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While it won't be ranked as a top city for public transit, Cleveland has a reasonable transit infrastructure and is very inexpensive to live.
It has the Rapid, which is both heavy and light rail depending on the line and runs from the inner ring west side suburbs to inner ring east side suburbs. Aside from that, it has the usual bus service that includes regional transit via connections with several other public transit systems that allows for about a 60 mile radius of carless travel. That would be time consuming but possible. They also have a BRT system that runs from Downtown to University Circle (a straight shot through a big chunk of the East Side). There are also ample taxi companies.
It also features a multi-campus community college system (Tri-C), a large state University (Cleveland State), and other more selective universities (like Case Western). Northeast Ohio has an enrolled college/university population of around 150,000.
There doesn't appear to be any shortage of college age women.
And it is very inexpensive to live here. For a large-ish city, it's hard to find a place with a lower cost of living.
As far as being conservative, I'm sure you can find people with that attitude but I think as with most cities it seems to swing more liberal with the conservative populations living further out.
While it won't be ranked as a top city for public transit, Cleveland has a reasonable transit infrastructure and is very inexpensive to live.
It has the Rapid, which is both heavy and light rail depending on the line and runs from the inner ring west side suburbs to inner ring east side suburbs. Aside from that, it has the usual bus service that includes regional transit via connections with several other public transit systems that allows for about a 60 mile radius of carless travel. That would be time consuming but possible. They also have a BRT system that runs from Downtown to University Circle (a straight shot through a big chunk of the East Side). There are also ample taxi companies.
It also features a multi-campus community college system (Tri-C), a large state University (Cleveland State), and other more selective universities (like Case Western).
There doesn't appear to be any shortage of college age women.
And it is very inexpensive to live here. For a large-ish city, it's hard to find a place with a lower cost of living.
As far as being conservative, I'm sure you can find people with that attitude but I think as with most cities it seems to swing more liberal with the conservative populations living further out.
I may actually swing more left (if that's the liberal side)
Peter,
I think the chances of meeting a nice woman are zero without a car. She would have to walk, bike, or rollerskate across town to see you. Or, even worse, pick you up in her car. Her friends would call you a "scrub" like the TLC song. "Hangin' out the passenger side of his best friend's ride, tryin' to holler at me."
I would put that as "depends on where you live/go to school." If you're going to school at a suburban community college and need rides to get to Wal-Mart, maybe. If you go to school on an urban campus, it's not as unusual.
I thought it was spot on and repped PPD for it. Mainly because it's true - google it.
And while I agree that the OP probably has larger problems to deal with than not driving, I don't see that as a deal breaker IRT "getting" a girlfriend. As many have already stated, not driving is the norm, and even the sensible choice, in several major metropolitan areas, so he won't be an outlier.
Move to any large city and get over you dislike of Liberals. Liberals are just like Conservatives only with better educations. Contrary to popular and false beliefs Liberals do not hate Conservatives.
That bolded sentence made me laugh! Not entirely untrue, either.
In terms of the OP's issue, I lived in San Francisco for five years - and yes, you can get by just fine there without a car. Women won't judge you, either, especially if you go "hipster" with a bike and messenger bag... they'll just think you're environmentally-conscious and cool, lol. However, there are also a LOT of stress triggers in an urban setting. I have some mild anxieties (mostly claustrophobia), and even I would find myself panicking in certain situations. You have crowds to deal with, odd people of all sorts (including the bus & taxi drivers), traffic, high COL, crime, and just a general fast pace of life. Despite all of this, I still loved living in the city! But the OP started crying and panicking over a few replies on this thread, so do you really think he could handle SF, NYC, Chicago? Sadly, I do not.
I'd recommend taking the advice a few pages back, regarding choosing a college first and figuring out the transportation later. College kids rarely use/need cars until at least Sophomore year, some not until after graduation. Hopefully the therapy will help, and he will one day gain the confidence to try driving. You can survive and even thrive without a car in most places, but IMO there is something wonderfully liberating about having your own transport.
That bolded sentence made me laugh! Not entirely untrue, either.
In terms of the OP's issue, I lived in San Francisco for five years - and yes, you can get by just fine there without a car. Women won't judge you, either, especially if you go "hipster" with a bike and messenger bag... they'll just think you're environmentally-conscious and cool, lol. However, there are also a LOT of stress triggers in an urban setting. I have some mild anxieties (mostly claustrophobia), and even I would find myself panicking in certain situations. You have crowds to deal with, odd people of all sorts (including the bus & taxi drivers), traffic, high COL, crime, and just a general fast pace of life. Despite all of this, I still loved living in the city! But the OP started crying and panicking over a few replies on this thread, so do you really think he could handle SF, NYC, Chicago? Sadly, I do not.
I'd recommend taking the advice a few pages back, regarding choosing a college first and figuring out the transportation later. College kids rarely use/need cars until at least Sophomore year, some not until after graduation. Hopefully the therapy will help, and he will one day gain the confidence to try driving. You can survive and even thrive without a car in most places, but IMO there is something wonderfully liberating about having your own transport.
Oh, and FWIW, not all women care if their boyfriends/dates have a car - unless it's SOLELY because he's too broke, then I would worry about his stability (especially given my age range). Around here, even outside of the actual city, it really isn't uncommon for someone to rely on trains, buses & bikes. The last man I dated was a 46 year-old ex-NFL player and broadcaster, who hasn't driven a car since his old Benz died about 2-3 years ago. He decided it was a good way to get back in shape, plus the savings on gas etc haven't hurt! He played football before they made millions/year, unless your last name was Young or Montana.
Anyway, it was a LITTLE inconvenient at times, since I live in kind of a suburban neighborhood now... so he usually had to take the train down here, then have me pick him up at the downtown station. Unfortunately CalTrain doesn't run past about 11pm, so if we planned a late night, I was stuck driving him all the way (~40 miles) home. But I liked him enough to make that sacrifice, and wouldn't reject a man for that reason alone. We're not all shallow gold-diggers, ya know, plus I happen to enjoy driving.
Oh, and FWIW, not all women care if their boyfriends/dates have a car - unless it's SOLELY because he's too broke, then I would worry about his stability (especially given my age range). Around here, even outside of the actual city, it really isn't uncommon for someone to rely on trains, buses & bikes. The last man I dated was a 46 year-old ex-NFL player and broadcaster, who hasn't driven a car since his old Benz died about 2-3 years ago. He decided it was a good way to get back in shape, plus the savings on gas etc haven't hurt! He played football before they made millions/year, unless your last name was Young or Montana.
Anyway, it was a LITTLE inconvenient at times, since I live in kind of a suburban neighborhood now... so he usually had to take the train down here, then have me pick him up at the downtown station. Unfortunately CalTrain doesn't run past about 11pm, so if we planned a late night, I was stuck driving him all the way (~40 miles) home. But I liked him enough to make that sacrifice, and wouldn't reject a man for that reason alone. We're not all shallow gold-diggers, ya know, plus I happen to enjoy driving.
That's good that not all women let a guy driving be a deal breaker.
That's good that not all women let a guy driving be a deal breaker.
Consider it your "shallow meter," as any woman who'd reject you for that alone isn't worth your time anyway. If she really likes you for YOU, she will make that compromise if possible... but eventually you might consider learning to drive, especially if you're planning to raise a family. Having only one driving parent in a household is not only inconvenient, but potentially life-threatening (think: child has an emergency/accident when you're alone with them). So don't rule it out forever, but I think you have some time to get there still!
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Mainly because it's true - google it.
