Car or not to car, that is the question...

[SouthDenverGuy]

Originally Posted by COflower

I lived in Denver Metro from 1995-mid 1998 and I can tell you from my own experience, you need a car.

If you need to trade in your current vehicle for something cheap, easy on gas and such, do it. I bought a Honda up there that I am using to this day. She needs a new radiator but a 13 year old Honda beats most other vehicles on the road. They aren't cheap but worth the cost.

The transit system (even with the new light rail) is not a good resource. It sucks to rely upon that in Denver but a car is invaluable (sp optional) in the metro area. I could not have had my work without a car up there. Same with C. Springs. The transit system is worse down here than in Denver. But I recall taking the bus to get an ID card (after a revocation of my driver's license...long story) and it still took me three hours to just get to the driver's license place. Denver is not much better.

Trade in the current car for a car you can trust that is easy on gas. A Honda Civic will be just fine. Small tank, high mileage, insurance rates are good and they have the ability to make it through with regards to front wheel drive during the snow storms. Denver Metro is too stretched out for decent public transport unless you live and work (as said) in the same area.

COflower, I think you said it best!

[Mike from back east]

Just today, there's an article in the Washington Post about a man who is trying to get by in Denver w/out a car. See story at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...092900626.html

s/Mike

[jazzpiano72]

Thanks Mike...great story. And thanks to everybody else for the tips. 2bindenver, that offer was also very kind of you. I was truly just joking, but I can see where it's true what I've been hearing about the people there. :-)

[marct]

With the winter storm that just hit Nov 29/30, I thought I'd try using rtd buses and light rail (I live near Golden, and work in the Denver Tech Center (DTC), and it took me a minimum of 1.5 hours each way.

Yesterday morning was the best, it took me 1.5 hours to get to work.
Coming home, I left at work at 4:30pm, and didn't get home until 7:20. It took a while for the train to show up, then the train was stopped for a while just short of the Broadway stop, but the big timesink was when the 32nd bus clipped someone's mirror. I sat on that bus for a long time until the next 32nd bus showed up.

Then, this morning, after watching all the news about how awful the commute was, I decided to try the bus/lightrail again. Big mistake. Bus took a while (from Applewood to downtown), then I stood outside for 50 minutes waiting for the "F" train to come through. I counted 4 H trains and 3 D's. Heck two H trains showed up right after the other at one point, where 1 H was waiting for the other H to leave so it could pull up. Needless to say, it took me 2.5 hours to get to work. I spoke to an RTD security guy, and he was saying that the cold weather was affecting the trains.

On a good day, it takes me 35 minutes to drive home/work. On a bad day, maybe an hour, even with traffic at a near standstill on I25. For me, I consider RTD a failed experiment and I won't be using RTD anymore.

[livecontent]

I have lived in Denver Area for 27 years; I am originally from New York. Yes, you can live without a car in this area if you are selective where you live. There are many areas you can live besides downtown that have superior transportation options. The area has a great transportation network and in growing. In addition to the recently expanded light rail and bus services called Trex, Denver voters have approved large funding for a massive improvement to light rail over the next 12-15 years. This project is called fastracks.

Check out the RTD website thttp://www.rtd-denver.com/ and look at the maps http://www.rtd-denver.com/SystemMaps/index.html (broken link). You can download a complete map in sections in PDF format.

Find an area that is near a light rail station or a transfer stations for buses ("call and rides" and connecting areas), has good shopping and an area that is your lifestyle. The transportation is good throughout the area. Keep in mind that there are many call and ride areas that are new that will pick you up and return you home in many suburban areas.

In the last year, I have only driven 2600 miles on my 1994 saturn. I take the bus and light rail frequently and walk. Biking is encouraged with extensive bike trails in the area. You can even put your bike on the buses and light rail and get a free storage locker at "park and rides", light rail stations and tranfer stations. Yes there are areas which are not easily accessible without a car but these are the choices I make to live simply. Also taking public transportation requires some patience but can lead to a more relaxed, less expensive lifestyle. I hope to eventually never own a car again.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by livecontent

......I am originally from New York. Yes, you can live without a car in this area if....

Hello, just got back from 4 days in Manhattan. Wow. What a city. No need for a car. A million taxi's and very reasonable too. Subway, buses, trains, the works.