6 ms·

I don't drive and don't have a license, but Uber is banned in my neck of the woods and taxis are ridiculously expensive. Driving would probably make my life a l

by Tharkun 10y ago

I don't drive and don't have a license, but Uber is banned in my neck of the woods and taxis are ridiculously expensive. Driving would probably make my life a lot easier.

t4nkd 10y ago
As long as all you are concerned about is the difficulty of moving from one point to another (presumably of a minimum distance) you are correct. You probably are not accounting for the overhead of actually owning a properly maintained and insured vehicle. The former has little cumulative effect on your life, the latter is an really complicated situation fraught with personal choices and teeming with people trying to take advantage of your naivety. Cars are a huge responsibility, 100% luxury, and generally a burden, make no mistake about it.
- white-flame 10y ago
  My car costs me a bit over $100/mo including insurance and gas, and I'm in one of the highest priced car insurance areas of the country. Amortize oil changes (a couple times a year) & tires (even less frequently), and it adds a bit more. That's not a lot of money compared to taking a couple dozen Uber rides a month, though it is more than a monthly bus pass and a bicycle which is far less practical than a car for most American cities. Especially if you have a 24-hour lifestyle and the buses only run during the day, and take 2 hours to cross your large city vs 20 minutes on the freeway in a car. I'm not a grease monkey by any stretch of the imagination, but as a technical person I have the curiosity to learn the basics of how things work, and when something goes wrong to try to generally understand the core failure. It doesn't take much to find a decent used car of a decently trusted brand that you can buy for cash, and drive it for years without a huge bill and without constant worries and nuisances. It's exactly the same as dealing with the maintenance issues of anything you own, whether it's a computer or an appliance or a business or a house. You learn enough of the ins & outs of it so you can watch out for & eliminate the nuisances and focus on getting the benefits. I will certainly agree that the cost of new cars are far outpacing average salaries, and used car prices are being pulled in the same direction. But as for right now, used cars are still quite manageable and affordable TCO-wise, and the vast majority of places in the USA still effectively require an individual means of transportation to work, shop affordably, and engage in activities.
- gaius 10y ago
  100% luxury Actually, not owning a car is a luxury. How do you get all the stuff you need/want that you don't/can't fetch yourself from the source? You pay someone else to drive it for you! Same with people who talk about Uber, like paying for someone to drive you around isn't a luxury...
  - JoeAltmaier 10y ago
    It may be luxurious to use Uber (?) but if its cheaper can it really be called a luxury?
    - ghaff 10y ago
      >if its cheaper can it really be called a luxury No. But for a lot of people, it is a luxury to have the freedom and flexibility to not require a car to go to your job(s), get your groceries delivered, etc. There are situations where you can reasonably do without a car and save money vs. a minimum "clunker" car considering everything including housing prices etc. But they're in the minority, especially once people aren't urban singles.
      - icebraining 10y ago
        The Chinese must be must richer than I thought, considering that 85% have the "luxury" of not owning a car.
        harpiaharpyja 10y ago
        You're being disingenuous; The GP is talking about the luxury of not needing a car.
        icebraining 10y ago
        GP is the one being disingenuous; yes, some people have even more luxurious lives than car owners, but that doesn't mean owning a car isn't a luxury.
pg_is_a_butt 10y ago
so, sue your city, state, or country. not allowed to compensate someone for a lift? illegal. use the money to take ridiculously expensive taxi rides. if you can't sue, or lose the case to a crooked judge in big taxi's pockets, form an armed militia to overthrow the government. you're all cowards.
icantdrive55 10y ago
Look for a Toyota with a 22r engine (Carburated, or FI), with a manual transmission. A lot of 80's trucks, cars had them. They are easy to work on, and just last. I would even buy one with over 175,000 miles. When you are at 250,00 to 300,000 miles you will remember this post. There are other cars you can drive on the cheap, but I don't know the exact models. Older Hondas last. Older Volvos last. An older 60-70's VW will get you around cheaply, but are like riding in a covered wagon.
thatcat 10y ago
Motorcycles can be a cheaper alternative; ninja 250 gets about 70 miles per gallon and costs <15$/month for insurance.
- acveilleux 10y ago
  Usefulness of a motorcycle has an all-season vehicle is very climate dependent. I know HN biases to the bay area where it might be possible. Out here, we get 14-18 feet of snow in an average winter. That motorbike is going to get you in the ditch for half the year. Especially when "plowed" after a big dump can mean single lane (for both directions) with a couple inches of slush or powder.
- rocky1138 10y ago
  You are so lucky to live in a place that charges you < $15/month for insurance. I live in Ontario and own a 150cc motorbike. Insurance: $129/month.
  - thatcat 10y ago
    Wow, that's outrageous. 15$/mo is only for liability coverage. Since the potential damage caused by a motorbike is much less than a car so I thought it would be fairly cheap everywhere.

by Tharkun 10y ago

I don't drive and don't have a license, but Uber is banned in my neck of the woods and taxis are ridiculously expensive. Driving would probably make my life a lot easier.

t4nkd 10y ago

As long as all you are concerned about is the difficulty of moving from one point to another (presumably of a minimum distance) you are correct. You probably are not accounting for the overhead of actually owning a properly maintained and insured vehicle. The former has little cumulative effect on your life, the latter is an really complicated situation fraught with personal choices and teeming with people trying to take advantage of your naivety. Cars are a huge responsibility, 100% luxury, and generally a burden, make no mistake about it.

white-flame 10y ago
My car costs me a bit over $100/mo including insurance and gas, and I'm in one of the highest priced car insurance areas of the country. Amortize oil changes (a couple times a year) & tires (even less frequently), and it adds a bit more. That's not a lot of money compared to taking a couple dozen Uber rides a month, though it is more than a monthly bus pass and a bicycle which is far less practical than a car for most American cities. Especially if you have a 24-hour lifestyle and the buses only run during the day, and take 2 hours to cross your large city vs 20 minutes on the freeway in a car. I'm not a grease monkey by any stretch of the imagination, but as a technical person I have the curiosity to learn the basics of how things work, and when something goes wrong to try to generally understand the core failure. It doesn't take much to find a decent used car of a decently trusted brand that you can buy for cash, and drive it for years without a huge bill and without constant worries and nuisances. It's exactly the same as dealing with the maintenance issues of anything you own, whether it's a computer or an appliance or a business or a house. You learn enough of the ins & outs of it so you can watch out for & eliminate the nuisances and focus on getting the benefits. I will certainly agree that the cost of new cars are far outpacing average salaries, and used car prices are being pulled in the same direction. But as for right now, used cars are still quite manageable and affordable TCO-wise, and the vast majority of places in the USA still effectively require an individual means of transportation to work, shop affordably, and engage in activities.
gaius 10y ago
100% luxury Actually, not owning a car is a luxury. How do you get all the stuff you need/want that you don't/can't fetch yourself from the source? You pay someone else to drive it for you! Same with people who talk about Uber, like paying for someone to drive you around isn't a luxury...
- JoeAltmaier 10y ago
  It may be luxurious to use Uber (?) but if its cheaper can it really be called a luxury?
  - ghaff 10y ago
    >if its cheaper can it really be called a luxury No. But for a lot of people, it is a luxury to have the freedom and flexibility to not require a car to go to your job(s), get your groceries delivered, etc. There are situations where you can reasonably do without a car and save money vs. a minimum "clunker" car considering everything including housing prices etc. But they're in the minority, especially once people aren't urban singles.
    - icebraining 10y ago
      The Chinese must be must richer than I thought, considering that 85% have the "luxury" of not owning a car.
      - harpiaharpyja 10y ago
        You're being disingenuous; The GP is talking about the luxury of not needing a car.
        icebraining 10y ago
        GP is the one being disingenuous; yes, some people have even more luxurious lives than car owners, but that doesn't mean owning a car isn't a luxury.

pg_is_a_butt 10y ago

so, sue your city, state, or country. not allowed to compensate someone for a lift? illegal. use the money to take ridiculously expensive taxi rides. if you can't sue, or lose the case to a crooked judge in big taxi's pockets, form an armed militia to overthrow the government. you're all cowards.

icantdrive55 10y ago

Look for a Toyota with a 22r engine (Carburated, or FI), with a manual transmission. A lot of 80's trucks, cars had them. They are easy to work on, and just last. I would even buy one with over 175,000 miles. When you are at 250,00 to 300,000 miles you will remember this post. There are other cars you can drive on the cheap, but I don't know the exact models. Older Hondas last. Older Volvos last. An older 60-70's VW will get you around cheaply, but are like riding in a covered wagon.

thatcat 10y ago

Motorcycles can be a cheaper alternative; ninja 250 gets about 70 miles per gallon and costs <15$/month for insurance.

acveilleux 10y ago
Usefulness of a motorcycle has an all-season vehicle is very climate dependent. I know HN biases to the bay area where it might be possible. Out here, we get 14-18 feet of snow in an average winter. That motorbike is going to get you in the ditch for half the year. Especially when "plowed" after a big dump can mean single lane (for both directions) with a couple inches of slush or powder.
rocky1138 10y ago
You are so lucky to live in a place that charges you < $15/month for insurance. I live in Ontario and own a 150cc motorbike. Insurance: $129/month.
- thatcat 10y ago
  Wow, that's outrageous. 15$/mo is only for liability coverage. Since the potential damage caused by a motorbike is much less than a car so I thought it would be fairly cheap everywhere.