# Do you drive a small car now that you are a senior?



## Ralphy1 (Aug 12, 2015)

Elderly women seem to go for small cars while elderly men still stick with the large according to my personal observation.  This could be dangerous for both genders, if you get hit in a small car you will probably be taken to the morgue and not the hospital, and if you drive a big car you can do a lot of hurt to others if you hit them...


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## merlin (Aug 12, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Elderly women seem to go for small cars while elderly men still stick with the large according to my personal observation.  This could be dangerous for both genders, if you get hit in a small car you will probably be taken to the morgue and not the hospital, and if you drive a big car you can do a lot of hurt to others if you hit them...


In the UK we have generally always driven smaller cars, but there has been a change to a lot of young mothers driving large 4X4 type vehicles known as "Chelsea Tractors"  to take the children to school.


> Chelsea Tractor Any expensive 4x4 that is driven in an urban environment as a status symbol (typically for the school run) and will never be driven off-road.
> _Look, that Chelsea Tractor nearly flattened that kid!_



Most seniors drive small cars here, I don't need a large car now my family have grown up, so happily have a small one. I think some older men stick to larger cars for a status symbol, or more comfort perhaps.


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## Laurie (Aug 12, 2015)

No, the opposite.  I now have to carry a road legal mobility scooter in the back, so need more space, not less.


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## Ken N Tx (Aug 12, 2015)

Big is better here...


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

When I first moved here dh bought me a tiny 2 door (Clio) automatic as I couldn't drive a manual.  Later we bought a 4 door Citroen Picasso which is not a tiny car, nor a big SUV.  We were thinking about trading it in next year and getting a smaller car, but now we have the electric bikes which are too heavy for a bike rack we take out the back seats and put the bikes in the car.  So I guess we'll have to keep it. 

I was under the impression everybody in Europe drove tiny cars, but I noticed when I was first here that many of our neighbours had Land Rovers. SUV's are much more common although there are still plenty of small cars.


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Ken N Tx said:


> Big is better here...



And gas is a LOT cheaper!!  Not going to do the conversions but we now pay £1.15/litre for petrol.  And that's after the price dropped.


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## Ken N Tx (Aug 12, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> And gas is a LOT cheaper!!  Not going to do the conversions but we now pay £1.15/litre for petrol.  And that's after the price dropped.



Down to $2.35 down here in Texas..

I once heard a traffic reporter state that he wished all drivers had smaller cars so they could get more into a traffic jam!!!


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## QuickSilver (Aug 12, 2015)

I drive what is considered a small SUV..


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Ken N Tx said:


> Down to $2.35 down here in Texas..
> 
> I once heard a traffic reporter state that he wished all drivers had smaller cars so they could get more into a traffic jam!!!



We're going on a very long trip in my sister's car next month.  Hope it's cheap there - we'll be in MI, OH, PA, RI, etc.


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## oldman (Aug 12, 2015)

My wife traded in her Lexus this year and bought a new Chevy Equinox. I still drive my 2008 GMC Envoy. No small cars for me because of back issues and getting in and out of the vehicle.


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## Ken N Tx (Aug 12, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> We're going on a very long trip in my sister's car when next month.  Hope it's cheap there - we'll be in MI, OH, PA, RI, etc.



CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT GAS PRICES


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## Bullie76 (Aug 12, 2015)

I drive a smaller suv too. Plenty big though.


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Ken N Tx said:


> CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT GAS PRICES



Thanks Ken.  Big range in prices.  Michigan is the cheapest.  PA and RI are more.


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## Lara (Aug 12, 2015)

I've had my Lexus RX300 SUV since 2003 without any mechanical issues. I just keep up with regular maintenance. It has 150,000 miles on it...and just now has developed a small oil leak. If it worsens it will cost $1200 to fix because they'll have to remove the engine. 

So, I may be looking at trading it in eventually but it will definitely be another Lexus because of their stellar repair record and it's comfort. I'm vacillating between another SUV or something smaller. It's just that I have some large art canvases to transport and is great for hauling landscaping items and furniture purchases. 

My daughter calls on me when she finds office decor because she has a small Nissan Z sports car. She loves it but not me. It's so low to the ground that I fear others won't see her. I sat in it once and felt like I was sitting right on the highway.


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Smart cars are cute.  This one is electric.  Would making grocery shopping very difficult though.  Someone on our road drives one and he's so huge I don't know how he gets into the car!


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## Lara (Aug 12, 2015)

haha, annie. Sounds like a kodak moment. Opps, Kodak film is one of those obsolete technologies of days gone by.


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## Grumpy Ol' Man (Aug 12, 2015)

Wife just bought her "retirement" car.  Chevrolet Impala.  Easy to get in and out of as we age.  Plenty of backseat space to take other couples with us.  And, it's "sporty".  She said she didn't want something that looked like an "old folks car".  Got her hair done last Saturday.  Came home beaming.  Said the lady who owns the shop noticed her "new" car.  Told her how good it looked, wanted to walk out and look it over, and said she would be proud to own one just like it.

Not much of a believer in "small" cars.  I drive a Ram full-sized truck, 4WD.  My wife's Impala is far from a "compact" model.  I just feel more comfortable and a lot safer in the larger vehicles.


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## Underock1 (Aug 12, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Elderly women seem to go for small cars while elderly men still stick with the large according to my personal observation.  This could be dangerous for both genders, if you get hit in a small car you will probably be taken to the morgue and not the hospital, and if you drive a big car you can do a lot of hurt to others if you hit them...



We have driven small cars from our first, a used Renault Dauphine, over fifty years ago. A tire blew on that, and we rolled over in it down an embankment into the Bronx river. I had my wife, two little kids, and a friend in the car. We all had seat belts on, which had just come out. The friend was holding our two year old in her arms. Our heads bumped the windshield out. We were covered in mud, but we all walked away with nothing more than bumped heads. After that, all of our cars were VW Beetles, or Rabbits. I was hit head on in one of the Rabbits at low speed, on glare ice. Totaled it, but walked to work that day. No injuries. My wife had a head on, due to sun glare in another Rabbit. Totaled it. The air bag broke her sun glasses, bruising her head, but no other injuries. I am driving what will undoubtedly be the last Rabbit now. The small cars are much easier to manage. I  wouldn't want to drive anything bigger at this point.


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Lara said:


> haha, annie. Sounds like a kodak moment. Opps, Kodak film is one of those obsolete technologies of days gone by.



Yea, if we say Kodak moment to anyone younger they won't have a clue!


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Underock1 said:


> We have driven small cars from our first, a used Renault Dauphine, over fifty years ago. A tire blew on that, and we rolled over in it down an embankment into the Bronx river. I had my wife, two little kids, and a friend in the car. We all had seat belts on, which had just come out. The friend was holding our two year old in her arms. Our heads bumped the windshield out. We were covered in mud, but we all walked away with nothing more than bumped heads. After that, all of our cars were VW Beetles, or Rabbits. I was hit head on in one of the Rabbits at low speed, on glare ice. Totaled it, but walked to work that day. No injuries. My wife had a head on, due to sun glare in another Rabbit. Totaled it. The air bag broke her sun glasses, bruising her head, but no other injuries. I am driving what will undoubtedly be the last Rabbit now. The small cars are much easier to manage. I  wouldn't want to drive anything bigger at this point.



Wow!  Lots of lucky escapes!


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## Underock1 (Aug 12, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Wow!  Lots of lucky escapes!



Oh you bet! The greatest talent I possess is dumb luck.

 Funny thing about the roll over. As I watched all of the trees whizzing past the windshield and facing imminent death, the only thought in my mind was "I wish those women would stop screaming!"                                                
                                                                                                  :excited:


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## Lon (Aug 12, 2015)

I am 6' 4" & drive a four door 2001 Toyota Camry XLE with 85,000 miles that suits me just fine. I turned 81 on July 12 & got my license renewed for another 10 years.


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## NancyNGA (Aug 12, 2015)

I just can't stop tinkering around with improvements and repairs on my house, so I have to have a pickup to haul in new materials and haul off old.  I like sitting up higher off the ground, too. So I have a '97 Ford F-150 8 cylinder (inherited).  It has 118K miles.  The next vehicle will also be a pickup, until I can't do stuff like that anymore.  The only downside is parking in town.

I had the opposite for a while---a Honda Civic 5 speed, 4 cylinder.  I was staying in Montgomery, Alabama, and if you've ever been there, there is a high speed loop around the city, but no ramps.  The Honda just didn't have enough pick up to get going on that loop and keep up with the southern drivers.


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 12, 2015)

I drive a small SUV now, and did before I was a 'senior', my older one is a Jeep Cherokee and the newer is a Dodge Nitro.  We drive our full-size truck on vacations, etc.


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## Lynk (Aug 12, 2015)

A few years ago I bought a Nissan Versa.  I would have preferred a larger car which I was use to.  I have had jeeps a couple of times which I loved.  But I needed something I could buy outright without making payments.  They are not bad.  They have a lot more room than they look like they would have.


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## Falcon (Aug 12, 2015)

I bought a new GMC Envoy in '05.  (a smaller SUV) .  I like it to haul home large purchases  ( like garden stuff ).

In an emergency, I could sleep in the back of it  if I had to.  It still has only  (circa)  30,000 miles on the clock.

NEVER had any problems with it.


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## Laurie (Aug 12, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Smart cars are cute.  This one is electric.  Would making grocery shopping very difficult though.  Someone on our road drives one and he's so huge I don't know how he gets into the car!
> 
> View attachment 20394



Your bikes won't fit in there!

Have a look at the C4 Grand Picasso.  I was able to carry a Class 3 (road legal) mobility scooter, and a manual wheelchair, and a months shopping in mine.


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## Kadee (Aug 12, 2015)

I have always preferred a. Smaller car, I did have a Holden station wagon when the kids were young, but for years now I have owned a Toyota Corolla, only last year I sold trusty Holen Nova ( made by Toyota) after owing it for 17 years 
Hubby likes bigger vehicles and has a Rodeo which he refers to as the little truck


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## Ameriscot (Aug 12, 2015)

Laurie said:


> Your bikes won't fit in there!
> 
> Have a look at the C4 Grand Picasso.  I was able to carry a Class 3 (road legal) mobility scooter, and a manual wheelchair, and a months shopping in mine.



No they won't!!  We'll just keep the car we have as the bikes fit very well.  Cheaper to just fix whatever goes wrong than to buy a new car.  We'd rather spend our money on holidays than cars.


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## tnthomas (Aug 12, 2015)

Ralphy1 said:


> Do you drive a small car now that you are a senior?



No, I drive a small car now that I am commuting to work hundred miles a day, round trip.    My Toyota Corolla has all kinds of air bags, is quite nimble navigating insane Southern California rush-hour traffic.  And, it gets great gas mileage.


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## Butterfly (Aug 12, 2015)

I've always driven smallish cars.  I'm a smallish person.


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## Ken N Tx (Aug 13, 2015)

Ameriscot said:


> Smart cars are cute.  This one is electric.  Would making grocery shopping very difficult though.  Someone on our road drives one and he's so huge I don't know how he gets into the car!
> 
> View attachment 20394





tnthomas said:


> No, I drive a small car now that I am commuting to work hundred miles a day, round trip.    My Toyota Corolla has all kinds of air bags, is quite nimble navigating insane Southern California rush-hour traffic.  And, it gets great gas mileage.



I would not feel safe driving a smaller car within the Dallas/Fort Worth traffic!!!!


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## Don M. (Aug 13, 2015)

We have an Impala LTZ.  I like that size of car because of its large trunk...which we often load up with goodies for the kids on our city trips.  Plus, I like the power of that engine, and the ability to pass a slower vehicle quickly on these 2 lane roads.  I get 27MPG on the highway, which is good enough for me.  We had a Malibu previously, but that thing was just too small, and the passing power just wasn't sufficient for a quick safe pass of slower vehicles.


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## tina525 (Jun 23, 2016)

I just ride my mobility scooter when I go shopping or visiting my friends. It is much easier and cheaper!


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## Manatee (Jun 23, 2016)

We sold our travel trailer (caravan to you Brits and Aussies) last summer, so we no longer needed the Nissan Xterra SUV to tow it.  We traded and bought a mid-size Chrysler convertible, which they don't make any more.  We have always enjoyed convertibles, this is our 17th.


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## fureverywhere (Jun 23, 2016)

I've always driven smallish cars.  I'm a smallish person. 

Me too, I'm barely 5'4 and have had to sit on a pillow or phone book to drive some cars. I can drive hubby's SUV but I prefer my little Altima...way better on gas too.


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## Debby (Jun 23, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> Smart cars are cute.  This one is electric.  Would making grocery shopping very difficult though.  Someone on our road drives one and he's so huge I don't know how he gets into the car!
> 
> View attachment 20394



That's a very cute little car isn't it?  My daughters father in law had one but he hated it because he was commuting about an hour and a half on the highway everyday and I think he said the wind from the big transports really buffetted him around.

We drive a Ford F150 and both love driving a truck.  But I've also had a Volkswagon Golf and I really liked it too.  But once we are done with moving then we'll probably sell the truck.  My husband was even checking out the new Tesla car that's coming soon.  Since we're not into road trips because of the cat, the range on one of those would probably work pretty well for us.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Jun 23, 2016)

Last year we traded in our SUV and my old Hyundai Elantra  for a new Elantra. My husband always drove the SUV and I had the Elantra, that was when he wasn't fully retired. Now that he is we only need the one car. I miss sitting higher in the SUV when we travel but my daughter is only about 6 hours from us now so I live with it. Unbelievable mileage though and we got a bright red one. I always wanted a fire engine red car. My daughter told me the cops stop more red cars than any other. Not sure about that but I'll risk it.


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## Phoenix (Jun 23, 2016)

i drive a Buick La Sabre.  My husband, 6'7" drives a Lincoln Town Car.  The first requirement for the size of our cars is that my husband has to be able to fit in in comfortably.  Most cars are too small for him.  I also want something between me and the person who might run into  me.  These pint sized cars are dangerous.

I used to have a red car and got no tickets at all, nor did I get stopped by the police.


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## Butterfly (Jun 23, 2016)

I now have a Kia Forte, a little bigger than my old Saturn which passed away this year, but it's still smallish.  As a bonus, it's easier to get into than the Saturn because it's a little higher off the ground.  I feel swallowed up by great big cars.


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## Guitarist (Jun 24, 2016)

When I was young the biggest cars (Caddies, etc.) were driven by the most elderly women.  The older men, too, seemed to prefer full-size sedans.

The seniors I know now drive mostly full-size cars too.  A few drive mid-size ones, but I only see a couple of compacts in my building's parking lot.  

I have never heard of people moving to smaller cars as they get older.  Men in midlife crises stereotypically buy little sports cars, but that's a different thing.

I don't have a car right now, but I have found in recent years that the bigger a car is, the more comfortable it is.  Last summer I went to the beach in a Lincoln.  Wow!  Road-trip car to the max!


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## Butterfly (Jun 24, 2016)

The bigger ones just feel unwieldy to me, like trying to drive a battleship.  I've always driven smaller cars -- not teeny ones, just smaller.


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## Debby (Jun 24, 2016)

Phoenix said:


> i drive a Buick La Sabre.  My husband, 6'7" drives a Lincoln Town Car.  The first requirement for the size of our cars is that my husband has to be able to fit in in comfortably.  Most cars are too small for him.  I also want something between me and the person who might run into  me.  These pint sized cars are dangerous.
> 
> I used to have a red car and got no tickets at all, nor did I get stopped by the police.




My husband drove a red Dodge Stealth for a year and he got stopped once by a cop who I think mainly wanted to talk about how fast the car was.  The reason for stopping him was because Don didn't want to put a front plate on (because it looked better without) and in BC you're supposed to have a plate front and back.  Not a comfortable car really.  Hard to get into if you had to sit in the back, so the kids hated it.


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## Bobw235 (Jun 24, 2016)

Earlier this year I actually traded my Acura TL Type S (a nice sporty car) for a Volvo XC90.  I love it.  Easy to get in and out of, plenty of space for when we travel, drives like a dream and packed with safety features.


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## Peppermint Patty (Jun 27, 2016)

My 1996 Saturn sedan seems to be serving me well.  I don't know why they stopped making 'em.  Gee, I guess it will be a "classic" pretty soon.  It goes forever on a tank of gas; 'course I don't go very far in it these days.  I bought it to tow behind my 34 ft. motor home because even tho' it has an automatic tranny, you can still tow it on the ground.  I still have only 42,000 miles on the odometer.  (The first 7 years of its life it was usually towed and the towed miles don't count.)  I still would like a nice big car, but this one is nearly free these days.  Why take on a car payment, big insurance, high registration cost, etc. etc. when I can still get where I'm going quite satisfactorily?


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## ossian (Jun 27, 2016)

I still drive a largish car. A Ford Mondeo 2.0 diesel. I am not at the stage where my reactions have been affected by my age, although as I do drive so infrequently now, they have probably been affected by lack of practice! However, I love the large hatchback and do make use of the space in it quite often. I would not like to lose that.


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## Goldfynche (Jun 27, 2016)

I drive a Peugeot 307 diesel estate. A lovely smooth ride, ideal for rural Scottish roads. It was also useful for transporting home two recent purchases. A dishwasher and a large capacity washing machine. Both fitted comfortably in the tailgate. Though not at the same time!
Back to the original question though. I am over six feet tall so appreciate adequate legroom, particularly on an extended drive.
I have driven everything from Smart cars to Range Rovers and definitely prefer the internal wide open spaces.


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## Don M. (Jun 27, 2016)

Once a person retires, and no longer has to drive much, and has a good reliable car. buying a new car is more of an extravagance than an necessity.  Most cars/trucks made in the past couple of decades can last many years with proper maintenance.  Given the prices of new vehicles, it often makes more sense to put a couple hundred dollars into an older car, than to spend many thousands replacing it.  I get the "itch" every now and then, and if/when I decide to get a new car it will probably be one of these smaller crossover SUV's...Ford Escape, Subaru Forester, etc.  They have plenty of passenger/cargo space, are easy to handle in traffic/parking, and get good fuel mileage.


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## Butterfly (Jun 27, 2016)

Yeah -- I had resisted the urge until my Saturn's transmission went out beyond repair.  I didn't buy a brand new car, though; I found a two year old Kia that was in showroom condition and with very low mileage.  Thousands less than a brand new car.


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## ClubMike (Jun 28, 2016)

I drive a big old dodge ram 2500, it is also my farm truck. It has the v-10 set up so it is real good for hauling just about anything you want. I also just picked up a 2015 Impala off a lease with low miles for a great price. I like big Impala's, they are a very comfortable automobile. I would like to find an older convertible so I can cruising in it.


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## Phoenix (Jun 28, 2016)

Buying a used car in good condition proved good for me too.  These days they want a lot of money for a new car with the external strength, safety and size of a beer can.


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## Verisure (Jun 28, 2016)

Ralphy1 said:


> *Do you drive a small car now that you are a senior?*


I don't drive at all now that I am a senior. I was diagnosed with 'sleep apnoea' so my driver's licence was revoked last year.


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## Phoenix (Jun 28, 2016)

Verisure said:


> I don't drive at all now that I am a senior. I was diagnosed with 'sleep apnoea' so my driver's licence was revoked last year.



How are you getting around?  Is there good bus service?  Do people you know take you places?  Are there senior service buses?


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## Verisure (Jun 28, 2016)

Phoenix said:


> How are you getting around?  Is there good bus service?  Do people you know take you places?  Are there senior service buses?


Public transport is excellent in all of western Europe. In some countries senior citizens can use city transport free of charge, and other places/cities/countries senior citizens travel on reduced fares. In my country (Sweden) some cites offer senior citizen fare reductions but in my city I have to pay full fare! But we do have cheap(er) monthly tickets ... and 3 month summer tickets that are VERY cheap for everyone. Buses and trains go to just about every little village, and (in Sweden at least) where buses do not go, we can very often use a taxi without extra charge.


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## Phoenix (Jun 29, 2016)

So I've heard.  I didn't realize you were in Europe.  But carrying groceries on public transportation would be iffy.  A taxi would work.  Are your taxes high?


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## Verisure (Jun 29, 2016)

Phoenix said:


> So I've heard.  I didn't realize you were in Europe.  But carrying groceries on public transportation would be iffy.  A taxi would work.  Are your taxes high?


With a rucksack (or one of those two-wheel shopping carts) there's no problem on the bus. Also, most of us have bicycles with a basket on the front. Yes, taxis can be expensive, and anyway I never use them on principle. However, if we have a physical disability we can use the taxis for free, payed for by the national insurance.


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