I think depending on where you live there is the convenience factor of a car too, you don't have to call a cab everytime you need to go somewhere. I think I would also just be less likely to travel or go somewhere if I had to pay the cab every time, I agree with your point, but will stick to my piece of crap car over a taxi.

The only major convenience factor i can see from having a car is when you're having a stroke and need to be rushed to the nearest hospital instead of waiting 4 hours for an ambulance to arrive, which incidentally happened to my neighbor. Although after about 6 phone calls it does arrive eventually which is comforting.

Originally posted by richsa05 The only major convenience factor i can see from having a car is when you're having a stroke and need to be rushed to the nearest hospital instead of waiting 4 hours for an ambulance to arrive, which incidentally happened to my neighbor. Although after about 6 phone calls it does arrive eventually which is comforting.

Didn't they try a cab?

[QUOTE=sven] Oh yes, the car as the apice of "American Freedom". You make it sound like you are addicted to your cars. I guess I'm lucky. Lived most of my life in Amsterdam where a car is probably one of the most useless objects to have.

No child seats in a car? Keep the kids in your lap.

It's pooring outside? Stay in. Besides the rain here is usually refreshing.

I spend way less in taxis and rent-a-cars then I'd spend owning my own piece of sh*t.

Real freedom is being able to go to the beach, drink a gallon of beer and not have to worry about being stopped by the police or getting into an accident while driving drunk.

Having a car is nothing but a liability. You never know if you can park where you're going. If you suddenly feel like having two or more drinks, you have to decide on a designated driver. If that's what you call freedom, then I prefe to be a prisoner of my cab driver...[/QUOTE

Sounds like a plan " lets take a 2 year old and 4 year old on our lap in the back of a taxi driving along marginal " even at the speed of 60 kmh which i might add for sao paulo standards is very slow and not the usual, you would almost cetainly kill the children or put them in a seriously bad medical condition in the event of an accident.
Does not sound like responsible parenting to me!!!!

As for not knowing where you are going , i have never had a problem " ever heard of sat nav " very simple and effective to use
as for parking there is always car parks..never had a problem

As for your point on drinking do you really think that jumping in a taxi eliminates this problem

surely you are not naive enough to think that all taxi drivers have not had a few drinks or even "powdered their nose" themselves during their 8 or 12 hr workday/night and you are going to be safer in a taxi........this is brazil mate the whole culture revolves around drinking!...at least when driving your own car, you can determine your alchohol intake and probably the so called designated drivers as well.


and yes you are right i do like cars and watch jeremy clarksons top gear

Originally posted by mark k and yes you are right i do like cars and watch jeremy clarksons top gear

Me too, love him. Doesn't mean I need a car though.


To be honest though, when mine was 2 and 4, I was stupid enough to own a car.