Who here doesn't own a car?

[Syringer]

My Explorer is currently in the shop with transmission issues, and it probably won't be cheap after all is said and done--so on top of all the other money I've spent on the thing, not even counting its gas guzzling nature, I'm definitely not the biggest fan of cars right now.

Then I see posts like these: http://carfree.us/?p=97

That dissect how much money can be saved throughout the year, and while I'm not a huge environmental nut, I suppose that's a bonus as well.

Currently I live 8 miles from work, live in downtown San Diego with most of the things I need within walking distance, and am an avid biker as it is. I also spent my first year of college without a car and remember surviving then.

Inconvenient it certainly will be, but I'm sure if need be I can be forced to adjusting to it.

Anyone here given up on cars? Where are you located and how have you managed?

 

[Raduque]

I don't like being without transportation. You can pry my keys from my cold, dead hands.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

You can give up your car, more gas for me

 

[Rubycon]

Never had one, don't drive. Life is good.

 

[duragezic]

Maybe a decent option for some people on here (surprising number I read who never got their licenses till like 18-20+) but for me, nope. Heck I don't even work right now and I want a car.

I'll gladly spend the huge amount it cost me to buy a new car recently, $900/yr in insurance, gas, everything, for it.

Same way I look at how my previous cubemate used to drive 70 miles (80-90 minutes) one way everyday to work. He said he did it because it was cheaper for gas than an apartment (even at $4/gal and his truck, it is) and to help his parents. While the second part is different, I would have GLADLY payed whatever it cost more for an apartment than to make that drive.

So yes, it costs money. When it breaks down, yes it's frustrating and costs even more. But I'll still take it.

 

[Mike Gayner]

I currently own a car, but could easily not own one. I walk to work most morning (5km), and really don't use my car that much. Mind you, my GF has a car and I would usually want one car in the household for groceries etc. We went totally carless for a year a couple of years ago, and that was fine in the city we were living in at the time.

 

[zerocool84]

I live in California. Good luck without one. Even living in Downtown LA sucks without one. Cali public transportation is horrible which is why everyone needs cars.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I live in California. Good luck without one. Even living in Downtown LA sucks without one. Cali public transportation is horrible which is why everyone needs cars.

Pretty much this. Going anywhere is at least a 10-15 minute drive

 

[Lifted]

I would never own a car since they don't burn enough gas. I <3 my suburban. Drive it 60 miles each way to work every day.

 

[kindest]

i dont own a car.. i have access to one when i need one tho. which is a lot.

 

[Syringer]

I live in California. Good luck without one. Even living in Downtown LA sucks without one. Cali public transportation is horrible which is why everyone needs cars.

I went to school in LA and LA is awful w/o a car, but driving in LA is not much better.

In the Bay Area, e.g. SF/Berkeley you can get around with walking for your needs, and BART is used by 100,000s of commuters everyday.

If anything the one advantage being in California, or for me San Diego is that you can easily walk/bike year round without many issues. Even though DC/NY/Chicago have great transportation systems, I can't imagine the freezing snowy winters, or hot summer days being outside for long periods of time.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I went to school in LA and LA is awful w/o a car, but driving in LA is not much better.

In the Bay Area, e.g. SF/Berkeley you can get around with walking for your needs, and BART is used by 100,000s of commuters everyday.

If anything the one advantage being in California, or for me San Diego is that you can easily walk/bike year round without many issues. Even though DC/NY/Chicago have great transportation systems, I can't imagine the freezing snowy winters, or hot summer days being outside for long periods of time.

Try doing this with public transport:
Drive from apt to GFs apt to pick her up (10 miles)
Go to movies (8 miles)
Go to newport coast (15 miles)
Drop her back off (12 miles)
Go home (10 miles)

Bottom line, doesn't work. This is a typical evening out here, and most bus lines stop at 8-9PM anyway. After that you're stuck taking a taxi.

 

[alfa147x]

Don't have a car... should have one but insurance + gas + regular maintenance was WAY to high for me (Thank god it never needed any serious repairs ) Sold the car (2004 Honda Civic coupe ) now I have $9500 in my saving account.

I just need to go to walmart and home. My girlfriend has a minivan that we use for that.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Couldn't get away without one, but I'd love to live in a place where I can just ride my motorcycle year round.

 

[bignateyk]

Yep, have two. One was bought used and paid upfront (2004 Jeep Liberty), the other is only halfway paid (2008 RAV4). I'll never buy a new car again though. That's one of my biggest regrets. From now on, i'm only buying used cars <$15K, and paying it all up front.

 

[Tristicus]

You can give up your car, more gas for me

This. Let everybody give up cars...

 

[DaWhim]

I don't. It took me a year living in London to change my mind set. after i got back, I do not want to own a car unless i absolutely have to. there are two cars in my family owned by my sis and bro. I can always take their car if needed.

it helps that I live in NYC. I would take 1.5 hour commute than drive 1 hour for work, which is my option right now. I may drive on sat or sun if I have work, otherwise, public transportation works out much better for me.

 

[nageov3t]

technically, my parents own my car.

if all I did was go work and come back home, I could survive without a car... even then, I question the money I'd be saving since I'd have to shop at grocery stores within walking distance and pay more than I'd be paying at my big box grocery store a town over.

hanging out with my friends or going to visit my family on any kind of a regular basis would be impractical unless I bummed rides from people every time.

 

[HannibalX]

Orlando has basically no viable public transit and is very spread out. Population density compared to other areas with the same land size is low but since everything is spread out you must drive everywhere. Without a car in this town you're screwed, it is not walkable in any sense and because of the way the roads are engineered I don't like to bike it much either.

If I wanted to take the bus to work according to the bus system's web site it would take four hours each way and that's to go less than 10 miles. On top of that, the buses don't actually run earlier enough for me to get to work on time if I wanted to.

On top of that, I like my cars. In fact, this summer I'm planning to buy two new cars.

 

[shortylickens]

I own a vehicle. Have pretty much always owned one since I was 17.
I figure if it sits for a while and I dont drive it, then I'm not polluting or wasting money at that particular point in time. The state fees for a year are negligible, and I dont take long road trips just to burn gasoline. Mostly its the maintenance if I do put miles on it. My Chevy S-10 is a poorly made piece of crap. Wish I had gone for a small Japanese or European car instead. If the buses in my town were more reliable I could see not having a vehicle at all. Cant afford to go off-roading anymore so I really dont need it.

 

[ViviTheMage]

We do not have any decent transportation in Minneapolis, so a car is needed. I would bike, but i'm not crazy enough to do that during the winter.

 

[nick1985]

I would never own a car since they don't burn enough gas. I <3 my suburban. Drive it 60 miles each way to work every day.

How many thousands a year do you spend on gas?

 

[FelixDeCat]

Dude, wheres my car? Who cares I have an 18 speed.

 

[Kirby]

commute is about 45 minutes one way, and there is no public transportation that i know of. not that i'd take it anyway.

 

[murphyslabrat]

I was one of those folks who didn't get a car till I was almost 21. I biked everywhere, and that included classes every weekday at a school that was 15 miles away, sometimes going there and back again more than once in a day. That was in Wisconsin, and I still did it in all but the worst snow.

Driving a van with $90 insurance and about $200 in gas a month, I definitely miss my bike. However, in Wisconsin I had my family and a lot of close friends to bum rides from, when needed. Here, Lake County, Florida, some of my friends are now 20 miles away, and I'd be doing that ride at night, after work. Further, I would still be unemployed, as I got a job as a delivery driver.

All in all, it's a serious handicap, but imo, it was worth the trade-offs, but only if you want to save up for something at the maximum velocity. Like, if you got engaged, or if you started on some "financial freedom" plan.