Owning a car is one of the conveniences I allow myself. Besides, only in a large city would it be possible to live without one. This is progress, there are several electric cars in my area, but they do not yet meet my requirements in terms of range and charging time. At least I don't drive diesels anymore.
Transport adventures in Poland
Besides, only in a large city would it be possible to live without one.
I'd love to get rid of ours and just hire one now and again if needed. Especially since it's mostly gathering dust.
I hate driving, especially in built up areas and the other person who drives it is much the same. We're stuck with it for another two years though.
We're about 15/20 minutes walk dfrom the end of the metro and it's a shame the metro doesn't go two stops further.
I hate driving,
I do too but the public transport over here is absolutely shocking. Don't even bother trying to catch a train on weekends, it will be cancelled/diverted. It took me 9 hours to get home a while ago as the train at the start of my trip was cancelled. That was actually on a week day. The knock-on effect had me diverted to various parts of the country. Buses are no better. I rarely use them but tried to get to my work conference on one last week. Stood for an hour at the bus stop and it didn't turn up. Had to get a taxi in the end as there was no parking at the venue or anywhere near.
For a government pushing net zero they seriously need to think about the public transport situation. No-one is going to give up driving over here with such a poor public transport system.
From my experiences in Poland, public transport is way better than over here and I've used trains, buses and trams. Frequent and on time. Never had a problem. As Alien pointed out, in a large city it may well be possible to do without a car, especially for those who are single or who don't have children, but in rural areas, not so easy. For families, life is just that much easier with a car.
First time I've driven a long distance in Poland and not thought I was going to end up in a ditch or a wreck.
You're braver than me. I wouldn't even consider driving in Poland....but good that driving appears to have improved.
pushing net zero
If Europe went to completely net zero it would have almost no effect at the global level....
When western European governments talk about that it's pure clout chasing.... they're not inconvenienced by their addlebrained idiotic policies and they don't care if it takes you 20 hours to get home as long as they can preen about how much they caaaaare.
If Europe went to completely net zero
+1
It gets on my títs that they use so much marine fuel importing hydrocarbons from the global south rather than maxing out out own North Sea reserves while we can and providing jobs for workers and tax revenue.
I do too but the public transport over here is absolutely shocking. Don't even bother trying to catch a train on weekends
It's sort of a post code lottery. Where I am there it's pretty good for local and express trains and our Labour regional mayor (coronation street's Tracy Brabin) has forced fare caps (was £2 max with a £7 max a day total but now going up) and insisting service level agreements are kept by the privatised bus companies and will take them back into council ownership soon.
If Europe went to completely net zero it would have almost no effect at the global level
True, yesterday I watched a report about old cars from the European Union exported to Africa. Very often, the first thing done in Africa is to remove advanced exhaust gas purification systems. These cars are meant to be driven for the next 20 years, earning their keep. The climate effect, globally speaking, is negative.
If Europe went to completely net zero it would have almost no effect at the global level....
I know, the whole thing is ridiculous.
they use so much marine fuel importing hydrocarbons from the global south rather than maxing out out own North Sea reserves while we can and providing jobs for workers and tax revenue.
I think Starmer and Miliband have blocked granting new licences for drilling in the North Sea. They haven't revoked old ones but Miliband is pushing the green agenda big style and there was also a problem with the supreme court blocking drilling in the North Sea.
theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/19/uk-ministers-to-restart-approval-process-for-two-north-sea-oilfields
What infuriates me just as much is the lack of gas storage capacity here. It leaves the UK vulnerable and dependent on imports. I'll leave it here though as I'm getting way off-topic.
I think Starmer and Miliband have blocked granting new licences for drilling in the North Sea. They
They're afraid of losing some of the more middle class constituencies to the Greenies.
What a lot of the public don't get is that North Sea crude is such high quality that it mostly doesn't end up as petrol or marine/road bitumen anyway; mostly kerosene and as ethylene/polyethylene which we'll still be using in a century.
We also import coked coal from South America and India and anthracite from Poland. Milliband should be ashamed of himself, in a constituency (Donny North) which has high unemployment and is literally sat on some of the world's best coal deposits.
Yet 'Just Stop Oil' glue themselves to the road surface (made of oil) with superglue (also made of oil) and film it on their phones (made of oil too).
What infuriates me just as much is the lack of gas storage capacity here. It leaves the UK vulnerable and dependent on imports
I'm the same. The tank farms along the banks of the Thames Estuary (and to a lesser extent Stanlow) are incredibly vulnerable. The Tories should never have privatised BP and ICI.
old cars from the European Union exported to Africa
You wouldn't believe the state of some of them.
You wouldn't believe the state of some of them
The Toyota Hi Lux, the most desirable car there, runs forever. Have you watched Top Gear?