Carless with kids?? (Chicago, Schaumburg, Detroit: rental car, rentals, buy)

[Chicago60614]

I'd say bring the car. The hassles of having a car in that area are a lot less than right along the lake, and they wouldn't outweigh not having a car.

[chicagojlo]

I'd look into the cost of car-sharing with a service like Zipcars or iGo (you can get an iGo membership at a steep discount today on Groupon). If you pick an apartment that is close enough to public transport and car-sharing locations then you would definitely be able to do without the car. We lived in the Loop during winter with our toddler and managed fine on buses and trains.

But since you do have a child in preschool I'd urge you to start doing your homework on Chicago public schools, and even private schools if that is your preference. If you are choosing locations now you should pick one that will have the school you want down the line.

[Irishtom29]

I thought the thread was about being careless with kids, that I'm an expert on. It was good for the little bastards.

[tonythetuna]

Lugging around two kids that age ,on the bus, on a regular basis, is not something I recommend if it can be avoided.

[css9450]

Keep the car.

[ToriaT]

It will be far more convenient having a car than without especially with kids. You can still use public transportation.

[cubssoxfan]

Keep the car. If you need to do an emergency visit to the pediatrician or a middle of the night visit to the Urgent Care facility or to the drugstore, you will be thankful! I second the idea of going out with TWO youngsters on a bitterly cold day because you just ran out of something you needed for dinner that you could have sworn was purchased during your regular run to the store.
You will also have access to visit places like Brookfield Zoo, or the Kohl's Children Museum or some of the other fun stuff to do in the suburbs.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Sassy Stew

Hi all!

My husband and I will be moving to Chicago in June along with our 3 and 1 year old daughters. We plan on living in Roscoe Village near my husband's work and daughter's preschool (both on Diversey Ave), and we would love to leave our car behind if possible. I see from reading other threads that many people find living in that part of Chicago to be entirely workable without a car (and, in fact, hassle-laden with a car!),

A few thoughts.

Can you stand waiting on a bus for 15 minutes when the temperature is below 0 as is common in January and February?

Can you walk through the snow to the market as homeowners don't shovel the sidewalks for a day or two after the storm?

Are comfortable taking a sick child on the bus to health care?

I am not saying that it can't be done BUT it is a quality of life issue.

[chicagojlo]

What will you do with the car if you don't bring it? If you can leave it with family with the option to get it if you need it then why not give it a go. If you have to sell it then you might as well bring it and see, you can sell it here just as easily.

[Sassy Stew]

Car it is then! Good points about sick kids, bday parties, freezing cold temps. I still am looking forward to living a lifestyle that doesn't revolve around my car, but it does seem that there are some peace-of-mind issues that would be better satisfied by bringing it along, even if it sits unused most of the time.

Thank you guys so much for your help. We are so looking forward to our move out there; we got to visit a few weeks ago and were so impressed by the city and especially by the general friendliness of its inhabitants (we're currently living outside of Boston--huge contrast!).