People with no vehicle?

[BrentD]

I think this depends a lot on the circumstances. I play with a guy that didn't own a car for a while, but he only sold is old one due to an impending move. When he settled again, he bought another car.

If occasional rides for a friend/bandmate is the most they require, then you might consider yourself doing pretty well!

 

[BawanaRik]

Puerto Rico is pretty much either "have a car" or "go nowhere". Our public transportation is a joke.

Sucks, because I'd love to be able to ride my bike to gigs. Or a Motorcycle. (I'm a "two wheels better than four wheels" kinda guy.)

Then again, how would I carry my 2x15? lol

Angle the bass so the wind isn't grabbing it. Use a micro amp like an Eden wtx

 

[buldog5151bass]

Obviously it depends on the instrument and the geography.

When I was younger, because of a medical condition, I lost my license for 6 months. During that time, I was selling insurance - a jpb that required 25-70,000 miles per year. I managed - I had a parent drive.

Again, the question is, can you make the gigs and practices - not, are you going to be getting there in style.

 

[will33]

I think you'll find a newer fancier car cost over 10K$ per year to operate.

Look at the tuneup on a Porsche.

And is a complete waste of money and time. Not practical. If somebody can afford that, hey, good for them, but one can easily get a reliable used car for less than the price of a new Fender bass. There is no excuse for not having one.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Take a male under 25 with a couple of tickets - insurance alone could be $2500, more in a big city.

 

[Lee Moses]

And is a complete waste of money and time. Not practical. If somebody can afford that, hey, good for them, but one can easily get a reliable used car for less than the price of a new Fender bass. There is no excuse for not having one.

Take a male under 25 with a couple of tickets - insurance alone could be $2500, more in a big city.

If you're talking about a big city, especially a big east coast city, you have to add in hundreds per month for parking.

 

[will33]

Take a male under 25 with a couple of tickets - insurance alone could be $2500, more in a big city.

Just the basic liability insurance required by law is pretty cheap. More expensive for young males, yes, but they still probably spend more than that on beer or movies in a month.

Again, priorities, man. It's not like you need full coverage on an old car when you can just junk it and get another one for $1500 or less.

 

[lfmn16]

A lot of people do spend $10k a year on transportation, however, the vast majority of them could easily do it at less than half that amount with very little sacrifice. A "basic" 7 or 8 year old vehicle with low mileage is not expensive and will easily last another 7 or 8 years with basic maintenance. No one really needs to buy a new vehicle every 3 or 4 years.

People mistake what they want for what they need.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Obviously you are neither young nor live in NYC. Add in parking (have you priced parking in NYC or Boston?). I know bassists who get around fine in cities never using private transportation.

 

[will33]

Obviously you are neither young nor live in NYC. Add in parking (have you priced parking in NYC or Boston?). I know bassists who get around fine in cities never using private transportation.

I can understand maybe in someplace like New York or London. Anyplace else having a car is just part of being a functional human being.

I'll never understand people who have big screen tv's, an xbox and several hundred dollars worth of video games, boutique beer in the fridge, $100 shoes, $2000 guitar, but they need a ride. It makes no sense to me.

 

[buldog5151bass]

FWIT, I agree it is a concern, just not a deal-breaker.

 

[Fat Steve]

In the greater Los Angeles area, it is absolutely a necessity. I will never again be in a serious band with anyone without their own vehicle so long as I'm out here.

 

[Kragnorak]

The prevalent attitude in the US is that people without a car are some kind of second class citizen, like there must be something wrong with them. It's really starting to piss me off.

Have you ever stopped to think how monstrously expensive automobiles really are? How many hundreds are going out of your pocket every month just to feed the beast? It's all well and good if you want to do that but for some people it's just not possible or preferable. My car quit on me a few months ago and I miss it maybe one day in ten. Which is good because there's no possible way I can afford a new vehicle.

Yep, cars are expen$ive and painful to maintain when all you want to do is live and play music. I'd rather GAS than gas if you know what I mean.

Those of us that know what it's like to lose $2k at a pop just to get your car back may have had bad experiences with those that don't. So while YOU might not be a 2nd-class citizen, you may be up against resentment against inconsiderate moochers.

For example, this thread gave me a bad flashback. I worked with a bandleader (horn player) with no car. He paid for the gigs but never took into account the extra transportation burden and would hit someone up for a ride. I had the bad luck to have a car malfunction while he was in it and that was irritating as he didn't offer any extra money for the extra wear and tear. The final straw was when a friend was driving us and after an expensive repair his bumper fell off at a light. The horn player piped up "This is why I'm glad I don't have a car" at which point everyone wanted to murder him or leave him to walk.

 

[Kragnorak]

Here in Oslo it's the opposite: a car is not really something you need, unless you're a drummer.
I lived here since 1996 and never needed a car. I eventually bought a car in 2011, but only because I fathered twins... it got kind of necessary
Before that I lived in Rome: a car is a hindrance sometimes, even though every one seems to have one. Parking is impossible, I can't tell the times I payed a higher parking fine than what I got at the gig...
Now that I do own a car, I must admit I love it! It's a Nissan Leaf, full electric (there are huge bonuses in Norway for electric vehicles: no VAT, no charge on the motorway, free parking and you can use the bus/taxi lane).

If I ever lived in the USA, I would of course have to buy a car. I've been to LA a few times, almost got arrested for walking a couple of times!

How do musicians get around in your country? I remember being in a band where we would cram on the train. It was a nightmare, and one time the drummer lost ALL his cymbals at once! (duh on that, but...)

 

[totallyfrozen]

For an adult, "no car" means financially irresponsible and/or immature.

No thanks. Not interested in babying a grown kid. Carry your own weight or get lost.

Meh, so you don't need a car in NYC. So what. It's the size of a postage stamp. In the other 99.9% of America, having a car is part of being an adult.


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[lfmn16]

I'll never understand people who have big screen tv's, an xbox and several hundred dollars worth of video games, boutique beer in the fridge, $100 shoes, $2000 guitar, but they need a ride. It makes no sense to me.

It's easy - they are transferring the cost of transportation to other people that they can mooch a ride off of.

The most galling part of being in a band with someone without transportation is that at some point they will try to make you look and/or feel like a dick because you won't give them a ride - usually when their main sucker isn't available. I won't even put myself in that position anymore. I don't live in an area with public transportation, so I won't play in a band with someone who is dependent on other people for a ride. YMMV.

 

[Munjibunga]

I don't think it is any of your buisness how the dude gets around. You hire him if he sounds good and has a good aditude. It is only your consern if he dosn't show up. Fire him then if nessissary.

If you don't have a car in SoCal, it's pretty tough to get places. I wouldn't take a chance on someone with no car.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The prevalent attitude in the US is that people without a car are some kind of second class citizen, like there must be something wrong with them. It's really starting to piss me off.

Have you ever stopped to think how monstrously expensive automobiles really are? How many hundreds are going out of your pocket every month just to feed the beast? It's all well and good if you want to do that but for some people it's just not possible or preferable. My car quit on me a few months ago and I miss it maybe one day in ten. Which is good because there's no possible way I can afford a new vehicle.

Basic transportation does not have to be monstrously expensive. Driving something you like might be.

A car can be a necessity similar to food and housing. For what I do, I need a car so I found a way to get and keep one. Priorities.

I don't look at people without cars as any particular sort of citizen and maybe the folks I know without cars are anomalies... I see people who've found ways to get other things they want and constantly impose on others who did pony up of transportation. Typically with no mention of any sort of compensation. All while making very good money on gigs. Typically "waiting to get a car they like". IME IMO screw that... buy a hoopty. If it gets you from point A to point B and back, mission accomplished.

So IME yes, often something is wrong with them. Not everyone, some may have legit hardships but when a singer constantly tries to bum rides while wearing Armani, something is wrong.

I don't personally enable folks like that. Sure, I'll offer a ride if you have a car problem but I'm not doing that on a regular basis. And I wouldn't expect someone to do that for me... I'd find a way to handle my business.

In this case I wouldn't care if the musician had a car or not, as long as he gets to whatever commitments we have without drama. I know of spouses, girlfriends/boyfriends and even volunteer roadies who'll schlep a musician to a gig so I don't care. If they don't show up then we have a problem.

BTW you can run into trouble getting to gigs even if you do have a car.

 

[BawanaRik]

People mistake what they want for what they need.

I recall speaking with one individual and they weren't making ends meet. They were living in a 2K$ a month apartment and were making $500 payments on an SUV. I suggested selling the SUV and getting a Corolla. She was livid. You expect me to drive around in a Corolla?

Well I've done much worse.

The Yaris was available in Europe for years before the US. In an engine option that got better gas millage that the US gets.

I realize a car is a luz item and am trying to wean myself from said luz life. Anyone paying 5 beans a month for a car payment is also losing close to that or maybe more in depreciation.

Yep, cars are expen$ive and painful to maintain when all you want to do is live and play music. I'd rather GAS than gas if you know what I mean.

Those of us that know what it's like to lose $2k at a pop just to get your car back may have had bad experiences with those that don't. So while YOU might not be a 2nd-class citizen, you may be up against resentment against inconsiderate moochers.

For example, this thread gave me a bad flashback. I worked with a bandleader (horn player) with no car. He paid for the gigs but never took into account the extra transportation burden and would hit someone up for a ride. I had the bad luck to have a car malfunction while he was in it and that was irritating as he didn't offer any extra money for the extra wear and tear. The final straw was when a friend was driving us and after an expensive repair his bumper fell off at a light. The horn player piped up "This is why I'm glad I don't have a car" at which point everyone wanted to murder him or leave him to walk.

That's an interesting view into human behavior.

 

[Ric5]

I live in the Denver area ... around here without a car you really can't get to a gig. So someone else in the band has to be your ride.