Is anyone here living auto free?

[nswef]

We have 2, but have been using just one pretty much since we retired.If our schedules conflict we then use both. We are near no public transportation. Roads are frightening to me for biking or walking, although on the weekends there are often avid bikers putting their lives in danger on these winding,hilly,no shoulder,low visibility roads!

[kib]

I've come to the conclusion that my car is my security blanket. I will never be homeless or entirely at the whim of others if I have an operational car. I have no idea why this would concern me, the situation would have to be dire indeed for me to be unable to buy myself shelter, but the idea is always with me, in my dreams my home has wheels.

[jrpoole59]

For almost 8 years now. I had a stroke and gave up my driver's license. I'd never pass the driver's license test due to some side effects of my stroke. Now, if I need to go somewhere, I either walk (most common for me. My doctor says I should walk more!), take dial-a-ride (not reliable), or rely on family and friends for a lift. I think my sister might use our trips to run errands as an excuse to get away from her husband for a few hours. Living in town helps, too.

[Greg44]

We are a one car family - sort of - I have a company vehicle, that for the most part I rarely bring home. I bicycle commute nearly everywhere, to work, to church, dentist, bank, etc.
When needs be I will also take the bus. I take the express line which is about a mile away, but I like walking so it fine with me. Some of my co-workers think I am crazy, but I really do like cycling. Sure it can be the pits when it is cold, windy and raining - but I dress for it and off I go :-)

I have bicycled for nearly 5 years now and I know I have saved a huge amount of money in car payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance costs, etc. - and I am in better health for it.

I do take the car when I get the groceries, though I could easily walk. When my DW is out of town with the car, I just plan in advance before she leaves or make smaller trips.

[Teacher Terry]

He, my dad had a big stroke at 59. He threw away his license because he knew he couldn’t drive both physically and mentally.

[KayLR]

I'm seriously considering giving up my car when I retire in 2021, for many reasons environmental, financial, etc.

We'd keep one car between the two of us. I'm accustomed to using transit and also have a bike to get me to the store and back.

[jp1]

We are a one car family and neither of us uses it for commuting and rarely use it for shopping. If I hadn't inherited it from my father several years ago we would be car free, as we were before getting this car. We drive about 4,000 miles per year. Mostly weekends getting out of the city for a few days and me taking much shorter trips out of the city every weekend to go hiking in the nearby wilderness. If we didn't have a car we'd likely rent them or use zipcars to drive a similar amount each year.

[Yppej]

Having recently sprained my ankle I would not want to be without a car even if I were retired and did not need one for commuting.

[happystuff]

I've come to the conclusion that my car is my security blanket. I will never be homeless or entirely at the whim of others if I have an operational car. I have no idea why this would concern me, the situation would have to be dire indeed for me to be unable to buy myself shelter, but the idea is always with me, in my dreams my home has wheels.

I feel the same way. I drive the worse of our 3 cars (4 people) and even though it probably wouldn't make it 100 miles from home, it still gives me that same sense of security.

[bicyclist]

My gosh, if there is a thread tailor made for the "Bicyclist", it could be this one. I rely on cycling and public transit unless it's raining or snowing hard. And I have been doing it for years! Things are getting easier to get with the increased availability of home delivery but I still pick up food on a bike mounted with saddle bags. You would be surprised by what you can do. Bicyclist