Seriously considering giving up driving.
Seriously considering giving up driving.
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Discussion

gus607

Original Poster:

997 posts

165 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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As the title says, recovering from a recent heart attack & can't drive for a month.
I only do about 3k miles per year as it is & have access to my daughter's car anytime If I want.

What with the local council gestapo around here who erect enforcement cameras everywhere they can, I can do without the hassle. I have had a clean licence for the last 42 years, to be honest I don't think I will miss my car.

Does anyone have any views on this, or even gone down this road ?

benters

1,459 posts

163 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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i dont think i would be able to give up the freedom that driving gives you too easily. It is a hassel most of the time, but to me it is still outweighed by the go anyway at anytime aspect.

Bullett

11,181 posts

213 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Not so much give up as I need to for work. But I'm definitely losing interest in the high powered models for day to day driving. With two little kids practical is trumping quick. It's living in the SE, traffic, parking, fuel costs etc etc.
I used to change every 18mths or so. I've had my Octavia for nearly 4 years and I think I'll probably keep it for 4 more or until it becomes more trouble than it's worth.

That said I'd love a 4C but it's 2 seats and even a weekend away would be hard in that. Second hand Vantage is out for the same reasons. A 911, GTR or GranTurismo are all doable as a 2nd car. I'll just have to talk the mrs into having the practical car.

Davel

8,982 posts

287 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Well you could always rent a car as and when you need one.

But this is Pistonheads, so no one on here will advise that you give up driving,


Johnnytheboy

24,499 posts

215 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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The longer you leave it, the harder it will be to resume.

Lazygraduate

1,790 posts

190 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Up to you.

I certainly wouldn't base your decision on the opinion of a bunch of people on one of the largest driving related websites in the world though!

R6VED

1,491 posts

169 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Lazygraduate said:
Up to you.

I certainly wouldn't base your decision on the opinion of a bunch of people on one of the largest driving related websites in the world though!
Pretty much this.

As I have aged (37) my car priorities have changed, but I still love cars and driving and could not drive something mundane everyday; well not unless I have a weekend toy too.


TheD

3,142 posts

228 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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I love driving but it is getting a chore more than fun. I am finding myself getting a bit of road rage these days with so many tts and inconsiderate dipsticks everywhere. Even while heading out on some of the good quiet roads there are so many just driving along at 30/40. Will I stop though. No

0000

13,913 posts

220 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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The thought crossed my mind when the tax renewal landed yesterday at £280.

I work from home, could probably drive the wife's car if necessary and am about to take a long break from work in April (just because). The hassle of declaring SORN and then sorting out getting everything setup again should I need the car seems more that it's worth though.

Shame it's not easier to take a break from it for a while.

Motorrad

6,811 posts

216 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Don't do anything rash like deciding to 'give up' driving. Just take a rest if you feel like it and see how things pan out.


thatdude

2,660 posts

156 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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I was going to give up riding motorcycles, because I was fed up of traffic everywhere and constant stop-starting.

I put my bike in my parents garage for two months ( didnt have a car at the time, so I was commuting by train).

after 3 weeks I was miserable and grumpy because I wanted to ride, but by that time my dad had pulled it to bits and was sorting out all the little cosmetic issues that annoyed him rofl (plus a few mechanical issues, like dry swigning arm bearings)

Having gone through that, i couldnt give it up. I think I would be the same with driving cars. Maybe you can give it a go, just see how you get on without it.

dbdb

5,200 posts

202 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Motorrad said:
Don't do anything rash like deciding to 'give up' driving. Just take a rest if you feel like it and see how things pan out.
+1

BluePurpleRed

1,138 posts

255 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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Book some time off work and drive somewhere decent like the socttish highlands, evo triangle or go down to the Italian lakes and back.

Just doing it in bad areas is bound to get you feeling that way. I'm not one for doing this normally but my Tuscan is now dry stored until better weather and a weekend when I can enjoy it comes along.

supertouring

2,228 posts

262 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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I love driving, always have and always will - but to make sure I never get to a situation where I cannot drive for whatever reason, I am doing all the fun driving things I want to now while I can.

bromers2

1,867 posts

279 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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go racing.

Roads are too dangerous smile

Monty Python

4,813 posts

226 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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supertouring said:
I love driving, always have and always will - but to make sure I never get to a situation where I cannot drive for whatever reason, I am doing all the fun driving things I want to now while I can.
I just wish I had the time, money and the roads. I can't remember the last time I took the car out "just for fun".

Devil2575

13,400 posts

217 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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gus607 said:
As the title says, recovering from a recent heart attack & can't drive for a month.
Wait until you have fully recovered before making any decisions.

I wouldn't be deciding stuff like this just after having gone through such a dramatic event.


Leins

10,444 posts

177 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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R6VED said:
Pretty much this.

As I have aged (37) my car priorities have changed, but I still love cars and driving and could not drive something mundane everyday; well not unless I have a weekend toy too.
Same age as you and this is exactly the driving model I adopted a few years ago. In fact for a number of years I didn't even have a daily, just relying on public transport and walking for all the dull stuff. A job location forced me to get something to do the daily grind in so I just picked up a standard Golf that completes the task admirably. It's quite liberating actually, although does require a bit of a mindset change

The fun cars are then for when you can get away from all the road muppets! smile

BritishRacinGrin

26,518 posts

189 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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You can hire a car should you ever need one, the odd day in a hire car will be massively cheaper than taxing and insuring a car for a year, maintaining it, MOTing it etc.

Sump

5,512 posts

196 months

Friday 14th February 2014
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lol