Is everybody broke?

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358435#Comment_122358435

If you'd read my post you have noticed that only 2 shops have an online shopping option, they're shops I don't use.

I bet I spend less time doing a weekly shop than you do doing your big monthly shop online and all your visits to the butcher and greengrocer. I bet I get home quicker too. 😁

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358470#Comment_122358470

…again, you re condescending and even narcissistic!

maidhc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358114#Comment_122358114

you do realise Donegal doesn’t have a railway…

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358300#Comment_122358300

And like I said, if it suits you then fine. I'm not saying I've an issue with it. I don't agree with your perception of 'most' from a purely statistical stand point. But I guess you base 'most' on the people you know only.

I have thus far chosen to not have children as they don't align with my life goals and it would be completely unfair for me to have children while not being 110% dedicated to their best interests at all times.

And that is a choice that may change later in my life but for now it's a decision that is well affirmed by my day to day experience.

I see a lot of people who also don't want children but have had them anyway for lots of reasons, sleepwalking and brainwashing chief among them. I actually live near to a school and have been nearly killed by mothers mounting the footpath in military style vehicles and chucking the little ones off. The little ones are mostly as wide as they are tall and are usually ramming a jambon down their neck while waddling into the school gate.

Those kids have learned that walking is bad, convenience is king and they've learned that when mummy is in a hurry all law and order and common civility is suspended while she takes chucks out of the pavement and u-turns on the main street. And thus entitlement culture is perpetuated. The same mummy is also likely to be bemoaning the cost of living.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358330#Comment_122358330

You can take personal offence if you wish but that is entirely your own choice.

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358940#Comment_122358940

Fair enough - Please do come back here in a few years when you have kids and let us know how you are getting on ferrying them all around on your bike or e-scooter

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358442#Comment_122358442

I think the main reason is people feel safer in them and the reason they feel safer is because they know themselves that they cannot drive. The people who get these cars lack spatial awareness and could not parallel park a micra but they insist on getting the biggest car possible so that when, inevitably, they crash due to their error or lack of skill, the person in the other car will suffer more.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358472#Comment_122358472

I do understand the needs of others. If they feel that they need a car, fine, that's on them. As I've said many times that's their choice to make. I have only pointed out that for many it is false economy.

Again you can literally do as you please with your cans, I'm sure you have the capacity to organise your day to day life without strangers on the Internet telling you how to.

Regarding escooters, yes you have to factor in safety and the type of road you will normally use it on, the safety issue is largely down to errant drivers. If you're using it on a rural road I would advise a lot of caution.

Can an escooter meet all household transport needs? In my experience no, but perhaps it can for someone else. I use a combination of pushbike, escooter, public transport, taxi, delivery services and renting go vans to meet all my transport needs. And it saves me hours and thousands of euros. Other people might have a different experience especially those who keep talking about minority rural commutes or minority long distance commutes. But there you go, few people want to look beyond the personal and few people want to examine their own habits and behaviours.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358479#Comment_122358479

I spend about 20 seconds on the monthly shop and about 3 minutes per visit to butcher and greengrocer, so about 15 minutes a week all told.

cgcsb

I'm sorry you feel that way, I suppose. Do you think that I should say thet not planning ahead is good?

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358550#Comment_122358550

....no, I didn't know that 🙄

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359003#Comment_122359003

WTF? If they crash into someone else and damage their car/injure them they are liable to pay for it.

Between this and fat shaming children you've really jumped the shark.

Nermal

cgcsb, I think you are greatly over-egging the cost of motoring, and ignoring the benefits of convenience. I've had a car that cost under €5K for something like seven years now, with no significant repair bills in the period. I live in the suburbs and probably could just about cope without one, but why on earth would I? I don't want to have to deal with cargo bikes or some sort of Go Car-like scheme - my time is too valuable. The running cost of a car is just not in any way significant relative to my income.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359102#Comment_122359102

20 seconds for an online shop? 3 minutes in the butchers and greengrocer? Are they ninjas and you're the only one who shops there?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358996#Comment_122358996

Most Likely I would walk with them to wherever they needed to be, or stick them in a trailer on the back of the bike until they're big enough to cycle. Or I would bring them on a bus. I don't think bringing kids on an escooter is all that practical tbh.

I would then use the time I save to spend time with them and the money I'd save from not having a multi thousand euro depreciating asset that requires maitenance, fuel tax and insurance would go straight on them.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359137#Comment_122359137

That is preferable/less scary to them than the prospect of a life altering injury or death.

'Fat-shaming' a new deflective buzzword, utterly meaningless. The only shame lies squarely with the parents of said children.

cgcsb

I have a saved list of favourites on an app, I just click buy again and use my fingerprint to complete the purchase. 20 seconds there abouts. I know what I want to get in the butchers long before I arrive and there's never a queue so 3 minutes is a generous estimate.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359199#Comment_122359199

Have you conducted a poll of SUV drivers or just pulled this out of your backside?

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359145#Comment_122359145

You're quite lucky with your car, congratulations. I used to have one like yours, 5k and mechanically reliable, unfortunately they always reach a limit. And you've now past the age when you need an annual nct. The fuel, tax and insurance seems to go up only and insuring an aging car can be difficult.

It is convenient for some things. I've changed a lot of my trips since I lost the car and now don't miss it at all. If you ever do loose it for whatever reason I'd recommend trying some of those things I mentioned, the savings are something else. I'm also a lot healthier now without it.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359210#Comment_122359210

My Personal opinion based on my lived experience which is as legitimate as your own. You sound offended, do you need a kleenex or something?

Gary_dunne

This has now turned into a thread of one poster can't understand why anyone needs a car being repeatedly given reasons why some people need them to be told that they can get by without them……..for 4 pages 🤦‍♂️

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358446#Comment_122358446

I am considerably richer than yewwwwwww

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOlbOZ9w84I

mariaalice

Pages of telling people they could manage without a car.

It is mostly an age thing when you pay off the mortgage and the children grow up and look after themselves you have a load of money.

Children are expensive.

Anaki r2d2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358447#Comment_122358447

it’s the same on most other threads. The cycling cargo bike crew think their way is the only way.

No comprehension about life outside of south county dublin, served with all sorts of public transport.

Disrupting every thread with their cycling propaganda

seamusk84

Earn six figures, but am the sole provider for the family.
It’s tough every month, the problem is this is a difficult and expensive country to raise kids in if you don’t qualify for any benefits.
Don’t want to sound dramatic….But if I took a step back into a lower paid job I wonder if life would be easier with state support, working family payment and medical cards.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360462#Comment_122360462

Don't even think about it.

You've got this far no sense in driving your career into a layby.

mariaalice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360462#Comment_122360462

You on over 100k, it's easy to check the income limits for FIS and medical cards. Genuine question do you believe you would be better off? by the way you could be on fis and not be entitled to a medical card, do you and your wife and children attend the GP so often that it's a significant part of your income? do you have private medical insurance?

kippy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359177#Comment_122359177

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122359248#Comment_122359248

If you think cars are expensive wait till you have a few kids.

To be honest it's likely one could get without a car (as many millions do) if your main activities are held within a ten k radius of your home or/an you are served well with public transport. Which is fine for a portion of the population no doubt.

That said if and when one has kids, even if their schools are nearby, you'll find that whatever activities they are into may not be, or indeed their matches/events may not be. You have to get them there someone and you'll find that commutes on bikes etc suddenly isn't an option, again depending on a few variables.

I'd love to lose a car(2 car house) but with kids who are into a lot of activities and conflicting locations for training and matches etc it's not easy to co ordinate without two cars. Even with levels of carpooling.

That's just one aspect of why I currently need the car. Now both cars we have are significantly over ten years old and cost a few K a year to run depending on the unknowns but the alternative is limited kids opportunities for sports and activities, even their mates birthday parties.

Now we life within walking distance of national and primary schools, church, pubs, restaurants etc but activities generally aren't within a decent commutable distance.

In relation to money in general, I had far most disposable income in my mid twenties than I do now despite being on 3.5 times the gross income. Things were relatively cheaper back then, socialising, rent, general items etc but then again I have a number of extra humans to cover the costs for as well as owning a home. So I class myself as lucky and blessed to be in that position. The times of better disposable income will come again but maybe something else won't be as good.

cgcsb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360462#Comment_122360462

6 figures isn't nearly replaceable with fis, not even half.

SharkMX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122356438#Comment_122356438

Some roads are not fit to walk or cycle on, especially for kids.

I walk about 3km to the train station because the road is so windy and dangerous that I am afraid to cycle it in the mornings and evenings. I bring the car if its bad weather or if i have other things to do that day too as i cant be spending all of my day walking and sitting on the train when i have other things to be doing. Sometimes i bring the car if an elderly neighbor has an appointment and needs a lift to the station or collected from the station or even a lift to the next town to see their friends etc, but i try to cycle or walk as much as i can.

The footpath is about 2 ft wide and two people can barely pass on it walking. Most people cycling will be cycling on the path but they have to stop and one on them has to step off the path to pass when they meet so its more of a pain than walking the 3km for me.

But there is a guy who passes me with two toddlers in a cargo bike when im walking. He wont fit on the footpath so has to go on the road. I grit my teeth every time I see him. Im just waiting for the news one day that a car has hit them on that road.