# How many days a week do you drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 2, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533 "2012-04-02T00:40:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/1 "2012-04-02T00:40:15Z")
On average? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/2 "2012-04-02T00:56:15Z")
1. Having no license and no car really limits my driving opportunities. I need to rectify the license thing though. It’s seems like every job in the paper these days requires a valid drivers license. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/3 "2012-04-02T01:03:24Z")
Usually only for weekend errands - we are public transit commuters. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/4 "2012-04-02T01:07:13Z")
Even in suburban Boston, if you want to go anywhere whatsoever, you have to drive. That equals 7 days a week 365 days a year for me minus an odd day if I am holed up sick or something. I am always curious about people’s lifestyles when they don’t drive. I think I know enough second-hand not to want to do that experiment at all. It is foreign concept to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/5 "2012-04-02T01:07:20Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > 1. Having no license and no car really limits my driving opportunities. > > I need to rectify the license thing though. It’s seems like every job in the paper these days requires a valid drivers license. Of course, you should change your name to avoid biasing the examiner. I drive habitually five days a week and more often than not on both weekend days, so I chose 7. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/6 "2012-04-02T01:11:44Z")
Here in SoCal, driving is how you get around. I wish there were reliable and comprehensive public transit, but there isn’t. Still, i usually manage to go at 1 day a week without getting behind the wheel, so i put 6 days a week. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/7 "2012-04-02T01:14:51Z")
1. I live in NYC and travel by public transportation. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/8 "2012-04-02T01:24:14Z")
Pretty much every day, on average. There may be the odd Sunday where we stay at home, but other than that… ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/9 "2012-04-02T01:25:59Z")
I don’t drive. Mostly I cycle to work, ride the bus and train when I feel like it/if necessary. I also walk places, but not daily as it’s more time consuming than biking. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/10 "2012-04-02T01:28:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Pretty much every day, on average. There may be the odd Sunday where we stay at home, but other than that… Same here. I have to drive to get to work (as does my wife), which is pretty much every weekday. We frequently get together with friends, or do other activities, on the weekends. It’s a rare day that I don’t get in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/11 "2012-04-02T01:31:53Z")
A minimum of 3 days a week during school terms (my daughter has kindergarten twice a week and ballet once a week), but in practice probably 5 days a week. Rarely 7, but rarely less than 4. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/12 "2012-04-02T02:37:49Z")
I picked 2–pub-trans commuter, drive both days most weekends. But really if I averaged across the year it would probably be like 1.25–drive both weekend days in the winter and less often in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/13 "2012-04-02T02:53:12Z")
Maybe 5? I’m not really sure. Getting kids to and from their activities and running errands puts me behind the wheel more often than commuting. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/14 "2012-04-02T03:00:10Z")
I suppose there is the odd day I wouldn’t drive somewhere, but it’s very unusual. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/15 "2012-04-02T03:06:47Z")
At least 5 times a week getting the Kiddo to and from school and activities. If we go out on the weekends, usually **SuburbanPlankton** drives. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/16 "2012-04-02T03:13:03Z")
Maybe one or two on average. Between an excellent public transportation and bicycles, we’re pretty much set. On the weekends, we will often go someplace as a family, but not each weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/17 "2012-04-02T03:16:23Z")
It varies, but the trips are very short for the most part. We put 4,000 miles on the car in the past year. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/18 "2012-04-02T03:47:26Z")
7 I live in California. It’s required by law 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/19 "2012-04-02T04:13:03Z")
When working regularly it’s usually five days a week, but when I’m not working, I tend to walk most places and drive very rarely. It’s important for me to live somewhere that I can walk for groceries, the library, banking, restaurants, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533/20 "2012-04-02T04:20:08Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Even in suburban Boston, if you want to go anywhere whatsoever, you have to drive. That equals 7 days a week 365 days a year for me minus an odd day if I am holed up sick or something. I am always curious about people’s lifestyles when they don’t drive. I think I know enough second-hand not to want to do that experiment at all. It is foreign concept to me. Yes, I’ve lived briefly in an area with enough public transit and enough street traffic that I rarely drove. That’s the only real situation I can think of where it’s fine to not drive. In pretty much the entire United States I think it’s a huge pain in the ass not to be able to drive. Realistically anywhere but NYC itself I think it’s bad not to be able to drive. Even cities with really solid transit like San Francisco or Chicago, in my experience, not being able to drive is a drag. I know people who don’t own a car in SF and they often have to arrange all kinds of elaborate, weird shit to be able to do things I can take care of in 15 minutes. Is it a daily or even weekly problem? No, but it is a problem and it’s a fantasy to pretend it isn’t. There’s a reason San Francisco is the launchpad for programs like RelayRides (where individuals rent out their cars to people in off-hours.) I can imagine a ton of situations where, if I had the free time, I’d be happy riding a bike most of the time or walking most of the time. But even in those situations it seems crazy to me to not retain the _ability_ to drive if it’s necessary. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-days-a-week-do-you-drive/617533.md?page=2)