Recently I wrote an article about a car and how it may help you to expand your social sphere of life. However, this time I’m going to bring up some of the negative side effects of driving a car.

Regarding me, I haven’t been driving a car for two years now. I used to have Ford Scorpio, but sold it in the summer of 2010. And even if I had a car right now, I would surely use it very rarely, on the special occasions only – where there is no way but to get into it and drive, like when you need to transport a piece of furniture from one place to another one. For example, a couple of weeks ago my friends left on to the vacation and asked me to take care of their car. In fact, I drove it only twice.

The amount of cars in the streets of my local area increased dramatically during the last decade. A lot of families posses more than one car these days (though not everyone, of course). Thus, because of the fact that many people I communicate with, have cars, I get asked why I don’t have any quite often. As a result of answering and explaining it many times I made a list of reasons, thus I could reference this list next time I’d receive such a question.

– Tough reality

How does a typical advertisement of a car look like? A young (and, no doubts, successful) handsome man is driving a brand new car along the free highway. He is smiling as if all his dreams come true with this car. However, reality strikes back, as it always does. And you find yourself in the no-ending traffic jam, tired after the long hard day at work. And that is, unfortunately, what it really is for the most of the time.

– Financially unprofitable

A car does not belong to the group of possessions which increase their value over time. Its price decreases really fast. So it’s more likely that you sell your car for less money than you purchased it with.

– Poor condition of roads

In my local area the roads are truly terrible: a lot of pits and no lighting make the experience of driving really unforgettable. Every time avoiding the next hole in asphalt you are risking to bump into the nearby car. Fascinating, isn’t it?

– Different types of drivers behind the wheel

As more people can afford to buy a car and get driver’s license, you cannot expect the same level of the skill of driving from everyone. Thus, you should be ready and await that anything may happen from any car beside yours. Plus, there are plenty of drivers who behave really inadequately while driving. You should consider them too. All it makes you feel stressed most of the time.

– Parking

The city, I live in, cannot be considered the one where you have to waste a lot of time, driving around, searching for a vacant place to leave the car. But still it may be rather annoying finding a parking place beside some shops and business centers.

– Additional expenses

The purchase of a car is only the beginning of your expenses. Don’t forget that you’re going to spend much more money on gasoline, repair costs and insurance.

– Health issues

While driving a car you must be focused on the process to the highest degree, thus your brain is performing a tough work during the ride. So after that you may be quite exhausted and the best way to get rid of it – do some kind of physical activity. Regarding me, after driving a car I feel a strong longing to have a walk for at least a couple of kilometers – to shake off the the mental tension. So if you’re going to walk anyway, then what’s the point to use a car?

Driving a car also requires your eyes to be really tensed, as you should watch the road. My eye-sight suffers much as I spend my typical workday in front of computer’s display, and I don’t wish to make things worse, driving a car in the evening.

– You cannot be distracted

What I really don’t like about driving a car is that I can’t do anything simultaneously. I mean, I cannot sleep or read or think of something as I have to be totally focused on the road. Also I cannot talk on the phone and move at the same time, so I have to stop. When riding a bus or train, you can do all the above with no problem.

Conclusion

As a result, I feel more mobile and free without a car. You don’t have to look for parking place, you don’t have to worry if your car may be stolen while you’re sleeping in your bed and so on.

Also I found public transportation system to be much more convenient. The buses and trains arrive on time. And you can nap in the morning while the driver drives the vehicle.

Of course, if you just love cars zero of the above disadvantages would matter to you. You may provide a lot of arguments for having a car and you’d be true as well.

May 2nd, 2012