Good to know it's not just me here in Phoenix.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

A few days ago I was reading an article in the Arizona Republic about how mass transit ridership has increased in Phoenix - quite significantly it seems. One of the people interviewed was a 32 year old man who had voluntarily given up his car and basically biked, bused, and rode light rail and conducted his life within a five mile radius to be able to do so. Much like how I live my life. The article went on to state that there is a trend among the young to not have cars and to not even have driver's licences, due to costs and concerns for the environment. I have run across many who think me bizarre for not having a car (or a huge loser) - it is nice to know there are some others out there making similar choices.....Rob

[Selah]

We don't have a car anymore and don't intend to buy one in the near future, and maybe never again. Even though we've only been car-free for a month, it feels great to not have to worry about it getting hit, getting it stolen, needing to repair it. We don't have to pay for it, for insurance, for gas, for repairs, or for parking anymore. Whoo hoo! We are definitely more attuned to the weather forecast than we were before, and plan our errands more carefully because we're on foot and carrying everything we need or buy. I even stopped using my purse, and got a little makeup bag of essentials (wallet, etc.) that I've tucked into one of my backpack pockets. Liberation! We've also been happily suprised by the number of people who have offered us rides if we need one in a pinch.

[creaker]

I don't have a car, haven't for over 2 years, don't plan to unless changes at my work require it.

I have bus, subway, commuter rail, zipcars and rentals, and small number of stores all close by. And grocery delivery. Even using these , I've saved thousands in vehicle and insurance costs over owning a vehicle.

[sweetana3]

We have poor public transport but have also discussed not replacing our second car. I did not get a license until I was 29. Sharing a car just requires patience, planning, and cooperation. So when our 188,000 mile Honda dies, no new one.

[Nella]

... So when our 188,000 mile Honda dies, no new one.If you've been taking good care of that Honda, don't be surprised if you have it around for a good bit longer. My last two Hondas both went to 300,000.

I, too, live in a larger metropolitan area (not nearly the size of NY or LA) and we have a passable public transport system, but there's no way I'd be able to do everything I wanted to do without a vehicle. I live in a suburb where I could do what I "had to do" without a car, but most of the city is not accessible by public transportation.

[saguaro]

I work with a couple of folks that live near downtown Chicago and do without cars namely because of the difficulty getting parking which is typically on the street and getting some kind of reserved space costs a fortune. They get around on public transporation, walk, or rent cars to go longer distances. To get to work they take Metra (the commuter train line here in Chicago) out to the nearest train station to our office (we are in the northwest suburbs) and from there take a shuttle van.

I didn't get my drivers license until I was 24 when I moved out of the city into to suburbs. No need for me to get one until then as there was plenty of public transportation options around where I lived. Didn't stop people thinking I was weird tho.....

Edited to add: What do you think of the light rail in Phoenix, gimmethesimplelife? During our last trip out there in Oct. '08 we saw the lines and stations built; they were getting ready to open it to to the public a couple of months after that.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I work with a couple of folks that live near downtown Chicago and do without cars namely because of the difficulty getting parking which is typically on the street and getting some kind of reserved space costs a fortune. They get around on public transporation, walk, or rent cars to go longer distances. To get to work they take Metra (the commuter train line here in Chicago) out to the nearest train station to our office (we are in the northwest suburbs) and from there take a shuttle van.

I didn't get my drivers license until I was 24 when I moved out of the city into to suburbs. No need for me to get one until then as there was plenty of public transportation options around where I lived. Didn't stop people thinking I was weird tho.....

Edited to add: What do you think of the light rail in Phoenix, gimmethesimplelife? During our last trip out there in Oct. '08 we saw the lines and stations built; they were getting ready to open it to to the public a couple of months after that.I love, love, love the light rail here in Phoenix! It is about two miles from where I live and it can take me to a lot of practical places that I need to get to quickly and cheaply. There are also some really cool things along the light rail line such as the Phoenix Art Musuem and the Pueblo Grande Museum, Steele Indian School Park and also Tempe Town Lake. There is a really cool Asian Grocery Store within walking distance of the end of the line in Mesa, and there is a Super Target with a great pharmacy at the other end of the line. Also the public library is right off the line too, as is my credit union. Just really a handy thing to have, I only wish it were more extensive so we could get more people out of their cars more often!!!!! Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

Forget to add the famous Heard Musuem is right off the light rail line, too! Rob

[jennipurrr]

My city is building a walking/biking trail along side one of the busiest roads/highways. There have been some bumblings with the project as part of it will have to be ripped up due to some road work, so lots of negative sentiment about the wasted money understandably, but I still feel like a lone voice in expressing support for it, even before the issue. It will make it basically bikable from my house to some major shopping areas and restaurants. DH and I are excited about it. Lots of people here are at the point of saying "I wish the city were more walkable" but then don't really follow through when it could be, like using the new sidewalks...I know I am guilty of that.

I think it will take something like $5 gas to push people here to less car dependency. We were biking to work one day a week, and then it got dark earlier and coldish. But, we are planning on starting up again this week so posting here in public will make me committed! DH and I were talking about it this weekend...he said, we need to prep for $5 gas by biking more, so if it comes we can bike every day. I said, we will already save a lot of money and our health even at $3.40 gas, we could bike every day right now you know. So, we're going to get in a regular biking routine and hopefully keep up with it consistently.

We are still talking about moving somewhere long term where we can go down to one very lightly used car...maybe one day after we have paid off this house and saved up enough for a new home.