As I was walking home from taking Adam to nursery this morning it occurred to me how much I like not having a car. How much I would miss if I was zipping down the road instead of walking.
For example, if I had been driving, I wouldn’t have been able to spend a part of walk watching, fascinated, as a pair of men changed the billboard on the corner near my house. It’s one of those billboards that flips between adverts and I watched as they worked from opposite ends, obviously from numbered strips, inserting the boards in. They weren’t going in order so I have no idea what the advert was, but it was very cool to watch them work.
Also, if I had been driving, I would never have noticed that they were painting the fence around the Ormeau Bath Gallery. It’s a nice fence, with gold finials. Now the rails are red, instead of black. I would bet not one of the people in the cars going by noticed that they were changing the colour of the fence.
If I were a driver I never would have noticed that the Worst Burger King in the World (TM) was becoming some other restaurant. Finally. It’s been closed for around 4 years. But now there are workmen going in and out and something is happening. There was a sign saying what it was but it’s gone now. Probably lost their funding like so many others these days.
So I like not having a car. As I can see what’s going on in my neighbourhood. Soon to not be my neighbourhood!
M-Day minus 9…
When I lived in Paris I didn’t have a car, and loved just wandering around. I agree that you miss a lot when you’re driving.
I do like walking but could not be without my car. Driving is sheer pleasure for me, and a huge part of my independence. You are right though that we miss so much as we whizz past.
I only just got my provisional license. I had no choice but to start as my child’s nursery is 25 mins walk away from us, which means 35 for my little one to walk 🙁 All the dance classes and studios are miles away from us, so I am giving in my fear that I might kill someone one day.
I do agree that the walking is pleasant especially on a good day.
I bet the red was rustoleum and in a few days the fence will be black again
I have been without a car since April. It has been fun in someways ,seeing stuff that you otherwise wouldn’t like you say, but I have just purchased a car and will be in it tomorrow and I simply cannot wait. I feel I have seen enough on foot! 🙂
I like that DP has a car, but I also like that I don’t have to use it unless I want to. This means I drive a handful of times a year. I love that I live somewhere where I can do everything I want to do on foot or by bike or (for work) by train.