How many of you have automobiles?

[sandbender]

Yep that sounds about right. Round here, you don't drive, you are pretty much hosed. Public transport is pretty much non existent in the rural fens.

Some of the elderly folks who still live there mention that up to fifteen years ago they could walk down to the road from their farm or cottage and flag down the local bus that passed every hour, into town and back again with the shopping in less than an hour. These days even the school bus is no more.

 

[Goatboy]

Yep that sounds about right. Round here, you don't drive, you are pretty much hosed. Public transport is pretty much non existent in the rural fens.

+1 on that, I live rurally on the border of two regions and what takes 15 minutes in the car is a 3 to 5 hour round trip depending on direction and time of day. Also after 6pm forget it, your trapped in the village 'till morning. Still it's pretty here.

 

[John Fenna]

We have public transport in our village
It used to be we had 2 busses per week - one going and one returning - that gave you an hour in town.
Now that has been withdrawn and we have a "Book-a-bus" scheme... you join the scheme either on line (our internet service is poo) or by travelling to the County seat (not by public transport naturally) and filling in a bunch of forms.
Then you can phone in advance to book a bus (if they have one available when you want it) but woe betide you if you miss it!
If you need to get to town to shop or work then you NEED a car or to know someone who can give you a lift.
There are now loads of small Taxi companies in our area....

 

[boatman]

We have a car and mostly use it but if I wanted to use them I have a folding bike and a free bus pass although the pass cannot now be used before 9.30am or after 11pm. Feel so guilty at being a baby boomer, not.

 

[Niels]

Even in my village there's 2 bus stops. All of this tiny country is connected. A car would be nice though. I hate strap hanging...

 

[digitracker]

I dont use a car anymore, but I make good use of the rail network,and most rural areas have a bus network serving them, albeit a lot of services are very intermittent so it does take a bit of planning to get to rail stations on time on the return journeys. Luckily the pennines, yorkshire dales, derbyshire peak district and the lakedistrict are all
fairly inexpensive for me to get to, and I dont have to lay awake in some remote area worrying if my car will be still intact next day