How many of you feel comfortable living without a car?

Originally posted by Spiderj
Los angeles is so spread out that a car is basically mandatory for survival. It's the lazy habits they people need to break.
...
SPiderj

I've been to LA a couple times, and that's why I really hate it. I grew up in Orlando, FL and LA seems just like Orlando on mega steroids or something.

The traffic in both cities is just horrible, and there's really no viable alternative to driving.


[edit on 10/3/2006 by djohnsto77]

Yep that's the problem. If we could just work out a complete and trustworthy public transportation system I think most people would be okay with not using their cars as long as you can get it through the heads of citizens that there are trustworthy alternatives.

Spiderj

[edit on 10/3/2006 by Spiderj]

I havent owned a car now for over 18months.
I tend to ride my mountain bike everywhere..
To work, to basketball, to the beach.. to my mates.. to parties.

not just short trips..

Mandurah to Perth is over 60km's... thats a great ride.

But seriously, I stop on the footpath and look at drivers stuck in traffic at the lights...

In there $40,000 car...

How much Rego are you paying a month?
How much fuel are you paying a month?
How much in tyres, maintenance, oil and all the other crap..
How much in speeding fines and stamp duty?

And for what? a flash means to get to point B from A?

granted if your a tradesman and need to transport tools and equipment thats justifyable..
but if your simply parking your car in the parking lot and working in doors all day.. man its a joke.

It costs me 0$ to get to and from work, to and from everything..
I get fit in the mean time, work on my tan, have my headfones in my ears and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air...

Im actually planning a trip at the moment, a backpacking trip through asia and eastern europe...
Im designing a trailer I can tow behind my mountain bike to carry my backpack.. so I can ride across the continent... sleeping in tents and hostels utilisiing the most inexpensive means I can..

comfortable without a car?

Ive never beeeeeeen so comfortable.

Wow, all of you guys/girls have such great things to say about not having to drive. I wish I lived in a nice metropolis. I live on the outskirts of Tampa (technically it's out of Tampa). It takes me 30 minutes to drive to school, or about a 2 hour bike ride, or 6-8 hour walk. I'm also vegan, and the nearest store that holds what I need is about a 1 hour drive, so you can figure that one out. It takes me 3.5 hours to drive to my parents house.

Buses are only for inner city Tampa Area, and they're horrible, halsf f the stops don't have coverings, I see people getting drenched all teh time. I couldn't image life without a car.

I wish I could fly my own private helicopter tha ran on my aggrevation. It'd be really fast!!!

Originally posted by Agit8dChop
How much Rego are you paying a month?
How much in...stamp duty?

Can you express these ideas in something approaching American English?

I get fit in the mean time, work on my tan, have my headfones in my ears and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air....

I learned from horrfying experience that headphones and traffic make a very dangerous combination. In fact, anything that interferes with your complete attention to your environment is potentially deadly.

I hope you never understand fully what I mean.


[edit on 2006/10/3 by GradyPhilpott]

Yeah sorry about that! My english never really got off the ground.

WE gotta register cars here.. its about $260.00 for 6 months.. or something close to that mark... you get a $260 dollar sticker... which keeps the cops from ticketing you and throwing the book at you for having an unlisecned vehicle.
AS for stampduty.. thast pretty much this robbing government ensuring they get a peice of the action..


Yeah, most times i can stick to footpaths, or something similar.. if im ever in a pedestrian area, or even on the road.. there's always one headfone left dangling..

Although there was this one time.. yeehhh.... well we just wont go there!

The cost and expense of keeping a vehicle here in the UK is getting too pricey for me, as I am on benefits and disabled. Fortunately, I am not far from the nearest bus station and am entitled to a free bus pass. I don't mind public transport and find it quite interesting. Public transport such as buses and trains are a great way to meet new people. Also, public transport works out a far sight cheaper than running and maintaining your own vehicle; especially when you are on a low income.

If I ever had another car, it would have to be more energy effecient and run on biofuels, or some other power source that doesn't affect our planet.

I love not having a car. No gas, no insurance. I moved to a major city and make use of the subway for a small 100 dollars a month.

I dont like insurance, traffic, and you never know what the fuel prices are gunna be like and especially now if I bought a car, i would worry about it becomming obsolete. Its too expensive for me. I'd prefer to live life with as little burdens and little money and see if I can live a very happy full-filled life. So..

Cars, I can live without them.

In theory it would be great to not have to rely on a vehicle. To rent one if I needed/wanted to go out of town on a trip. In reality me and my wife own 3 vehicles ... 2 for daily use and our 65 Mustang for fun. I live in a city of 37,000 and commute 20 mi to work in a city of 50,000. There is maybe 2 or 3 buses a day between the 2 cities and since I work graveyards they do not run anywhere near conducive to my schedule.

I grew up outside D.C., in Arlington VA and remember the great metro system there. I never knew the schedule for the buses or metro lines ... just which routes I needed ... a bus or metro would always be there in 15 minutes max. Living there our family with 2 adults and 2 teenagers all shared 1 vehicle without much problem. Most days we could all commute via subway or public transit and the car could stay in the driveway.

Living on the west coast I haven't found a city yet, save maybe the SF Bay Area or Seattle that has anywhere near a decent transportation system. Living in California suburbia forces me to rely on public transportation and pay up to $3.20/gal for gas (down now to $2.55). I've thought of moving but the wife likes it here and since she makes the rules here is where we'll stay.

In the UK, year after year we hear the current government talk about cutting down the amount of cars on the roads and ways to penalise drivers more for the "privledge" of having a car. They talk about new taxation schemes, GPS enabled black boxes to monitor our driving habits - what roads we use, at what times and at what speed - but never address the idea of flexible working. Public transport is a nightmare outside of the flagship schemes in major towns or cities, all privately owned.
Let's not forget either the amount of revenue generated by fuel sales that goes directly into the treasury coffers. How will they reconcile fewer cars on the road against the huge loss in revenue that such schemes will entail?

My monthly fuel costs, just for the commute to work every day, come to around £250, about 70% of which is fuel duty to the government (and I get about 50mpg so no gas guzzler). I'd love to be able to walk or use public transport but it's just not viable, unless I move closer to the office, something I just cannot commit to unless I get a full time position instead of the current contract position.

What we need are realistic transport policies and not crazy schemes to penalise motorists. Sure, try and get cars off the road but provide a clean. cheap and reliable alternative that's attactive to people. NOT overcrowded, dirty and unreliable services in the hands of private companies whose only motive is profit, at the expense of the traveller.

I grew up and live in So Calif,car is like a must have,I have 3 cars,2 economy and 1 Land Rover for weekends,I don't think I could survive with out one,plus to get to metro rail it's a 3 mile trip and I have a bad leg

I live in Reading, England and I do not drive. Don't even have a license. Never felt the need as the public transportation is sooo good. I never have to wait more than 5 mins for a bus to anywhere I want to go. If I want to go out of town, I use the rail network, which is reliable and frequent (I know some may say different, but my experience has been pretty good)

My ex drives, which is handy when we take the little one out too the Zoo or other far flung places, but when I have Alannah on my own, we survive very well on public transport and she actually enjoys it, bless her, expecially the trains!

I do sometimes think about learning to drive, but the cost of running a car and paying for a parking permit etc would eat up at least half my disposable income a month, which would be about £300-£400. Not worth it. I spend about £70/month on buses/trains and I have no probs.

Hi Stu

I actually work in Reading, but live in Hemel Hempstead (famous for the "magic Roundabout" and exploding oil depots) so it's a fair hike each day.
I have noticed that Reading does seem to have a good transport infrastructure in place and many at work use it to get to the office, which is just off J11 of the M4. I really would use it too if I lived local to work, or even cycle to/from the office which I used to do in all weathers.

I think the last time I used a bus was around 6 months ago when the car went in for a service

Originally posted by Britguy
Hi Stu

I actually work in Reading, but live in Hemel Hempstead (famous for the "magic Roundabout" and exploding oil depots) so it's a fair hike each day.
I have noticed that Reading does seem to have a good transport infrastructure in place and many at work use it to get to the office, which is just off J11 of the M4. I really would use it too if I lived local to work, or even cycle to/from the office which I used to do in all weathers.

I think the last time I used a bus was around 6 months ago when the car went in for a service

I am using my spidey sense and I am guessing you work for Verizon? I noticed you say something about networks and graveyard shifts (that was you... I think....)..

I too work for a large Telco, but in the town centre..close to the Station, big ugly building... got bought out last year by Fumble and Useless...

(cough...Rolf voice engaged) Can you guess what it is yet?

There are special Fasttrack buses from town (or City centre if you believe the council ) centre to Green Park. Our council is very pro business and excellent transport links tempt the employers in.

Outside of Reading is a different matter, but within the Greater reading Area, you'd be hard pressed not to have a regular bus service more than 5 minutes from your house.

Spidey sense off the mark a bit there Stu, but just round the corner, a purveyor of antivirus products.
If I get taken on full time from my contract position (10 months and counting) then I will consider a move, until then it's not worth the commitment.

I long for the days where my previous employer was 20 minutes walk away

Surely someone in government can come up with an idea (or should I say the paid consultants - the ministers are just the font men) that will ease the traffic problems.
After all, what are we paying them for?

Hey, can we, as their employers, outsource their jobs to India too? I'm sure we could get an equally inept bunch of ministers but it'll cost the taxpayers a lot less

Originally posted by Britguy
Spidey sense off the mark a bit there Stu, but just round the corner, a purveyor of antivirus products.
If I get taken on full time from my contract position (10 months and counting) then I will consider a move, until then it's not worth the commitment.

Arrgh, dammit... Well never mind, I'm not that good at swinging from building to building either .. I think I know where you mean, though... I won't say

Word to the wise though, houses are expensive round here and you need to be clued up to the area. Some places may look nice, but are in fact quite dodgy. I can advise on where to avoid, if you like. Just drop me a U2U if you ever think of moving here...

Originally posted by Britguy

Surely someone in government can come up with an idea (or should I say the paid consultants - the ministers are just the font men) that will ease the traffic problems.
After all, what are we paying them for?

Hey, can we, as their employers, outsource their jobs to India too? I'm sure we could get an equally inept bunch of ministers but it'll cost the taxpayers a lot less

Not a bad idea! ... I was going to say their accents would be hard to understand, but with so many Scots in Government, it makes no difference

On topic though...

Reading Bourough Council have some ambitious plans in the pipeline for Public Transport that should improve things immensely if they get off the ground.

Not only are they completely revamping the IDR (Internal Distribution Road), but they are considering bringing back a Tram system that ties in with the Buses and Trains.

On top of that, a major redevelopment of the train station and maybe an extra one to the east of Reading look promising. I believe they are talking about creating a two-level station that would be a hub for trains into and out of London from the North, West and South of England. Reading already is regarded as "Londons Gateway".

There was also talk of extending the Crosslink Rail line that they plan for London all the way to Reading, incorporating us seamlessly into the Capital.

Now, that would be cool... No need for cars at all, IMO...

When I lived in Chicago, I don't think I drove a car once. But, when I lived further away from the larger cities, there was no other choice, but to drive a car everywhere, especially when it snowed.

I LOVE cars but I can live without one just cause I live in New Jersey. I go everywhere and the pubic transportation work great. So no need for a car.

[edit on 8-10-2006 by El Che]

Living in Toronto we've got a decent public transportatin system. Within the core of the city there is an abundance of subways, streetcars and buses. Taxi's are generally too expensive to be useful. I'll either walk or take the subway if it's on the line or close.

I've been driving lately, though, because I'm working in a part of the city far off the train and subway lines, so I'm glad I've got a vehicle. When I'm placed right downtown, though, I rarely touch my vehicle, sometimes for upwards of a week at a time because everything I need is so close and using my car would be pathetic.

I live in L.A., the San Fernando Valley actually.



I ride a scooter.



I can take the 405 south to the westside and be there in 30 minutes in any traffic.


It's a hell of a fast "scooter", freeway legal, up to 118mph, 54mpg, automatic transmission.