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Household car ownership is around 70% in chicago, and obviously a lot lower in the downtown area, near west hoods, and north shore. It is much higher in the far hoods. Thats actually a very low number compared to most cities in the US; only NYC, DC, Philly, and Boston are lower out of the major cities (and DC and Boston are tiny in land mass compared to Chicago). In NYC household car ownership is 45%, which is by far the lowest in the US.
You certainly dont need a car in chicago especially in neighborhoods close to downtown though. But if you can afford to have one for weekend trips etc, and have a space avilable then why not? In NYC rich people have them also, its just most would not be able to afford to keep one around just for weekends due to lack of spaces - especially in manhattan.
NYC has a much more extensive transit system, which certainly makes it easier to go by without one. But in Chicago if you do live in a hood with good transit access, you can get by without almost as easily, and far easier than most cities in the US.
1st, off, whoever said the transit system in Philly is better than the one in Chicago, and people in Chicago are fatter is seriously on something. This can be seen by simply walking around the two cities. Those downtown parking lots in Philly, ain't there in Chicago.
2nd, I'll let everyone in on a shocking secret. Just because you own a car, doesn't mean you have to use it everyday.
There's sure a lot of Chicago fanboys on this forum. Chicago isn't a bad city per se, but it also has more than a handful of problems. The CTA is absolutely hideous. I effing hate it and drive whenever I can. In terms of ethos, Chicago can't touch New York. New York strangely seems like a more hospitable place than Chicago, perhaps because the streets are a bit more organic, perhaps because of Central Park, or perhaps because of the slightly better weather.
In terms of value, Chicago is pretty decent though.
There's sure a lot of Chicago fanboys on this forum. Chicago isn't a bad city per se, but it also has more than a handful of problems. The CTA is absolutely hideous. I effing hate it and drive whenever I can. In terms of ethos, Chicago can't touch New York. New York strangely seems like a more hospitable place than Chicago, perhaps because the streets are a bit more organic, perhaps because of Central Park, or perhaps because of the slightly better weather.
In terms of value, Chicago is pretty decent though.
lol, this trollin? chicago is quite easy to get around without a car, in fact i got rid of my car when i moved there as it was a nuisance. maybe if you live on the outskirts of the city or the burbs...
more people in chicago have cars because they can afford them and cheaper parking than nyc, not necesarily b/c they NEED them.
NYC/DC/SF/Chicago/Boston are by far the easiest cities to get around in the u.s. NYC might have a lot more track... but that doesn't necessarily make it "easier" to get around, or faster.
lol, this trollin? chicago is quite easy to get around without a car, in fact i got rid of my car when i moved there as it was a nuisance. maybe if you live on the outskirts of the city or the burbs...
more people in chicago have cars because they can afford them and cheaper parking than nyc, not necesarily b/c they NEED them.
NYC/DC/SF/Chicago/Boston are by far the easiest cities to get around in the u.s. NYC might have a lot more track... but that doesn't necessarily make it "easier" to get around, or faster.
Learn to read before accusing others of trolling, fanboy. I never said Chicago was hard to get around by car. I just said I effing hate the CTA and drive whenever I can. That's probably the main reason why more people in Chicago than NYC have cars: because the CTA blows and is a recipe for mental depression.
Come on now, people in Chicago love their cars. Sure there are a few nabes that people will go carless, but overall? Chicago is very car friendly, especially compared to NYC.
I didn't say people in Chicago don't love cars. It all really comes down to where you live. Of my friends I stated, we all live up on the north side in the 10 square mile area around Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, etc. We all had cars at one point in our lives, but for whatever reason got rid of them upon moving here. We all make between around $50K and $90K a year, so money really has nothing to do with it.
Obviously New York has less amounts of people with cars. Better public transit, and Chicago has a lot of neighborhoods on the fringes where owning a car is very easy.
One huge factor - Chicago has alleys on all blocks that are lined with parking garages for the buildings. This changes thing a lot, as it's very easy to have a car and park it in an enclosed garage.
I wouldn't telegraph that line of reasoning on this forum. Granted, Men's Fitness may not be the Library of Congress for fat people stats, but I'd certainly take their research over your ad hoc experiences.
That's your right to do so. Why would I say Chicago is fatter though? For what reason? I just say things that I see and experience. And, after living in Chicago for years, the East coast people appeared a lot less fat. And it wasn't like I was 'looking' to see the differences. It just happened to be one of the first things that I noticed.
Household car ownership is around 70% in chicago, and obviously a lot lower in the downtown area, near west hoods, and north shore. It is much higher in the far hoods. Thats actually a very low number compared to most cities in the US; only NYC, DC, Philly, and Boston are lower out of the major cities (and DC and Boston are tiny in land mass compared to Chicago). In NYC household car ownership is 45%, which is by far the lowest in the US.
You certainly dont need a car in chicago especially in neighborhoods close to downtown though. But if you can afford to have one for weekend trips etc, and have a space avilable then why not? In NYC rich people have them also, its just most would not be able to afford to keep one around just for weekends due to lack of spaces - especially in manhattan.
NYC has a much more extensive transit system, which certainly makes it easier to go by without one. But in Chicago if you do live in a hood with good transit access, you can get by without almost as easily, and far easier than most cities in the US.
Car % ownership, doesn't show how 'often' that someone will use their cars though. I know you don't 'need' a car in a lot of Chicago nabes. But needing and having are two different things.
NYC gas consumption, is what it was in 1920's America. That's the point I'm trying to make.
That's your right to do so. Why would I say Chicago is fatter though? For what reason? I just say things that I see and experience. And, after living in Chicago for years, the East coast people appeared a lot less fat. And it wasn't like I was 'looking' to see the differences. It just happened to be one of the first things that I noticed.
I agree with you. Chicago IS fatter. I live on the South Side, and there are fat people (particularly women) everywhere. I don't understand why people take offense to reality.
I didn't say people in Chicago don't love cars. It all really comes down to where you live. Of my friends I stated, we all live up on the north side in the 10 square mile area around Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, etc. We all had cars at one point in our lives, but for whatever reason got rid of them upon moving here. We all make between around $50K and $90K a year, so money really has nothing to do with it.
Obviously New York has less amounts of people with cars. Better public transit, and Chicago has a lot of neighborhoods on the fringes where owning a car is very easy.
One huge factor - Chicago has alleys on all blocks that are lined with parking garages for the buildings. This changes thing a lot, as it's very easy to have a car and park it in an enclosed garage.
Agreed. Chicago is a lot more car friendly of a city. That's what I've been saying the whole time!
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