You take your mobile phone out, walk up to a car, press your screen and the door opens.
Yes, yes, it’s 2021, we know phones can do magic, right? But here’s the catch: It’s not your car.
The wonders of modern technology have meant that for those wanting to opt out of car ownership but still have access to a vehicle when necessary, joining a car club might just be the answer.
With coronavirus ending commuting for some and home deliveries booming, that car which once racked up hundreds of miles a week is doing next to nothing - so do you still need it?
Essentially, car clubs offer vehicles to members which they can rent by time periods as short as an hour and collect from parking spaces in their locality without having to travel to a central base.
They might be run by a UK-wide operator or by a community-focused group.
There are car club schemes running across most major cities in Britain, including Cardiff, which has 21 vehicles available to members.
Nearly 635,000 people belong to a club in Wales, England and Scotland, with more than 6,000 cars available.
Research by transport charity CoMoUK found for every car club vehicle, 18 private cars are removed from the road, and 25% of club members sell a car once they join up.
When I lived in London there were one or two vehicles belonging to a car club, with designated parking bays. I did look into it, because they offered vans too.
It does seem a good idea. But with me approaching 70 I wonder at what age I will not be allowed to rent/hire a car? I am not sure any such scheme exists here in Lowestoft, though. I do like having my own car, and being able to get to all places.
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My car will be staying until I m told I am no longer fit to drive. All of the important shops (to me) are now situated one heck of a walk away from any bus route, so the car has to stay. When the high street pedsartian precinct provided all of the shops relevant to me, I frequently used the loop-route and frequent Hoppa bus (hail to stop) which passes 200yds from my front door, but since the event of shopping parks out of town that can only be reached by car, I no longer use the Hoppa. This is a classic example of my local council’s joined up thinking!
Cars, belonging to car clubs, need to be well maintained, fuelled, cleaned, etc.
We really would need to know what’s been in a shared car, how healthy it is following possible use by an infected person, maybe having a polluted atmosphere.
Perhaps we should be legally required to install a bot in each car?
Then we could receive "friendly little messages, as we drive along?
“Excuse me, you’re not allowed to go there!”, “Stay on the right side of the road”, What are you doing in the back seat?"
I think that my Sat Nav is a bit of a Bot! “Turn left at the first exit”, “turn around as soon as possible”" Don’t go off course!".
Save your replies for someone else coz I’ll never surrender my car willingly. There is not a single car-share group in my location and judging by most of the inhabitants, one wont be forthcoming coz no bugger gives a tinkers cuss. Responsibly maintained in my location? Now that’s a hoot and then some I’ve lost count of the number of cars I’ve reported for no road tax and they are still driving about untaxed …I gave up months ago👎
It might be a good idea for those who want a car for the day or perhaps half a day and that’s all the motoring they do. Expensive for a week though. A Ford Focus for a week (five weekdays plus two days at the weekend) works out at £470. Very much more than it costs me to run my VW Golf so no thanks,
I will keep my car for as long as I can both drive and afford to run a car.
I might speak to my older neighbour about this…she is thinking of giving up her car at the end of the year, because it costs more to keep on the road, than she actually uses it.
I’ve lost count of the number of cars I’ve reported for no road tax and they are still driving about untaxed …I gave up months ago👎
