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Thread: Is anyone here living auto free?

  1. #1
    Senior Member gimmethesimplelife's Avatar
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    Is anyone here living auto free?

    Just curious as I have for a number of years and at this point I could not seeing adding the expense and hassle of a car to my life.

    Perhaps in my case it's easier to do so than for many. I do live very close to downtown and have shorts walks to three major bus routes and everything I really need is within reasonable walking distance - amazing in this example of relentless auto based urban sprawl that Phoenix is.

    How does anyone else here make being auto free work for them? Rob

  2. #2
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    It would be very difficult where I live, as it is quite rural and there is basically no public transportation.

    Plenty of people who live within our village manage without cars, but they have to borrow or rent one for any errands outside of town.

    I'm a ways out of town, and manage to use my bicycle for most things these days, even for mainland expeditions, but that requires a certain amount of committment.

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    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    Our bus system is terrible. We have 2 cars now but if 1 dies we could manage with one. The grocery store walking distance to our house is super expensive. Plus we buy a month’s worth at a time.

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    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    No way. I can't be without a car in Vermont. That being said, I have two sons who live in Burlington, VT and they don't have cars. One of them takes a bus to work in the winter and rides his motorcycle to work in the summer. The other son can walk to his job in less than 10 minutes. I think Burlington also offers zip cars in case they need to drive out of town--at least they used to.
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    The thread on walking distance made me think about what is possible as far as errands nearby. There's even a gym within walking distance but I like super low key gyms without ridiculous contracts and so go to a different gym ... so we get down to some of the businesses nearby aren't those I'd rather frequent . Others are ok. I've been combining gym with groceries as far as driving.

    But that's just businesses and shopping, the real reason no way I'd give up a car entirely, short of a much better public transportation system (!), is about survival, as in ability to get to jobs including to get to job interviews (if you move for jobs you would be constantly on the move and even then hard to move on 2 weeks notice) and seeing people.
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    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    If I lived in a big city with good transportation I would take it as I hate driving.

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    We couldn't go car free, but I keep wondering if I'm too old to bike to work (5 miles one way, but part is rural route/busy road). DH is definitely against it, but I still haven't let go of the idea. We'll see. Otherwise, still couldn't/wouldn't be without a car as it really is the only way to see/get together with extended family - a definite "must" in my life.
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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    That is cool, Rob, that you go carless. No doubt you put in many steps a day, good for your health.

    A related questions is: how many households here with more than two people have just one car? There is a couple nearby who have had only one car between them.Now they are retired but they did the one car gig while they were working as well.

  9. #9
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    A related questions is: how many households here with more than two people have just one car? There is a couple nearby who have had only one car between them.Now they are retired but they did the one car gig while they were working as well.
    I don't think my marriage would last if DH and I had to share a car. He likes his "rig" (pick-up truck); I like my Prius. He smokes in his rig; God forbid he smokes in my Prius. I'm very punctual and reliable if I say I'll be somewhere at a certain time; he just goes where the wind blows him and I'd be worried all the time that he wouldn't be back in time with the car so I could be on time for a meeting or an appointment.

    No way could we do with just one car. I'll manifest my "simple life" in other ways. NOTE: We did have one car between us for many years and IT SUCKED for all the reasons mentioned.
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  10. #10
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    I don't think my marriage would last if DH and I had to share a car. He likes his "rig" (pick-up truck); I like my Prius. He smokes in his rig; God forbid he smokes in my Prius. I'm very punctual and reliable if I say I'll be somewhere at a certain time; he just goes where the wind blows him and I'd be worried all the time that he wouldn't be back in time with the car so I could be on time for a meeting or an appointment.

    No way could we do with just one car. I'll manifest my "simple life" in other ways. NOTE: We did have one car between us for many years and IT SUCKED for all the reasons mentioned.
    Yes we couldn't share a car, too much planning required. As it is, we have 4 cars but only 2 at most are driven at any one time! Haha.

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