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01-03-05, 09:33 AM
It's interesting to consider how far this can be taken. Car-less is obviously easier in places with good public transportation, but the flip side is that some entire states (like Maine) are very rural and have very limited public transportation beyond a few of the larger cities. (Which aren't even very large by some other states' standards.) Living in a small town, you could easily be car-less around town (and I am as much as possible), but if I want to do something in a neighboring small town, like visit a friend or go to a concert, there are fewer alternatives to a personal car. Many of these hamlets don't even get a Greyhound bus, much less regular inter-town public transport. For just myself, it's possible I could bike 15-20 miles to get there, but what about my two kids (ages 4 and 6)? Okay, they could ride in a trailer or one of those bike extensions, and my wife could tow the other, and we'd have to just accept that it would take more planning and time. But my wife wouldn't do that, not only because she's not as hard-core as me, but she wouldn't want us riding on the two-lane shoulderless roads with cars zipping by at 50+. And it would be ever harder living in the country, having to take these roads at least several miles to get anywhere! Obviously, this is a problem with how our bedroom community society is evolving.
I guess it's all a matter of lifestyle choices, and how far you are willing to arrange your whole like around being car-less. My point is simply that if you live in a place that makes it easy to be car-less, you are lucky. Not everyone does.
You raise a good point....kids. I'm down to only 1 at home so have had more free time. With this time I have been commuting by bike and train to work. Going anywhere on a bike usually takes more time and with children one does not often have enough extra time. When I was young I walked to school, rode my bike to scouts and ballgames. Unfortunately times have changed. Playing on sports teams in your neighborhood is not possible. Travel teams have taken over. Often families travel great distances to reach a game. Seems stupid to me. We had enough kids local to organize teams but most(not me) wanted travel teams. I guess you could always depend on other families for rides but with 3 kids X 3 sports; equals a lot of favors. I don't think I could ever live without a car...sorry. Often I travel out of town on weekends for camping, kayaking and climbing and this would be really hard w/o a car. I don't drive much but I can't see being without one. I am impresed with your ability to cope without. I climb with a bunch of carless folks in DC and don't mind picking them up at the metro stops with all their gear. Charlie
I guess it's all a matter of lifestyle choices, and how far you are willing to arrange your whole like around being car-less. My point is simply that if you live in a place that makes it easy to be car-less, you are lucky. Not everyone does.
You raise a good point....kids. I'm down to only 1 at home so have had more free time. With this time I have been commuting by bike and train to work. Going anywhere on a bike usually takes more time and with children one does not often have enough extra time. When I was young I walked to school, rode my bike to scouts and ballgames. Unfortunately times have changed. Playing on sports teams in your neighborhood is not possible. Travel teams have taken over. Often families travel great distances to reach a game. Seems stupid to me. We had enough kids local to organize teams but most(not me) wanted travel teams. I guess you could always depend on other families for rides but with 3 kids X 3 sports; equals a lot of favors. I don't think I could ever live without a car...sorry. Often I travel out of town on weekends for camping, kayaking and climbing and this would be really hard w/o a car. I don't drive much but I can't see being without one. I am impresed with your ability to cope without. I climb with a bunch of carless folks in DC and don't mind picking them up at the metro stops with all their gear. Charlie