• erogenouswarzone@lemmy.ml
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    7 months ago

    I am that uncle. I’m just doing what I have to to survive.

    If I could buy a new car I would. I’d get an electric, self-driving pleasure machine, but no way I can afford it.

    Maybe when this thing breaks down (it’s already 15 yrs old).

        • BlanketsWithSmallpox@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Dont forget to tailgate then hang next to the car you were tailgating for a few moments before flying past you just to end up at the same stop light down the road.

            • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              I’m a school bus driver and many of my fellow drivers talk or surf on their phones while driving fucking kids around. It’s illegal and every moment on our buses is recorded (audio and video) but somehow nothing is said or done about this by the people in charge.

              • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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                7 months ago

                There’s likely already a shortage of drivers and they can’t get more because they don’t pay enough. Blow the whistle. It’ll end up getting you paid more if you can stay secret. If not, they’ll fire you and you can sue and get paid A LOT more.

            • kautau@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              “Bro you won’t believe this idiot on the highway who wouldn’t get out of the way of my truck”

      • HooPhuckenKarez@kbin.social
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        7 months ago

        My sister in-law? Broke as fuck, came across a windfall from an accident that never came up before, spent more than a third of it on… a fucking F-150 platinum. Still deep in debt, living in low income housing, doesn’t have a job.

    • powerofm
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      7 months ago

      This is completely understandable. The solution isn’t another car, it’s better city planning and public transit.

      • JDubbleu@programming.dev
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        7 months ago

        It’s a gamble to get a used car you know nothing about when you have a truck you know is at least a bit reliable. My family grew up playing used car roulette and it’s pretty damn hard to come out ahead in this scenario. Best to run the thing until it dies while saving up for a new or like new vehicle.

        • rbesfe
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          7 months ago

          Picking the right used car is important, my 2008 civic I got in 2018 is still chugging

        • HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works
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          7 months ago

          Makes completely sense to drive your car to the tomb. I live in Europe and try my best to dodge European cars. I’ve been lucky with my used Prius since 2014, aiming at keeping it as long as possible

          • JDubbleu@programming.dev
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            7 months ago

            I know a ton about cars, but short of taking the motor apart there’s only so much you can glean from a drive and quick once over.

            • NotSoCoolWhip@lemmy.world
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              7 months ago

              Then you don’t know cars as well as you say you do, because you can check for a whole lot more than that without pulling the engine lmao. Maybe stick to the dealership if you don’t feel like you can effectively evaluate it’s condition.

      • Acrimonious@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        Switching costs money. From what he said money might be tight. I buy and sell my own vehicles. It is a job. Most prefer to give up a few grand to not have to do it (you never get paid full market value on a trade in). Even if someone decided to do it themselves they run the risk of losing big time if they’re inexperienced. Even though I’ve been doing it for years even I lose on some of these. When I lose, it’s usually close to the cost of the vehicle. I can afford that and in the end I average out really well.But the majority of people can’t do that. I get all the hate new big trucks get and I agree. As someone who works in construction I wish station wagons would make a come back. But it’s really easy to say “just do x y or z” it’s not so easy to do.

        • HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works
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          7 months ago

          I get your feeling. It’s a shame the market is built so that people buy more and more useless guga-trucks while most people would do perfectly well with a small family car.

      • snowadv@lemm.ee
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        7 months ago

        And totally not safe for everyday driving to me. Even if the biker himself is a good one ,dumbass right next to him might crush him any second

        • kautau@lemmy.world
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          7 months ago

          Yeah even in just local traffic, your body really doesn’t do well against a jarring 30mph throw or tons of solid steel pressing up against you. I’ve thought about buying a cheap motorcycle to go to the stores near me for awhile (Yes, I’m in the US. Yes, there’s no public transportation. Yes, I own a car) but honestly seeing drivers around me just driving my car once a week makes me not want to do it

          • Globulart@lemmy.world
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            7 months ago

            My brother was riding his motorbike when a car turned across his path having not seen him, he was doing 30mph and was launched off the bike, flew over the car, and landed directly on his elbow.

            9 hours of surgery rebuilding his arm and now it’s half metal and has about 30-45 degrees of movement. There was serious talk about amputation early on so he kinda got lucky (also lucky to land on an arm rather than his head obviously!)

            Motorbikes may be fun and economical but fuck driving them around other cars, eventually you’ll run into a bad driver and if you’re unlucky that could be the end for you.

      • erogenouswarzone@lemmy.ml
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        7 months ago

        I have one. It also sucks to ride for an hour, you’re eaither sweating, freezing or some other form of uncomfortable.

    • grue@lemmy.world
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      7 months ago

      I’d get an electric, self-driving pleasure machine, but no way I can afford it.

      Just get a bicycle already! Thinking your only other option is an “electric, self-driving pleasure machine” is such a false dichotomy.

    • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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      7 months ago

      Honestly, if it’s that old, it might be a good idea to see what the resale value is and see if you can buy something more practical. It won’t be electric, but even a wagon or sedan will have better mileage.

      Plug the numbers into excel, calculate how much you save on fuel, google maintenance costs, depreciation, insurance, etc. etc.