How many cars in your driveway?
- Thread starter VeraBlue
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LadyCook61
Master Chef
At the moment my driveway looks like a junkyard. 
We have 3 pickup trucks, only one runs. We have 3 cars , one does not run. Also a car that is hubby's friend's , being stored in the driveway. Hubby uses his Nissan, which he bought used for errands he goes by himself. When we both go somewhere , mostly to the food store, we use my car, the Lincoln, which was bought used before the gas prices started going so high. We don't travel much , only to the food store and pet store (cat food) Hubby's middle name is Procrasination, getting rid of the non running vehicles is taking him so long. 
We have 3 pickup trucks, only one runs. We have 3 cars , one does not run. Also a car that is hubby's friend's , being stored in the driveway. Hubby uses his Nissan, which he bought used for errands he goes by himself. When we both go somewhere , mostly to the food store, we use my car, the Lincoln, which was bought used before the gas prices started going so high. We don't travel much , only to the food store and pet store (cat food) Hubby's middle name is Procrasination, getting rid of the non running vehicles is taking him so long. 
2 cars, both in the garage. DH's vet was bought used and sits in the garage. Only driven once every two or three weeks. (We could seriously part with the car!!!) DH works from home, so no need to drive anywhere, more of a convenience if you can call it that. I drive a 04 Accord, bought new through my job at fleet pricing. I only drive into work 1 to 3 times a week and that is a 53 mile round trip. My job I can do from home... just our company has not quite got comfortable with just letting us do it permanently.
We could so easily go with one car.
We could so easily go with one car.
OP
OP
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
As the original poster, I have no worries which direction the thread takes. Conversely, rather than a laundry list of what we own/drive/need (which, by the way, I love reading about)...my original thought was more towards how we got this way, and if we can possibly ever get away from the need for more than one or two vehicles per family.
2 peeps, 2 cars, one goes north to work, one goes south.
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
Same here three trucks however they rarely are driven. one is a Dodge diesel and is used to pull horse trailers so it hasn't been used for months, I own two Ford F150s which are in the garage the truck that gets used is one of my fords to go to shopping 65 miles one way but I only go once every 2-3 weeks. Dh took the other one to go to a funeral today. Once in a while he or I need to go to town for other reasons but that is rare. Dh has a company truck for work and we live where he works, I work some here as well. I don't drive to town to pick up my prescriptions unless I'm going anyway. I got the doctor to write my meds so they all come up at the same time. When I have them mailed it's a couple bucks postage saves a whole lot of money and gas that way. I stay really stocked up on groceries etc. A shopping trip to town is quite involved and fills the entire back of truck up. Not just food but a lot of heavy stuff like dog and cat food, cat litter, cases of beer etc you name it, it's alot of work for one shopping trip but that's they way it is.. I have a cap not a camper on the back so it's all enclosed. I keep ice chests in the back for all the frozen and cold stuff it gets really hot out here in the summer.After that everything else I want I order online and have it shipped to the ranch. Got clever the other day I ordered a Schwinn bike from Walmart instead of paying shipping I had site to store delivery which is free what I saved I dont know I then picked up bike at store yesterday when I was planning to go anyway. Oh and yes and I Hyper-Miled the whole way over and back.
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OP
OP
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
As you post what you've got/need, do you see, can you follow how you got there? Is there any way you can see changing now? Is it too late?
Personally, I don't think it's ever too late to make changes for the good.. Maybe, I'm asking, how much are you willing to sacrifice to help the whole situation, not just your own situation?
I read how everyone has their job, life, schedule, and I get it, I really do. Yet, we all know where this is leading, don't we? Eventually, there could be taxes levied on people with gas guzzlers, people who don't take public transportation (when it's available), people who don't carpool, etc.
Not having lived through the world wars, I don't know what it was like to ration sugar, meat, gasoline...but it was done, and people altered their lives accordingly. Everyone did, not just the 'green' people.
Do you think it's possible for everyone to make changes? Why or why not? Are you willing? Why or why not?
Again, thanks all for reading this far and participating. This is a heavy topic for a light and airy kitchen, if you ask me. But, like my signature says, how can we sleep while our beds are burning. I appreciate the candor. It's these types of discussions that are the impetus for change.
Personally, I don't think it's ever too late to make changes for the good.. Maybe, I'm asking, how much are you willing to sacrifice to help the whole situation, not just your own situation?
I read how everyone has their job, life, schedule, and I get it, I really do. Yet, we all know where this is leading, don't we? Eventually, there could be taxes levied on people with gas guzzlers, people who don't take public transportation (when it's available), people who don't carpool, etc.
Not having lived through the world wars, I don't know what it was like to ration sugar, meat, gasoline...but it was done, and people altered their lives accordingly. Everyone did, not just the 'green' people.
Do you think it's possible for everyone to make changes? Why or why not? Are you willing? Why or why not?
Again, thanks all for reading this far and participating. This is a heavy topic for a light and airy kitchen, if you ask me. But, like my signature says, how can we sleep while our beds are burning. I appreciate the candor. It's these types of discussions that are the impetus for change.
OK, how's this to put a smile on your face! DH and I have decided to have carriage driving lessons.
No, seriously.We have been thinking about getting another horse for sometime and were looking at a particular type of horse out of preference, only we had different preferences and only want one more horse right now. Then I have had some problems with riding recently (health) and I've been taking more than my fair share leading the old unriddenhorse oput while DH rides our shared horse. So I rmembered there are some people in a town I used to live near who drove there horse and fancy cart to the supermarket once a week. I mentioned to DH that I could drive and use the driving pony for the things that are long walking distance for a healthy person but a long long way for me. I said it half in jest, but DH thinks its a great idea and we are booked to do that. I'm about 3 winding miles from th nearest big village (which is easily walkable but takes me an embarrasingly long time) but should take to shakes of a lambs tail out with a horse. It would be too far to go o the trainstation in, but I reckon I could do all my local stuff like that if push came to shove with petrol prices.
ETA I already think really hard about this. The environment is my single biggest 'concern because beyond all the rare birds and ill people I look at beautiful children and my blood runs cold at the inheritance of damage we've received at what ravages we leave to the future. I look forward to a future hen I can get by using a car a few times a week. I hate all the flights DH and I have taken over the past couple of years and I can sometimes get a little over bogged down with trying to 'get it right'. A few years ago we were on point of trading in my Puma for a Prius and then an environmental analyust explained that it would be a poor chioce for us, as the environmental cost from manufacture to destruction of the prius was greater than running my Puma. That kind of maths makes my head spin.
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MexicoKaren
Head Chef
Interesting read, VB, thanks for starting this thread. It's fun to have a glimpse into the daily lives of our DC friends. When DH and I were still working, it would have been hard to use just one car. He went one way to work (4 miles) and I went another (12 miles) and I often needed my car during the day to drive to meetings, the state capitol, etc. But he COULD have taken the bus to work - we talked about it some, but we never did it. Now that we are retired, we have one vehicle - a 2003 Nissan crew cab pickup, made in Mexico, purchased and registered here. We can pick people up at the airport, and haul bags of cement at the same time. I've occasionally thought that it would be nice to have my own little car (we would LOVE to have a Smart Car) but we really need the hauling capacity of the truck and a second car is just not necessary for us.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Of course it depends. I was not trying to make a blanket statement so if that is how it came across then I apologize. The modern towns and cities in the US are not designed the same as the old world European towns and cities for the most part though.
Where I live I would not be able to bike to work for instance unless I worked at one of the local stores like the super market, Burger King, dry cleaners, etc. Not one of those jobs would pay enough for me to be able to afford to live in my town, even with the savings of not having a second (or even first) car.
accepted, lol.
You know, this is an appropriate time to reveal one of the funniest things my cranky in laws said to me ever,
My F-i_L and step m-i-l wer asking why DH was learning to drive and grumbling in an 'everything is better in NYC' kind of ay, to which I replied, with a smile, 'But some people drive in NYC don't they?' to which they snapped 'NO, no one drives in NYC, THERE's TOO MUCH TRAFFIC' they couldn't understand why I couldn't stop giggling....I got th giggles so bad I had to leave the room
ronjohn55
Head Chef
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,080
If I could bike to work, I would. It's better for me. (Financially, physically)
If I could take public transportation I would. It would be cheaper, more relaxing.
Neither option is viable for me at the moment. I work too far away to bike. Moving is not an option for several reasons. The public transportation around here would be charitably described as "a joke".
And Finding a decent job closer to home isn't really an option right not either thanks to the state of the auto industry. (When you live in the motor city, *every* job is impacted by the auto industry, even if you don't work for a car company)
So I do what I can, and just try to wait it out. I am looking at downsizing my daily driver (and ironically replacing the small compact second car with a mid sized SUV - but again, it would likely be driven about a 1000 miles a year).
If I could take public transportation I would. It would be cheaper, more relaxing.
Neither option is viable for me at the moment. I work too far away to bike. Moving is not an option for several reasons. The public transportation around here would be charitably described as "a joke".
And Finding a decent job closer to home isn't really an option right not either thanks to the state of the auto industry. (When you live in the motor city, *every* job is impacted by the auto industry, even if you don't work for a car company)
So I do what I can, and just try to wait it out. I am looking at downsizing my daily driver (and ironically replacing the small compact second car with a mid sized SUV - but again, it would likely be driven about a 1000 miles a year).
GB
Chief Eating Officer
That is hilariousMy F-i_L and step m-i-l wer asking why DH was learning to drive and grumbling in an 'everything is better in NYC' kind of ay, to which I replied, with a smile, 'But some people drive in NYC don't they?' to which they snapped 'NO, no one drives in NYC, THERE's TOO MUCH TRAFFIC' they couldn't understand why I couldn't stop giggling....I got th giggles so bad I had to leave the room
LadyCook61
Master Chef
accepted, lol.
You know, this is an appropriate time to reveal one of the funniest things my cranky in laws said to me ever,
My F-i_L and step m-i-l wer asking why DH was learning to drive and grumbling in an 'everything is better in NYC' kind of ay, to which I replied, with a smile, 'But some people drive in NYC don't they?' to which they snapped 'NO, no one drives in NYC, THERE's TOO MUCH TRAFFIC' they couldn't understand why I couldn't stop giggling....I got th giggles so bad I had to leave the room
that is funny...
elaine l
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2006
- Messages
- 2,098
Interesting topic with lots of food for thought (added the food part get it?)
Anyway we have two vehicles (parked in the garage) but if I really really wanted to change, we could do with one. I live about a mile and a half from work. If the weather wasn't too wild I could walk/bike. My husband could most likely drive me there. The weekends we could share a car for errands etc. But and this is a big BUT I am not sure if I could give up the independence that having my own car means. Would I be willing to give up my need over his on any given day?
I think that everyone can make a change if the they absolutely had to (gas rations, no gas) Just like our fathers before us did. Lifestyle would change as jobs would have to be geographically closer to home. But then maybe companies would move back into some of the burbs in order to staff their business.
I guess right now I am not ready to make the sacrifice. Enjoying the spoils of a good life. Don't think it would do a world of good for the economy or the environment for just me to give up my car. Now maybe if we all made a pact do it...........
Anyway we have two vehicles (parked in the garage) but if I really really wanted to change, we could do with one. I live about a mile and a half from work. If the weather wasn't too wild I could walk/bike. My husband could most likely drive me there. The weekends we could share a car for errands etc. But and this is a big BUT I am not sure if I could give up the independence that having my own car means. Would I be willing to give up my need over his on any given day?
I think that everyone can make a change if the they absolutely had to (gas rations, no gas) Just like our fathers before us did. Lifestyle would change as jobs would have to be geographically closer to home. But then maybe companies would move back into some of the burbs in order to staff their business.
I guess right now I am not ready to make the sacrifice. Enjoying the spoils of a good life. Don't think it would do a world of good for the economy or the environment for just me to give up my car. Now maybe if we all made a pact do it...........
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lol, lulu. my dad talks about being raised where every family had an a$$ and cart. it was a big deal when my grandfather bought the first car in their town.
it was around the same time he installed the first indoor plumbing and toilet in the town.
i would been more excited about the latter.
getting back: we have 2 drivers and 2 cars. i've driven into work everyday for the past 22 years (lol, into nyc lulu. tell your fil), but recently had to get in line with the rest of the lemmings and take the bus. i refuse to spend 80 bucks a week just on gas. so now i drive 1/2 mile to rte. 46, and leave it at a park and ride lot and hop on the 161.
so, as far as i'm concerned, the gas prices have forced me to do the right thing.
vb, i don't think that there's a way around this though, or a way back. as it is the dream for most people to acquire a wealthy lifestyle (often mistakenly called westernization or worse, americanization), being able to get into a car and get out at the door of your destination is part of that dream. china is a perfect example. as much as the world dislikes americans, they surely like to imitate us.
it was around the same time he installed the first indoor plumbing and toilet in the town.
i would been more excited about the latter.
getting back: we have 2 drivers and 2 cars. i've driven into work everyday for the past 22 years (lol, into nyc lulu. tell your fil), but recently had to get in line with the rest of the lemmings and take the bus. i refuse to spend 80 bucks a week just on gas. so now i drive 1/2 mile to rte. 46, and leave it at a park and ride lot and hop on the 161.
so, as far as i'm concerned, the gas prices have forced me to do the right thing.
vb, i don't think that there's a way around this though, or a way back. as it is the dream for most people to acquire a wealthy lifestyle (often mistakenly called westernization or worse, americanization), being able to get into a car and get out at the door of your destination is part of that dream. china is a perfect example. as much as the world dislikes americans, they surely like to imitate us.
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Aside from a "greener" planet, I don't think sacrificing helps anything BUT your own situation. That is what I was eluding to earlier. I stop buying or cut back, someone in Detroit loses a job. Think of that on a large scale. That, IMO, is the whole situation. Cutting back will do nothing to stimulate the economy.
BTW, I am not trying to be argumentive with you, VB. I know I would lose
