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yermasyada 
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 Topic: Any Non-Drivers ?
Posted: 06 September 2010 at 9:44pm |
Hi all,
Just wondered if anyone is like us, whereby neither partner drives? Neither my hubby or myself can drive. It's not that we just don;t have a car, we've never learned how to 
The look on people's faces when we tell them is priceless LOL
Anyhoo, just wondered if there are any other non-driving couples on the forum, who wanted to share tips on how best to get around NZ using public transport 
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julz85
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Posted: 06 September 2010 at 10:05pm |
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i personally dont drive , my partner does . but before he came around i was a solo mum with no car so i just bus and walk everywhere , even now i bus to my daughters preschool , drop her off , then walk to my work from her preschool ( all in the cbd ) , its ok at the moment because even tho shes walking she still sits in her pram , i can imagine it getting quite hard when she wants to miss independant and walk everywhere because i do walk resonably long distances . the biggest mission i found ( before my partner came along ) was doing grocerys with no car and a young baby , its near impossible without calling a taxi or relying on family or a friend .
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kiwi2
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Posted: 06 September 2010 at 10:43pm |
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I think I just had the priceless look. lol. How do you do it? Sorry I aren't much help am I.
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RedHeadDuck
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Posted: 06 September 2010 at 11:26pm |
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I think I just had the priceless look too, lol!
Thats a good point Julz, how do you do your grocerys?!
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minik8e
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 12:09am |
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One of the AN mums didn't drive either, nor did her husband. They bought a car after their DS was born because they moved out of the CBD and he needed it to get to to work....but they biked everywhere!!! And have a seat for their DS on the bike. They took backpacks for groceries etc.
I take my hat off to you...I could not be without my car!!
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AmyMack
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 1:53am |
Hi, I dont drive either but my husband does and I get around most of the time via busses and trains, I definately agree that trying to do groceries without a car is hard 
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yermasyada
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 7:15am |
LOL I know it's really hard for some people to get their head's round. If you always had a car, it's almost impossible to imagine life without one.
Re groceries: I shop at the supermarket, green grocers, delis, farmers markets and fish market. When I bought my pram, I made sure it had a large basket underneath. MB, P&T and the like are useless for me. I can fit heaps under there, and I just walk (very easy as I live in Devonport) and catch the ferry/bus if need be. I shop about 3 x per week.
We chose where we wanted to live, based on the necessity of walking everywhere, so Devonport is perfect. If we lived in the county, obviously we'd have to learn to drive.
Not having the expense of a car is great, and walking's good for the soul
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flakesitchyfeet
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 7:51am |
Hehe I don't drive, DH does, but we live in a small community so the car barely gets a run. Our butcher, farmers market and supermarket are all in easy walking distance, as is the video store, dance studio, chemist, massage therapist, library, doctor, baby store (new, yay!) haberdashery, bank etc etc. We shop fortnightly in the next community across to though.
Hopefully I'll be driving by Christmas
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  http://eggsineachbasket.blogspot.com/
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 9:29am |
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I don't drive but Dh does. I walk/train/bus everywhere. BUt we do live 10 mins from the mall.
I too have a pram with a BIG basket lol
For groceries we bus/train to the supermarket do the shopping and DH picks us upon his way home.
Millimoo you're right walking is so good for your soul and not enough people do it nowdays. Dd is starting to be able to walk longer distances and can make it to the train station ( 1.5 km away)
In the next few months i'll be going for my licence but we'll still only have one car so not too much will change.
Julz have you tried online shopping ?
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phantom_1
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:10am |
Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't drive  .
My other half does and with baby on the way I really should get my restricted (had my learners for 9 years now). I just have never felt in control of the car when learning so feel like I shouldn't be behind the wheel.
We live in Dairy Flat so getting places with a pram will be difficult though I will get a front pack so peanut & I can walk to the bus stop & go shopping if we want.
We can't afford 2 cars anyway so will manage the best we can.
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High9
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:33am |
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Wow nice to know I'm not alone!!
I don't drive but DP does! Tbh (naughty, naughty) he is only one his learners but has been on it for a few years now just hasn't got round to sitting his restricted yet.
Anyway we don't have a carseat for his car so I bus or walk everywhere! Groceries I do that with my mum as she gets hers at the same time and enjoys taking Lily too!
I catch the train if I need to as sometimes, depending on where I am heading; it involves a bus and a train ride plus some walking!
I have my P&T for really long days with lots of walking. I have a smaller stroller for buses/trains if I'm not doing too much.
I do plan to get my license, it's just a matter of picking up the road code and reading it lmao!
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nicca
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:34am |
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Both my partner and I drive so may not be much help but as far as the travel NZ without a car question - Naked Bus do really cheap ($1) fares. In the south Island there is also inter city and from Chc north they have the trains. There are also a few other local bus companies but probably not much help if you are in the North Island
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caraMel
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:43am |
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Phantom, I felt like that for ages when trying to learn to drive. I never felt like I was cut out for driving and was really nervous whenever I tried.
It was only after 2 winters stuck at home with 2 children (I found it easy enough busing with just DD in wet weather etc) that I felt it was necessary to commit to learning to drive.
With plenty of practice comes confidence. I've been driving for a year and a half now and while I don't think I'll ever be someone who enjoys driving, I do love the independence and sanity that being able to get myself places gives me.
I can't really fathom the idea of neither of us driving. I think that it is so ingrained in us to have a car and drive everywhere (esp in Auckland!) that you just do it as a matter of course.
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Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and:
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caraMel
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:47am |
Lil_Nic, you can learn the road code online!
I was hopeless with trying to sit and study the book but found it way easier to learn all the questions and answers online. I spent about 2 weeks doing them over and over again and passed with 100% 
Edited to add:
Linky doodle
Edited by caraMel
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Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and:
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monikah
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:50am |
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I drive but DH doesnt. he has a motobike though so gets to work and stuff no probs. means he cant do groceries or take the kids anywhere though. we are moving to sydney soon though and wont have a car at all so having a bit of a panic about how we will cope entirely on public transport
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caliandjack
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 10:53am |
 MooCow wrote:
I think I just had the priceless look too, lol! |
Snap! How do you do it. I grew up in Akl and went for my drivers licence as soon as I turned 15 can't get around that city without it. Wellington seems better served by public transport as DH didn't get his till he was 25. Think I'd go crazy if I only had Feilding shops to play with.
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  [/url] Angel June 2012
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clover
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 11:05am |
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Priceless here as well!!
Can't imagine not being able to jump in my car and go anywhere I want....
Although, I'm sure if I had never driven it would just be normal and Devonport is a perfect location for not having a car.
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HoneybunsMa
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 11:42am |
I didn't drive till about three year ago so still pre DD. But I used to pick and choose where we lived based on transport etc. It was harder when working hospitality and finishing at 1am  buses don't run that late. So I used to wait for DP to finish work and we would go home together.
Groceries I used to bus/walk to and then taxi home, couple of times we have walked home with them this is pre us having a car. I have been known also to have a craving for ice cream early hours of the morning when countdown was 24hrs and walked down there. DP has had a car for years so generally if we wanted to go somewhere we could, if I wanted to go somewhere then I had to plan caused many a fights between us as he'd get in and go and I'd sit at home twiddling my thumbs as our friends are all over the place and if I wanted to go see someone then it had to be a day trip and it would cost me twice as much as him. Like I said caused fights lol
Now its the other way round I have the car, and his is out of action. He uses the spare car in my family to get to work though so I can have mine and don't have to go get him early hours.
I used to walk everywhere and now I don't! So lazy compared should get out there more
Edited by HoneybunsMa
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yermasyada
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 12:00pm |
caliandjack wrote:
I grew up in Akl and went for my drivers licence as soon as I turned 15 can't get around that city without it.
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LOL I actually think that the public transport in Auckland is great, when you look at how spread out the area is. There's no point trying to compare it to somewhere like London, as we just don't have the same population to justify the cost of such an extensive transport system. Don't get me wrong though, there are heaps of improvements that could be made. I'd love the trains to run to the North Shore for example.
I've been in Auckland for nearly 4 years and have been all over on public transport. I think I've only been in a taxi about 6 times 
Flake... where do you live? I'm always keen to find other small communities which have plenty of local ammenities in walking distance. PM me if you'd prefer 
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caraMel
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Posted: 07 September 2010 at 12:27pm |
Milliemoo wrote:
LOL I actually think that the public transport in Auckland is great |
I agree, especially now that they've opened the Northern busway, it takes about 10-15 minutes to get to the city from our place on the Shore. Heaps easier and faster than driving sometimes!
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Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and:
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Any Non-Drivers ?
