I like driving someone else’s car
Posted: March 16, 2014 Filed under: AUSTRALIA, exercise | Tags: Australians must own a car, car obsession, car sharing, cheap single mothering, GoGet, Green Car Share, green economy, Madagascar 2 Movie - I like to move it, pay as you go, revheads, sharing economy, single mother bargains, single mother budgeting 5 CommentsIt’s not quite a Jaguar.
Ancient Chinese proverb: Those without a car may have to walk
Call me a freak but when I tell people I’ve got three kids and I don’t own a car they gasp. Australians adore their cars and are very reluctant to give up the idea that city dwelling means not driving all the time. The citizens of London and Tokyo know that living in big cities and driving are not compatible. I love driving, I just don’t love visiting mechanics or car dealers or changing tyres or anything that involves engine parts. So I share cars. I belong to GoGet and Green Car Share. I also have truly lovely friends who have let me borrow their cars when they’re away. Car share is pay as you go, so as a single mum on a tight budget there’s a lot of merit in paying as you use a service. I’m not racking up huge debts to a bank or a finance company. I walk more than I used to and catch buses, and I hardly ever pay for parking (I’m allergic to it).
The only problem I have with car sharing is the owner’s poor taste in radio stations. I have to remember if I book a car to turn off the radio before I start the engine, so I don’t hear rednecks moaning to right wing chauvinistic talkback shock jocks at full volume. Luckily Go Get put CDs in their cars for borrowers to listen to.
Car sharing is good for the planet with so many cars sitting idly on the street not being used. You may have seen me on Today Tonight talking about car sharing but Channel 7 axed the show before my story went to air. Beep, beep.
loupollard 
Great philosophy, Lou! I have a car that just sits there most of the time as I ride my bike around the beach to get around. There’s no use selling it as I wouldn’t get much for it. I tried to be nice and share it with someone until they got too drunk and threw up in it and then lied to be about it. No good deed goes unpunished! xo
Throwing up in your car? Very classy! I’ll try not to do that with the cars I borrow xx
Never! xo
Great. Sustainability in real life, and so succinctly put! We still have one car, but our ‘second car’ is an electric bike.
So many cars on the street, so little time for me to drive them all!