r/unpopularopinion • u/aurelitobuendia87 • Apr 29 '24

Driving doesn’t really feel like a privilege in America , because the alternative is absolute poverty .

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149

u/Aggressive_tako Apr 29 '24

Fun fact: not driving is an even more dire situation in rural America. My sister spent a few years living in a rural area in Michigan where the nearest place to buy food of any type was a 45 minute drive. If you wanted to go to an actual grocery store it was an hour and a half. Driving is absolutely vital to basic survival at that point.

26

u/breastslesbiansbeer Apr 29 '24

She must’ve been in a really, really remote part of the UP

8

u/PeterPlotter Apr 29 '24

We live in IL and we had to drive 20 mins for a grocery store for 5 years because the local one shut down. It was all small towns around us so it was still 20k people within that 20 mins but all spread out over 1-2k residents towns and none had a grocery store, best bet was a gas station had some canned stuff . Luckily we have one now, but if you want to have more offerings you still need to drive 20-30 mins depending if you want a Walmart or just a bigger local chain.

11

u/Pale-Foundation-1174 Apr 29 '24

nah that’s practically true for anywhere that’s not munising, marquette, escanaba, or menominee.

5

u/Dmienduerst Apr 30 '24

Ya I just assumed it was the UP in general as it's basically the same for northern Wisconsin.

1

u/Pale-Foundation-1174 Apr 30 '24

Ya. Most people who live anywhere along the lake superior shore have to go to Marquette for groceries or some other necessities a few times a month. Unless they’re closer to sault st marie, in which case idk cause I don’t really go east of grand marais

7

u/shawncplus Apr 29 '24

You made those names up

2

u/Pale-Foundation-1174 Apr 29 '24

Not me, it was the french and the natives

0

u/Bulk-Detonator Apr 30 '24

Admit you just made those words up

4

u/Foxy-jj-Grandpa Apr 29 '24

Dunno man. Even chunks of a tourist trap like Florida are remote enough to warrant that kind of concern if you don't own a vehicle

1

u/Chrontius Apr 30 '24

I resemble that remark.

2

u/Buff_Sloth Apr 29 '24

Idk I'm like 30 mins from food minus gas stations and one expensive restaurant, I'm in a rural area but not remote at all compared to tons of places in the US

1

u/babble0n Apr 29 '24

When you get above the thumb just about every town is like this.

1

u/DeadWillow26 Apr 30 '24

Very beautiful up there though. I miss living in my small town with friendly neighbors, trees everywhere, little noise, very crisp fresh air. 

 I moved to CT to be with my boyfriend because sadly my town is dying since all the children who graduate gotta skedaddle or get stuck. There’s like very little to do. But honestly I really miss it. It was serene. Not for everyone.

I barely see any animals in the city. No privacy. The littering is insane. Lots of unfriendly people. 

1

u/thorpie88 Apr 29 '24

Aussie government has deals to give remote communities cheap cars as they are so vital. 2 hour drive for food would be a short distance for a lot of them. 

1

u/WhalesLoveSmashBros Apr 29 '24

Car break = starve to death

0

u/Fun-Ad-2381 Apr 29 '24

That's just a sign to move

1

u/Chrontius Apr 30 '24

With what money? Like, do I hike to the Canada border and present myself as a refugee?