I know, in the scheme of things, this is a very trivial thing to even mention - but why do HO’s say that a car is required when they’re located in a city? Or, at least, on a good bus route?
I used to skip the “car needed” ads, as we don’t have one but once I started checking locations I realized that a car really wasn’t needed. So, why do HO’s put it in their ads?
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It wouldn’t attract me to the sit. It’d be an added headache even though I’m an ex UK Driving Instructor and I’ve passed the IAM Advanced Driving test. Just imagine if you had a bump in the HOs car. What a fafff.
I agree, though I’m not referring to sits where the HO offers their car. I mean the ones where a car is not needed yet the HO still puts “car needed” in their ad.
I think @anon36831737 may have nailed it…
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Buses in Glasgow reflect all types of culture………the best ones are the late night and all night.
PS I’m allowed to say that, I was married to a Weggie for 20+ years.
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I remember the look of horror of some of our US friends when we declined their offer of a lift to the supermarket. “We will walk, thank you”. Gasp, horror……
And try to tell them you hitchhiked in the Caribbean because you missed the hourly bus, “and your still alive?” The look said.
Yes, car culture is a thing.
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Oh, it’s most definitely a thing! We’ve been in Canada since the pandemic started and NO ONE can understand how we’ve managed without a car. We’re in a city of 1,000,000; we’re managing fine, thanks…
I guess I always assumed that the homeowner saw the options as being “Sitters Need a Car” and “Car Included” and if they didn’t want to have the Car Available they choose the other. I understand that you don’t have to choose one of the options, but often when given choices people tend to choose something rather than nothing. I usually pay more attention to what is written under “Home and Location” where many people mention the public transportation options.
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that’s exactly when I miss that laughing out loud button
I live in Canada in a city of about 100,000. There is a bus stop within steps of where I live. However, having lived a month without a car a while ago, I know it can take an hour or more by bus to go what might be a 10-min drive by car - transfers from one bus to another - buses that only run maybe hourly at times, etc. Factor in having to carry purchases, or manage snow-covered streets. Other than major cities, most Canadian locations are not well set up for public transportation, unfortunately. Hence most Canadians might say a car is needed.
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I took the bus in Glasgow. It was a hoot. I found Glaswegians to be the kindest and friendliest people I’ve met so far in my travels.
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Same here.
Maybe it’s just to clarify that you won’t be able to use theirs?
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I applied for a sit recently in England (for a cat) where I researched and found I could walk, get the bus and taxis (it was only a couple of miles to the nearest town) but the home owners still said it wouldn’t work without a car. I think sometimes homeowners who never use public transit default to needing a car.
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You’re absolutely right about that. I don’t know if us car-free people will ever be able to convince car people otherwise but it’s worth a try!
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We are UK based, can both drive but choose not. I still apply for sits even when they say ‘car needed’ and I explain that we prefer to walk. No one has ever commented but we have been accepted for sits that have had this in the listing.
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as a Canadian I agree that public transport is no where near as extensive as what we had when living in England. I am assuming that most of Europe is the same as the U.K. Currently in Vancouver where we are managing just fine with public transport but generally North American cities, in my opinion, do not build with public transport in mind. Many stores are only accessible by car and pavements are not always provided
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I’m pretty new to THS and wish I’d known from the jump that not all “sitters need a car” really mean you need a car. I love doing transit, walking, biking while travelling cause: local culture and driving is kinda nerve-wracking – especially in opposite-side countries.
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Do as much research as you can on the location and if you think you can get around without a car, then talk it over with the HO. There may be a good reason why they want you to have a car, or it may just be that they never considered anyone not having one.
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I’m a homeowner who says “sitters need a car” and I really, really mean it! I am not a fan of car culture at all, I didn’t learn to drive til I was 30 as I lived in cities and didn’t need to, but where we live now it’s a necessity. Irish rural public transport is virtually non-existent, we are 12km from any town, and as we are a one-car family, if we are away, the car is with us. I always check with sitters when they respond initially to make sure they’ve taken on board that car is required. So while it may be a cultural thing in some places it may also be a genuine reflection of local reality.
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Oh so correct. The Highlands of Scotland is exactly the same. There are no alternatives to a car. Even hitchhiking doesn’t work as the roads are so quiet.
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