Thread: car

**Blackhorse** · 27-03-2009, 10:46 AM

do you all use a car for childminding?

**FizzysFriends** · 27-03-2009, 10:50 AM

Yes, school isn't within walking distance so a car is used everyday. There are also no shops in walking distance. All we can walk to is the park and fields/woods.

**Donkey** · 27-03-2009, 11:08 AM

I can't drive, so can't use a car...

I live practically outside my local school, so if/when I get mindees from it, we will be ok

**littletreasures** · 27-03-2009, 11:09 AM

The school where I deliver children to isn't within walking distance, so need to drive everyday. I do on average about 15 miles a day with school runs.

amirose · 27-03-2009, 11:15 AM

I don't drive but we have a car. I would like to drive so I could pick up from a school which is (a timed) 18 minute walk away other than that its too much ag if you have more than 2 or 3 kids, well unless you have a seven seater

**jellytot** · 27-03-2009, 11:19 AM

yes everyday, one of the schools I go to is too far to walk plus I need to get to another school straight away so not feesable for me. would love to do away with the car though.

**bubbly** · 27-03-2009, 11:20 AM

I have a driving licence but haven't driven for about 15 years

. I would need a refresher course if I wanted to get behind the wheel again. However, I couldn't afford to run my own car and my other half uses the family car for his work.

I'm a non-driving driver!

**manjay** · 27-03-2009, 11:21 AM

I only have a 10 minute walk to school and usually have too many to fit in my car but we do live in the middle of nowhere so I need the car for me and the littlies to get out and about

**Helen79** · 27-03-2009, 11:29 AM

No I can't drive so walk everywhere. Buses are too expensive round here aswell.

**venus89** · 27-03-2009, 11:34 AM

We're lucky and can walk to the school, park, shops, swimming pool, library etc.....
But we're in a quite rural small town, buses go one an hour so if we're going further afield I drive

**breezy** · 27-03-2009, 11:37 AM

nearest school I drop off and pick up from is 2 miles away, also do senior school 6 miles away!!!!(it is ds school too) That and the fact i'm bone idle

**Shar** · 27-03-2009, 02:06 PM

I tried living without a car for a while a few years ago and lasted 6 months!! It was hell for me, the children and my family. Walking in the rain, pushing a double buggy (school run 3 times a day), only being able to go to groups etc.... nearby and managing the safety of up to 6 children crossing roads etc... on the way to school or playgroups. I neeeeeed my car.

**mushpea** · 27-03-2009, 02:12 PM

not to much if i can help it, there are too many of us for the car for the school runs and every thing is within walking distance anyway, plus my parnter has just got rid of his car so we have to share.
once i have my conservatory i will save up for a zafira but unitll then we will walk everywhere, the kids are all happy to do so , so not a problem plus eyfs says we need to get them out in the fresh air so thats that one solved then

TheBTeam · 27-03-2009, 02:15 PM

Don't currently need car for school runs, but my cm dh and i use both cars to go out in the holidays, we couldn't do the job if we were tied down without cars, to be able to get out and about with our cm friends to places it requires us to drive. We would be too isolated without it. That said we do try to do lots of walking also and don't always rely on the car.

Pipsqueak · 27-03-2009, 02:17 PM

Well I do use it - normally - when the pigging thing doesn't run out of fuel

the guage has been tempermental for months now - says nothing is in there when you know full well you have just put some in - other times its says there is some in when you just know there can't be. the warning light flashes on at random times as well.

Well this morning - got in car with intention of going to get fuel - no light on, guage needle up to what it was two days ago when I last used the car - great methinks bri has refuelled for me.

Goes about my business...... on the way back pulled up at letterbox - jumped out to post letter, come back blooming thing won't restart at all - light and needle blinking and down.

thankfully I was only at the bottom of my road.
so have had to leave the car down the road - phoned bri to bring some fuel when he comes past.

LOOPYLISA · 27-03-2009, 02:48 PM

I drive and yes need a car

**Mrs M** · 27-03-2009, 03:18 PM

I collect my full time mindee from the next town which is eight miles away. I also collect my part time mindee from our town so I need my car every day. Also, our town doesn't really cater very well for us so we need to travel to other towns to benefit from good toddler groups and children's centres.

**tulip0803** · 27-03-2009, 03:50 PM

My car is vital now - where I live the road is busy and there is no foot path (if the council put a footpath in I would walk to school) so I have risk assessed and it's too dangerous to walk.

Where I minded before I walked everywhere and rarely used the car. Lovely footpaths, cyclepaths with footpaths beside so no cars, near town centre bliss

beginning to wonder why I moved.

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 27-03-2009, 03:58 PM

I do 2 schools and there is no way I could make it without my car. I use my pushbike or walk whenever I can but it is so cold at the moment too.

**loocyloo** · 27-03-2009, 04:25 PM

i walk as much as i can, but to get my own DD to nursery i drive, as otherwise me and the mindees would be walking everywhere and never doing anything else!

we use public transport as much as we can too ( although one mum won't give permission for her 18mth to go on the bus! ... i'm working on her! ), but using the car enables us to visit exciting and interesting places, with enough time to enjoy them before we have to leave! for example, there is a lovely country park about 25 mins drive from us ... can't get there only by bus from where i live, could get 3 trains, and a bus, then walk for 1/2 mile .... so, probably a good couple of hours by public transport, if i was lucky!

xxx