I started on a bit of an experiment three years ago looking into whether I needed a vehicle. For the first year I took my truck off the road and went completely without. For those of you looking to lose a little weight - its a quick 5 pound loss doing this. Walking to the grocery store and cycling handled the majority of my transportation needs. Public transit is available and although it is poor, it is an option when a bike is not a good plan and walking takes too long. There were occasions when my distance was too great for a bike or the weight was too much or the bus just didn't go there. Year two and this year I put the truck on the road for the summer when I need it most. If I need to haul big items, that is when it gets done. The lesson I learned is to ask the question of whether I need the car or whether I use it because it is convenient to do so. Everyone's situation is a little different, but could you forgo your vehicle? If you have two or more in the family, could you survive with one? If you answer these questions truthfully, you can probably save a lot in gas and insurance.
I did that, we had two cars and we sold one of them to cut the expenses. Do we really need the other one? I think so, my in-laws are in other city, I have two small kids, so it's way more convenient to have one and eventually we save money on transportation.
I hardly ever leave the house these days because there's nothing for me out there. If I need to go shopping it'll take me only a three minute walk or less. That's the cute thing about living in a small town. However since I go on road trips once in a year, I definitely can't get rid of my car.
I have been without a car for 1 year. It has been very limiting. We do not have public transportation on the weekends or in the evening past 8pm. I have walked most of the places I need to go to or taken the bus when available and missed out on a lot of things I want to do. I rent a car when I can and have things that need to get don at all cost.
Due to my rural location, a situation with no car would mean a less luxurious lifestyle for me. In other words, I could definitely survive, but I'm not going to be able to go to town as much as before. Anyway, it's a way of life that my Northeast Tennessee ancestors had lived for years. However, though, in those days there were country stores, but now those things are extinct in my local area. They won't even keep them going for museums. One classic one was even torn down.
I've done the ultimate no license and no car any longer. I miss my car and license a lot! When I shop buying heavy things is when I really miss my car. My Mom needed emergency help. Without a car it got really scary and expensive too. If you can afford it, keep your car as well as economizing when you can. If you really don't need to drive walk or ride a bike if you got one. Riding the bus can be long. I live in Hawaii, so things are not too far so you figure, but this is a driving mode of thinking. When you ride the bus you got to give yourself at least 45 min. either way and then your errand time. This is in Hawaii where it's relatively small, but it takes time to go to your destination. We pay $60 for a month of bus pass. Keep your car if you can afford it-in an emergency you'll be so glad you got a car.
Once people are habituated to something, it becomes difficult to do without it. In our childhood, we did not have a car at home. We could well manage the situation without it. Now that the family is used to, it would be difficult to completely shun off using vehicles. However, if someone is close to a place where public transport is easily available, one could give a try to cut down on vehicle usage.
Yes, I do need a car. But I like those that are not expensive on maintenance and don't consume a lot of fuel. I'm not into how a car looks but I go for quality and comfort.
I miss owning a car as I do need it sometimes but I have learned to live without it since I have been carless for almost 5 years. I think if I owned a car now I wouldn't be able to use it anyway since the fuel is way too expensive and keeps rising but our pay remains the same. I find it more convinient, economy wise to take public transportation too bad it's more time consuming but I have already learned to do things a few hours earlier.
True, I lived in the Northern Mariana Islands for awhile and Saipan was definitely a place where it was difficult for someone to walk. You could walk and I was in that situation. However, it takes a good while to go to certain areas, and worst of all, lol, people kind of view you as weird. Anyway, walking is still a good way to save money and to get exercise, but I really think jogging and a gym would have been a better exercise on that island.
Yes, I really need my car and I don't give up on it for nothing. Maybe I'm already a little ill-mannered (I recognize this)... But since I live far from my job, I really need my car. It's essential, mainly because of my parents who are already elderly.
If you have been to Metro Manila, you will surely curse the heavy traffic. It’s unreasonable to spend more than 2 hours more than the usual travel time during rush hours. What we do is to leave the house much earlier – 4:30 am to reach the office by 6 am much earlier for the 8 am working time. It’s risky to travel by public transport during dawn so the car is very important to us. We actually have 2 cars that we use alternately for another reason – the coding system that prohibits a car to be used once a week.
I think if I honestly think over this matter, I can safely say that I can go without a car and if there is some kind of an emergency then I can use a taxi available freely at any point of time in the day or night hours. Yes, I can always use public transport for my work and also arrange delivery of every item to my place which is very much possible. Besides, back in my home country we have such a vast variety of transport system that we can live without car for any duration.
Your location and where you live play a huge and an important role in deciding whether you actually need a car or not, since i believe if you're in metropolitan city you don't need it as much in comparison to the suburbs or towns.
In a lot of places, a bicycle will work for public transport and will save you a ton on public transportation fees. In fact, it's even cheaper than using a bus or subway - and it's good exercise. However, though, there is always a risk for theft, so you must have adequate locks.
This is very topical for me at the moment because I was recently without a car through making a few bad decisions. I walked everywhere and didn't miss it too much but there were times when I could have done with one. I got soaked a few times in heavy rain and there were times I was just too tired to walk. I have bought a cheap little runaround now and really love it so have decided that although I probably can manage without one it is nice to know it's there.
There is a lot of ways to get around today with the ubers and lyfts-but also you could have a car in the driveway and just use it in a minimal way. If you think about it though,we live in a era that offers many ways to get around like the bicycle,walking and public transit as well. I think you could really mix it up today, with all the choices to get around-and you could get a ride off one of your family members as well once in awhile.
