I Haven't Driven A Car In Over A Month

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
09/12/2020 at 14:30 • Filed to: carless on a car forum

This is the longest I have gone without driving since I first got my license. This is also easily the least amount of times I have been in a car during the span of a month. To the best of my knowledge I have ridden in a car around 10 times this month and only once in a bus. There simply is no reason to.

Yes, I have gone almost completely carless on a car forum. I haven’t even used public transport as everything is within easy walking distance. Honestly, I kind of like it. Turns out the urban life really appeals to me. I can’t say I’ve missed commuting but I can’t drive for pleasure either.

What’s the longest y’all have ever gone without driving? Or riding in a car? I think I went 2 weeks without riding in a vehicle this month (discounting my bike).

DISCUSSION (53)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:35

I imagine it would’ve have to have been some time in university for me, though I have no idea how long it would’ve been. I lived in a dorm on campus so bussed or walked everywhere. I had friends with cars though, so I would’ve been in theirs!

Tohru > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:39

Longest I’ve went without driving was 2 months back in 2005. I got 13 points against my license in a 12 month period and my prize for youthful exuberance was the state suspending my license for 60 days.

404 - User No Longer Available > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:39

Almost never before. Used to have to commute to work so it’s car to the train and train down to work daily . These days I still drive for weekly grocery runs and lately weekly IPSC matches, and the odd times I need to drive out further.

If anything I actually drove down to the office twice, to get some of my stuff back and replace my busted work laptop.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/12/2020 at 14:41

I will probably not drive again until the semester ends so this will easily be a record for me. It’s just odd for me though.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:43

I think the during COVID shutdown, I didn’t drive for like 27 days. I barely drive at all outside of my work vehicle, and now routinely make up excuses for needing to take my car. Last night I drove 11 miles to pick up some obscure brass brackets that hang from crown molding.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:44

I drove the Mercedes during the covid lockdown, but during the bad air and covid I have been in the Acura. The Merc probably has lots of air leaks and the Acura smells fine when we drive, AC on. But since the air got really bad I haven’t been anywhere. The other vehicles have been covered and haven’t moved. I was going to exercise them again but then the air went to shit.

Nick Has an Exocet > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:45

I went 2 months without driving a car when I was traveling in Europe and Asia. I couldn’t wait to get back and drive.

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:46

I went two almost months towards the start of quarantine and just cracked on day in april. Went on a lovely leisure cruise on a gorgeous sunny day, and I got some McDonalds, which was also the longest I’d been without fast food.

Oddly enough, the engine flooded 4 days later. Had to step on the gas to choke the engine before starting it (which is opposite to what most cars do, I know). Smoke billowed out the tail pipes, and 100 bucks got charged for something that “just happens.”

Needless to say, I don’t let my car sit for too long without at least running it.

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:49

For me, probably 2 weeks. I’ve worked a couple places that sent me away for training/orientation for that long, and didn’t have a rental car either time.

promoted by the color red > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:49

My record is still three months in college. I didn’t own a car at the time and between the bus/train network and my bike, I could access 99.9% of the places I had to visit.

Two weeks is the longest I’ve gone without driving during this pandemic because my roommate decided to invite his parents to visit from a COVID hotspot at a time when we couldn’t even leave town without having to self-quarantine . It was always a mad scramble to pick up two weeks of supplies and make it home before I had to lock myself up again...

liam > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 14:52

I have to drive the truck at least once a week as the battery complains if it’s left longer.

bob and john > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:09

in university. I lived on cambus and would get buddies to bring me back beer and stuff. I went 8 months with out driving for 3 years.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:13

I would think, I would feel the same way!

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:25

I require the use of a car at least on weekends for groceries/visiting family/doing stuff with friends so I probably won’t end up in a situation like yours, but in the summer I’ve gone probably a month or so before without driving.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/12/2020 at 15:36

I drove for Doordash for most of the pandemic but I probably didn’t drive very much at all the first two months. But I had a car with me I could drive. Here, I own a car that’s not with me and I have only even seen it twice when my parents drove it up to see me.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller
09/12/2020 at 15:38

I may have gone close to that during the lockdown but until I drove for doordash I drove like maybe once every third week. It’s just weird as I have physically not had access to my own car for more than a month and likely will not for quite a bit longer.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin
09/12/2020 at 15:41

Sitting is pretty bad for a car. I am glad my parents are driving it every once in a while as it’s better that way anyways. I didn’t take many pleasure drives and then hardly any at all once I drove for doordash about two months into the pandemic. It’s just odd as I physically don’t have access to my own car and won’t for two more months still.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Nick Has an Exocet
09/12/2020 at 15:42

It’ll be 3 months before I get behind the wheel again I suspect. 1/3 of the way there and I don’t exactly really miss it but I know what one of the first things I do when I go back home will be. It’s odd as I physically don’t have access to my own car.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > liam
09/12/2020 at 15:43

Yeah my car still exists and I own it but I can’t drive it as it is back home. My parents drive it occasionally so it doesn’t sit but it’s really odd.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > bob and john
09/12/2020 at 15:44

That’s definitely more than I will go as it will probably only be two 3 month stints. It’d be very different if I was coming home every other weekend or so.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked
09/12/2020 at 15:45

I just don’t have access to my car and won’y for two more months. It’s getting driven occasionally by my family so it doesn’t just sit but I think it’s the fact that I just don’t have access that gets me.

2 weeks is still a long time assuming that it was for one business trip.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Tohru
09/12/2020 at 15:46

I can’t imagine having to do that and living in suburbia. Here, it’s just that I don’t need one and parking is really expensive combined with me not going back home from college on the weekends.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/12/2020 at 15:47

Honestly, that sounds delightful. Driving is very fun when you don’t actually have to drive all the time. It’ll probably be 3 months when the school year ends before I drive my car again.

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:47

I get that, the more you drive the less appealing it can be. Absence makes the heart grow fonder I suppose haha.

Out of sheer and utter curiosity , how is driving for doordash ? I sometimes find myself with some free time, and would rather spend it making money. Is it pretty flexible, or does it require you to log a certain amount of hours or what?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 404 - User No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:49

I drove like every third week on some pretense during the lockdown and then I drove for doordash on weekends and some nights until school let out. Then I drove every day except Monday. So this is just a really weird experience as I still own a car but just don’t have access to it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
09/12/2020 at 15:50

That’s a unique reason for not driving. Not a very fun one though. I’m glad it is just lack of access that keeps me from behind the wheel.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > promoted by the color red
09/12/2020 at 15:51

That is exactly the same reason as I have for not driving. I left my car at home as I simply don’t need it.

That’s really not ok if he didn’t ask you first, which it sounds like he didn’t.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:54

The Z would suffocate me, between the smoke and petrol fumes... I drive it with the windows down, there are floor vents too . I might do a sound mat job in it when things get better, I will look at the areas where fumes might be coming in, I know it comes in through the center console.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin
09/12/2020 at 15:55

You can drive .2 hours or 2 hours or 5 hours, it doesn’t matter. You have to set an end time when you start but you can end it whenever you want or extend it as long as you like. I usually go from 5 pm to 9 or 10 pm for the dinner rush. The first hour is quiet and the last hour is busy, but I don’t want to do it any longer than that. I can usually make around $50 or more in that time frame but sometimes you’ll just have a really bad night. Sometimes you have a good one. Depends on how busy your area is and how wealthy the people are (the money is mostly tips).

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
09/12/2020 at 15:56

Classics aren’t usually known for being very airtight and air is not something you want coming in from outside right now.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 15:59

My wife is not thrilled with the Z, the Merc is ok but not in 160-170 AQI..

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 16:04

They were, one to the suburbia of Chicago, one to the suburbia of Dallas. Rare to have one longer than a week,but those were a solid 2

Taylor Martin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 16:28

Interesting... My free time tends to be around the “dinner rush” hours too, so that might work well.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
09/12/2020 at 16:34

Yeah as a passenger I imagine the appeal is less strong. Especially with that air quality.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked
09/12/2020 at 16:37

Yeah that's odd to be somewhere that long without a rental. Especially in a more suburban setting.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 16:38

Someday I hope to get some seats from Classic Car Seats, sound mat so the road noise is dampened/heat through fire wall in summer and maybe seal up enough to make it less petrol-y.

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 16:44

In one case, there was one company vehicle assigned to us to use on our free time, I was just never the driver. In the other case, a few people lived more locally and had driven instead of flying, so they were also available to car pool. There was relatively little free time, so I didn’t bother to rent something, and it wouldn’t have been reimbursed anyway.

Tohru > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 16:51

It was in summer, I had a bicycle, and my work place was 3 miles away. Somehow it didn’t rain on me riding to or from work for the whole time.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Taylor Martin
09/12/2020 at 16:56

Check with your insurance company about coverage as door dash has a built in policy for liability coverage DURING deliveries where you have possession of the food. My company has been extending an exemption for delivery drivers during the pandemic but I’ll have to see how much that adds to my plan during normal times.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
09/12/2020 at 16:59

I think less petrol-y is usually better.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked
09/12/2020 at 17:00

Makes sense but for two weeks that adds up.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Tohru
09/12/2020 at 17:03

Could have been so much worse. There are very few places I’d consider walking to from my house and I don’t even usually live in a far out suburb but rather a place very close to the town center .

Wow, seems like you go way back. Comparatively I’m quite a noob around here. Just boredom that brought you back or just a lurker?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 17:06

It isn’t that bad but my wife is sensitive to it, the triple carbs probably make it worse. I will see if there are any obvious leaks, maybe in the firewall / up under the dash.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 20:49

for driving the most has been 10 days. back in ‘09 when i visited NYC.

i was a passenger in a taxi out at Montauk.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > pip bip - choose Corrour
09/12/2020 at 21:03

I spent four days there once. Pretty much the only place I’ve been outside of the Southeast US. NYC is pretty amazing but more so as a pedestrian so you can look up and see the tall buildings. Can’t say I would want to do too much driving in the city proper and given I stayed in New Jersey I can’t say I am sad I never drove the turnpike.

Under_Score > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 22:21

I was feeling run down, so July 1 was the first day I didn’t drive my car since, I don’t know, late March. I don’t think I drove July 3 or July 4, either.

Since then, however, I’ve driven every day. I’m almost at 8,000 and my first payment is in several days.

Tohru > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 22:38

Heard the suits fucked up the site layout yet again, so I came back to see what the disaster looked like. I come back to oppo every once in awhile just to keep tabs on the place.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score
09/12/2020 at 22:46

I wonder what the record is for the most miles driven before the first payment? Probably not something that would be officially recorded but I bet it was something crazy. Good luck with the bills rolling in. Is the Alltrack still treating you well?

It’s very easy to get down on yourself in these trying times. I do think when driving a whole lot it is great to take a break every once in a while and maybe just take a long walk. It will likely be a while before I drive again but honestly it’s kinda nice.

Under_Score > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/12/2020 at 23:59

At work, a lot of customers put 25,000+ miles per year on their cars . There are definitely people who took advantage of the six month deferred payments that drive 40,000+ miles per year.

And the car has some weird tech issues, but it’s been great otherwise. I love it, and e veryone that’s seen it loves it.

I know I shouldn’t base a take on what people think, but I associate with people who would’ve loved for me to get a used F-150 Lariat or King Ranch. They love that Alltrack, though. Definitely a jump from the RAV4, got CarPlay, the big roof, self park, you already know.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Tohru
09/13/2020 at 01:35

It's really not that bad. You should see what they did to us (ie picture crediting before you could opt out or apply all and removing the byline).

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score
09/13/2020 at 12:42

It’s a little crazy how much some people drive in a year. I don’t come close to that. I did nearly 10k a year during HS as I went to a private school but that also includes everything else. That was really enough for me. You must really be driving a lot for 8k miles in such a short time.

The Alltrack is just a great car all around. Sorry to hear you’ve been having issues with the tech. Connectivity stuff with your phone? And how’s the self park?

I realized not too long ago that I never specifically learned to parallel park at an one time even though I can squeeze into a tight spot relatively easily. Li ke I remember trying once, failing, and then being fine at it a year later, but I can’t remember actually learning. A friend of mine was saying he had to learn how when I was riding with him recently (he goes to a nearby university) but that 30 point shuffle was not what I’d call parallel parking. Would be nice not to have to do it at all.

Under_Score > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/16/2020 at 20:06

My commute is average at 25-30 miles total , but most of the miles come from DoorDash.

Parallel spots were everywhere in Milly Vegas, and one of the wheels on the RAV4 showed.

The issues are with the sensors randomly going off, as well as my choppy rear wiper. CarPlay is good.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score
09/16/2020 at 21:09

Driving nights for Door dash does put on the miles.

Sorry to hear your brand new car is having issues. Have you had it in for warranty work, diagnosis, software updates, etc? Which sensors specifically?