audre Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 it seems everyone in Oz drives! if you do not have a car (or your partner needs the one car you do have) how do you get around? is cycling to work an option, if you live in a smaller town / rural areas? are rural towns really that bad with bus systems as everyone tells me? experiences most welcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Generally i would say you need a car in Oz. Even if living in the city. As for smaller / rural places then it is a must. A lot of small towns may only have a bus that runs once a day at best - in some there is no public transport. The distances are not like the UK - most people do not have a corner shop on their doorstep. For me, to get a pint of milk mean a 10km trip. My wife gets by without a car when i am away as she doesnt drive, but it means there are a lot of things she struggles to get to. The bus were we are is good during the week. But on a weekend it goes down to every 2 hours. Then she has to get a train, then another bus with potentialy a long wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 We are semi rural but on an 'estate' and Public Transport is pretty much non existent. I couldnt ever imagine living here without a car, i think the only time id maybe contemplate it, is if i was inner city. Another reason a car is necessary IMO is to get out and about, there is so much to explore it would hard to do most of it without a vehicle. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roontastic Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Car is a must, we are rural and went 6 weeks without a car....thin it nearly killed the kids walking everywhere...public transport is poor and unreliable at best Now that the heat is coming we couldn't survive without the car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 it seems everyone in Oz drives! if you do not have a car (or your partner needs the one car you do have) how do you get around? is cycling to work an option, if you live in a smaller town / rural areas? are rural towns really that bad with bus systems as everyone tells me? experiences most welcome! I hate the car dependency in OZ with a passion. That's why I live inner city. The need to drive for a litre of milk would be my idea of hell. Actually lived the first three of so years without a car in Perth. But always lived within a half hour usually far less walk to pubs, multiple supermarkets, cafes and the like. If you can't live inner city then live near good train connections at least. Was reading the other day living in Melbourne's outer burbs costs $11,000 on car use. Worth considering when factoring in extra cost of living closer to the action. Actually delaying updating the car which is 13 years old with the thought of perhaps not buying another but hiring one when going out of town. Don't really need it for the cost involved and besides used to cycle when public transport wasn't feasible or wanted a change. So yes it can be done and have known a few folk living inner city that didn't own a car or didn't drive. Just pick the area well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furkew Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I hate the car dependency in OZ with a passion. That's why I live inner city. The need to drive for a litre of milk would be my idea of hell. Actually lived the first three of so years without a car in Perth. But always lived within a half hour usually far less walk to pubs, multiple supermarkets, cafes and the like. If you can't live inner city then live near good train connections at least. Was reading the other day living in Melbourne's outer burbs costs $11,000 on car use. Worth considering when factoring in extra cost of living closer to the action. Actually delaying updating the car which is 13 years old with the thought of perhaps not buying another but hiring one when going out of town. Don't really need it for the cost involved and besides used to cycle when public transport wasn't feasible or wanted a change. So yes it can be done and have known a few folk living inner city that didn't own a car or didn't drive. Just pick the area well. The OP asked about living in smaller towns or rural without a car. Its very simple. you need 2 cars. new or old doesn't matter, but without 2 cars its not practical (and living rural if one is a Ute it's a bonus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 it seems everyone in Oz drives! if you do not have a car (or your partner needs the one car you do have) how do you get around? is cycling to work an option, if you live in a smaller town / rural areas? are rural towns really that bad with bus systems as everyone tells me? experiences most welcome! Cycling to work would be an option in many smaller towns and not in others. Would all depend on where your house is situated in the town I imagine. Living in a city cycling to work is definitely an option and we have sold my car because of it so many small towns would offer similar opportunities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 The OP asked about living in smaller towns or rural without a car. Its very simple. you need 2 cars. new or old doesn't matter, but without 2 cars its not practical (and living rural if one is a Ute it's a bonus) Lived in a smallish town and only used a cycle. Very remote then yes you would need a car to go anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minch23 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I live in a very small town in rural WA, but we have 4 buses a day that run in and out of town, it is sometimes just a matter of researching. They pass through so quick and there is no bus terminal to speak of, just a sort of shelter, so people who have cars don't tend to realize that they are there. I cycle to work, it is a few Km away, but I was used to doing this in the UK, and the weather here makes it only easier and nicer to get around on the bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 The OP asked about living in smaller towns or rural without a car. Its very simple. you need 2 cars. new or old doesn't matter, but without 2 cars its not practical (and living rural if one is a Ute it's a bonus) It depends on the town. Same applies. If you are willing to use cycle/skate board/ motorised cycle/ scooter or just walk depending on distance usually one or more means available. You would need to pick a town where alternative options could be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 it seems everyone in Oz drives! if you do not have a car (or your partner needs the one car you do have) how do you get around? is cycling to work an option, if you live in a smaller town / rural areas? are rural towns really that bad with bus systems as everyone tells me? experiences most welcome! Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Its a 10km walk to our closest bus stop. You are going to have to choose an area/house based on your needs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest26012 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 A car is a must tbh! It is possible to use public transport but it depends where you are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 It is possible, I have just returned from cronulla, Sydney after two years. I have epilepsy so couldn't drive and to be honest wouldn't have the confidence to learn to drive across Sydney, nor would I want too be stuck in hours of traffic a day. The train was ok, always packed at commuter times, buses are not very reliable and accessible. its do able, but not easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maruska Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 What about your leisure time? Would you be happy to stick around town for activities or would you rather go further away? Renting a car for the weekend might be an option but if you do that often, it will be expensive. We have 2 cars now ( in US), absolutely essential here for the distances we have to travel, job and school location etc. We are planning to have 1 car only in Australia, mostly to get around on the weekends ( we have small kids and we`re out and about almost every weekend now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audre Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 thanks for the responses all! we have one car so im wondering what the experiences are! we will be using it for joint activities and explorations but one of us might have to walk / cycle / get a scooter for the time being! from what you helpful folk tell me, seems like an effort, getting a bus, or cycling but doable! :cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 A lot of people do cycle to work but I guess they pick their days, when its very very hot they probably drive, and when its cold and wet also drive. Difficult with one car especially for pickups at school etc if not living very close by Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambethlad Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 It is possible to live without a car in Oz but why would you want to? There's so much to do and see and a car gives you the freedom to go where and when you want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Doubt living in rural area without a car would be feasible. That's why i like living central and within walk of things, i'd put on so much weight driving everywhere elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wellers and Whitehead Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 thanks for the responses all! we have one car so im wondering what the experiences are! we will be using it for joint activities and explorations but one of us might have to walk / cycle / get a scooter for the time being! from what you helpful folk tell me, seems like an effort, getting a bus, or cycling but doable! :cute: It really depends where in oz you are looking to live, eg, city or rural oz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 What about your leisure time? Would you be happy to stick around town for activities or would you rather go further away? Renting a car for the weekend might be an option but if you do that often, it will be expensive. We have 2 cars now ( in US), absolutely essential here for the distances we have to travel, job and school location etc. We are planning to have 1 car only in Australia, mostly to get around on the weekends ( we have small kids and we`re out and about almost every weekend now). Only time a car more or less essential is when visiting in some suburb. But as it is impossible to drink and drive in Australia a taxi usually does the trick. For close on every place usually visit with frequency like Fremantle, Cott Beach, Perth City, Subi, Leederville or are down the road or very easy to reach by train. One important consideration though is many jobs insist on a reliable car. That would be where the main problem would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 Where I am it's do able...it's a big enough place to have buses running regularly. If we go out of the city it'll be a bit of a journey on the bus so i think for now until i get my drivers license we'll stay in the city so it's easier for me for when i start work or go out by myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappuccino Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I cycle to work and around town and I love it. I do catch the bus or a lift from my partner when it rains though! My partner has a car which he takes to work, and we can both use in the evenings and at weekends and while occasionally it'd be nice to have 2 cars, having 1 works just fine for us. Might be different if you have children, although we have friends who have 2 kids and one car and that seems to work for them too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audre Posted December 19, 2013 Author Share Posted December 19, 2013 I cycle to work and around town and I love it. I do catch the bus or a lift from my partner when it rains though! My partner has a car which he takes to work, and we can both use in the evenings and at weekends and while occasionally it'd be nice to have 2 cars, having 1 works just fine for us. Might be different if you have children, although we have friends who have 2 kids and one car and that seems to work for them too. i see what you mean, i reckon it is easier to have 2 cars when kids are around, dropping them off to school and activities. we are a young couple, dont have any kids yet and im the one who would be cycling at this initial stage (or taking the bus) :twitcy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 We have 2 young kids, 1 car and I ride my bicycle to work. At the moment on the two days my wife works she drops the kids off in the car, parks the car back at home and then buses to work. I cycle to work early, leave early and cycle home and then use the car to pick them up. Jumping straight onto your bike at work can see you home relatively quickly in some cases, before public transport in my current case. We have also used a tow along bike to drop a child at kindy and then detach it, cycle to work and re-attach at pickup. Kids love it and bicycles seem to offer more options to us in the daily logistics than a car would as cars are often pretty useless in cities due to parking issues etc. In Brisbane I cycle every week of the year...morning and afternoon commute are pleasant a very high percentage of the time. In other cities YMMV. I see more and more bicycles on my commute these days. A lot more women too which is great. Such a great way to get to work, I really love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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