Not having a car is a BIG social stigma in the US. People won't even give you rides in THEIR cars if you don't have one. Try it! Keep track of the number of times your buddies offer you a ride here or there, when you have a car and when yoiu don't. It will be easy when you don't because they won't.

It's taken me 2 years living here in Silicon Valley to realize I don't need a car here, and there are people who are bike-only, and while I guess most people think they're weird, a lot of the tech-ish people I hang around think it's pretty cool. Not something they'd do but admirable.

But yes, it's a huge social-standing thing, when I get rid of the car I fully expect to hear some interesting comments on my poverty, although by not having a car I'll be considerably more well off.