have a couple of options. First are the kids contributing to the cost of their living in your home? If not, make them choose between vehicle ownership and self-sufficient living. If you are uncomfortable with this. You can tell them that they are not allowed to park on your property. This may or may not be a big deal depending on your circumstances. If you live in a rural area with much space around you, it may not be thing to park off your property. If you live in a rural area where your property stretches for some way, parking off property may require a walk of some sort. In an urban setting, municipal street parking might be an issue for your kid. First, availability may be an issue. Secondly, cost. Thirdly, if parking is available, it may be somewhat inconvenient to get to.As with all things, it depends.
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                          • Linda C
                            You obviously used to drive a car - for convenience, for work, pleasure or whatever. I am retired and still drive a car to shopping etc. as I like the convenience and independence. The smaller cars are OK but these huge Yankee Utes or whatever they call them are a menace on the road and the Yuppies as we used to call them all want one. What was wrong with the old ute for work or the tray truck - no they have these petrol guzzlers most cannot drive and take up half the road and 1/2 car spaces everywhere they go. I think the EV cars are going to cause more environmental disasters as they are already than ever the petrol ones did. Unfortunately, the public transport system in many places is not good and this is so where I live. It has also become dangerous in many places also.
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                            • Karen S 841350
                              I agree with the EV car situation, it is greenwashing. The 21 year old petrol car that I used to own and drive now and again would have a lower carbon footprint than a brand new EV that needs regular diagnostics and updating and the battery that is extremely hard to put out if it catches fire. Certainly not a solution, just another way to make money for Elon Musk
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                            • Linda CKaren S 841350
                              Watched a report on where they are making the batteries and they are building 6 new coal fired plants, polluting the ocean and land etc. It was horrifying. So much for saving the planet with these EV's. What a joke. People buy into it though.
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                          • Edward 1421694
                            First they are able to afford it and it's just pure convince I guess....
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                            • Teri 1282723
                              I drive my car when and where I need to. My sons don't drive. One rides his bicycle to work. If a family has a few members with jobs and different schedules they may all want their own vehicle. I would imagine a lot of that is for safety. I don't like taking public transit and strongly dislike even having to call a taxi once in a while when I'm snowed in my driveway.
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                              • mike B 1066235
                                I HAVE TO ASK DO YOU OR ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS HAVE TWO OR THREE CARD I BET YOU DO NOT ASK US FIND OUT FROME THE PEOPLE YO KNOW
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                                • Karen S 841350
                                  The people I know have the one car and the wealthier family members have two/three in the household. They know my viewpoint on excess and greed
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