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I couldn't give up driving as it means independence. Public transport is pants in deepest East Hampshire. One neighbour gave up driving at ~86 when someone wrote off her car, not her fault, but she now has dementia anyway. Her house mate is still driving at 92, with no problems. The one at the end who is about 87 still drives. The 102 year old on the corner does not drive, but she is not physically able to anyway. Nor is the 94 year old next door, as she has dementia.
Round my way dementia is the main reason not to drive, but in that case you need a carer anyway.
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I couldn't give up driving as it means independence. Public transport is pants in deepest East Hampshire.
Sadly that's a very common problem these days outside of the more urban areas. Even in my parents' home town, whilst they live only 50m from the bus stop that goes to the town centre and major supermarket, buses are every 15-20 minutes if they are on time (not quite so bad out of the rush hour), but they are (even for them) within 20-25 minutes walking distance of the shop, so walk in good weather and take the car when not - they'd prefer not to be standing in the cold and rain waiting for a bus that might not turn up (no handy indicators to say when like in the cities).
Even worse for those in the surrounding villages - they'll get one bus every hour, tops. In my area, which is a smaller town with a much more rural area surrounding it, it's far worse. And to top that, we recently had two new supermarkets (smaller ones) open up stores on the edge of town, but the (very infrequent) town bus service doesn't stop there, fine if you're still reasonably able bodied (the nearest stop is about 250m away on an industrial estate), not so good for those OAPs who can't walk very far unaided.
The local villages has a bus service, but is every 2+ hours and thus if you mis it either way, you've a long wait - not good if you have frozen foods etc to get home!
The new shops do have a reasonable car park though, and a bus stop ready to go! Nice to see council planning in action yet again!
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I dread the day when I have to give up driving..although of advancing years now I still feel totally capable (with regular eye and health checks) and I know my good lady (who is a lot younger than me) will be more that quick enough to tell me if she feels unsafe whilst I'm at the wheel..lol
I have though bought myself an electric bike..brilliant (and the Mrs. too for that matter) so at least I'm able to get around and not always have to use the car..and we of course enjoy the exercise too....win/win.!
Public transport is pants in this rural part of the UK.
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Possibly as a result of having grown up in a busy city where even then, traffic and parking was a problem, I tend to this day to use my bike or my feet for journeys of less than 5 miles, unless of course I need to shift something big or heavy.
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Possibly as a result of having grown up in a busy city where even then, traffic and parking was a problem, I tend to this day to use my bike or my feet for journeys of less than 5 miles, unless of course I need to shift something big or heavy.
A bike makes a lot of sense for short journeys to a local shop (but not for commuting during rush hour along busy B roads). I would cycle 5 miles to the local town except that the dual carriageway is terrifying, cars doing 70 mph within a foot or two of a cyclist is downright dangerous. A proper cycle path could be built but it’d cost too much with no direct monetary return, and a cash strapped council.
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We’ve just returned from a couple of weeks in the mid-west of the States. Among the friends we visited was a family in rural Illinois. The senior female, the mother/grandmother/great grandmother, was 100 this year and still drives! Her licence is conditional on her not driving more than 10 miles out of the small town where they live and in that part of Illinois you’d have to drive more than 10 miles to find any other form of civilisation. That means that she just drives to the grocery store, the doctor and the rest of her family.
Interestingly, the senior citizens of the town are allowed to drive around in golf buggies. It’s all very safe as the population is only about 800 and the town is tiny. Being America, the pavements are generous and the streets are wide.
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I'm hoping that by the time I'm no longer safe to drive, self-driving car technology has advanced to the point where I won't need to drive. I'll just summon the car and it can take me where I want to go.
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I'm fortunate to live 200 yards from a station on the Liverpool Northern Line. 4 trains an hour from about 6 a.m. until 11.30 p.m. with a 12 minute journey time to the city centre. We are having some new trains next year too, (which are actually new rather than refurbished rubbish from the south for a change). The train fare for the two of us is less than 3 hours parking.
In 10+ years we have only taken the car into town less than a handful of times. We can also have a glass or two of wine or beer with lunch, happy days.
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A bike makes a lot of sense for short journeys to a local shop (but not for commuting during rush hour along busy B roads). I would cycle 5 miles to the local town except that the dual carriageway is terrifying, cars doing 70 mph within a foot or two of a cyclist is downright dangerous. A proper cycle path could be built but it’d cost too much with no direct monetary return, and a cash strapped council.
I used to live in East Hampshire before we moved to Austria, and certainly the bus service to our village was only 3-4 times a day into our nearest town of Petersfield. The service kept being fiddled around with due to lack of usage - at one time the route continued used on to Farnham but eventually got curtailed.
Here in Austria it's different. Although the buses might "only" be every couple of hours, there is no suggestion that they have to pay their way. They are a lifeline for more remote places, run whatever the weather, and are considered a public service rather than an enterprise that has to make a profit. Our local bus runs most of the day either empty, or nearly. And they're all joined up with the railways.
Moving on to cycleways, all the main roads in our area are single carriageway, and except for short stretches all have adjacent but segregated cycle paths. In the countryside, there are usually well-signposted alternatives for cyclists to use away from the B-roads. There havrecently been cycle paths under construction on some of the roads that link the area, climbing up into the hills and back down again, which have been quite significant investments. They're seen as must-haves to encourage, and cater for, cyclists.
Just a different way of looking at things,
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Nearly empty or empty bus service - that doesn't sound like the community is bothering to make use of it. I find, even as a 40-something, that very infrequent bus (and rail) services severely restrict what you can do and where you can go, because it might mean you either have to leave home so early you have to wait around for ages at your destination for an appointment, have to do the same for the return journey or in some cases, not be able to get back because the service is restricted to peak periods only. Then you have to pay for expensive taxi home.
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I can't see an answer to the vicious circle well summarised by Andy.
Rural bus service too infrequent, so few use it. Because few use it, it isn't economical to put mofre buses on. Eventually the service dies.
When we came to our Dorset village five years ago, there was one bus every other Thursday which could get you to Shaftesbury, but not back again. And the nearest shopping towns are Gillingham and Wincanton. So that service didn't last long.
I wonder if the Austrians still have their Postautobus - a joint venture with the post office where some mail was delivered by bus. I remember it from 50 years ago, but I don't think I saw a Postautobus last time we were there 2 years ago. But I do remember a notice in those buses which they helpfully translated for tourists' benefit as 'Do not interfere with the driver while he is driving'.
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I wonder if the Austrians still have their Postautobus - a joint venture with the post office where some mail was delivered by bus.
Don't know about Austria, but I think the Swiss still run them.
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Here in France where we are there is next to no public transport running to the outlying villages and hamlets, there are the school buses for the kids but nothing for the public.
There are no local train lines as there used to be just after WW2 so a bit of a bleak prospect if you can't drive, ride or cycle.
If you have a medical need for transport to a hospital or physio and you can't drive or have someone drive you you can get a prescription for a taxi from your doctor, partly paid for by the health service, and the rest by your medical insurance.
I've got a french driving licence to replace my UK licence which I couldn't renew at 70, which is valid for 15 years with no need for medicals or self certifying.
If the French decide to lift that I can always get a sans permis car - those little low powered cars that do about 30 mph, no licence required hence "sans permis" ie without licence.
Tedious things but keep you mobile.
The older farming types around here use old tractors as their mobility scooters - no licence required if they are farmers, no mot, cheap third party insurance and tax rebated fuel - red diesel. Favourite is the old russian Zetor tractor held together with baling twine and wire!
Edited by focussed on 24/05/2019 at 00:14
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She is giving up driving in just over a week.
Advertised her car for £1200, few people came around and tut tutted, one offered £ 500 another a bit more, but talked it down a lot.
2 minors on the mot history last dec, and also about 8 years ago.
So, I am buying it for £1000 as a runaround, couple of very minor scuffs on door mirrors, one very tiny one on rear n/s wheel arch.
Corsa 5 door 1.4 design dec 2007... 57000 miles
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I wonder if the Austrians still have their Postautobus - a joint venture with the post office where some mail was delivered by bus.
Don't know about Austria, but I think the Swiss still run them.
They're mainly still branded as Postbus, but I've never seen a letter change hands! The railways and Postbuses are under the same management umbrella, which helps the integration.
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