Having a Car vs Public Transportation (gallon, crime, insurance, school) - City-Data Forum

bolehboleh · 06-11-2011, 05:49 PM

I've been having a disagreement about the above topic with my wife. We used to live in the outskirts of a city and we had to commute, she would drive her car and I'd take my motorcycle.

Now, we're living in Cambridge, MA and owning a car is no longer necessary or affordable. I now walk twenty minutes to work for my daily job and I take a combination of a train and my bicycle for my weekend job. I love it and to me I feel "freer" as I no longer have to pay car insurance, car payments, wear and tear and gas.

My wife, feels differently. She commutes to work by walking and subway. She doesn't mind it but she does feel "restricted" because we can't just jump in our car and drive out to the countryside. She may have a point because Mass transit doesn't service the rural areas very well.

Regardless, I'm very happy with our transit options.

What do you think? I know that some of you don't live in areas where mass transit is an option, but I'd still like to get your opinions. Which situation makes your feel "freer?"

pvande55 · 06-11-2011, 06:07 PM

True not all areas are blessed with public transportation. But you can always rent a car. Weekend rates are sometimes very good.

Charles · 06-11-2011, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolehboleh

I've been having a disagreement about the above topic with my wife. We used to live in the outskirts of a city and we had to commute, she would drive her car and I'd take my motorcycle.

Now, we're living in Cambridge, MA and owning a car is no longer necessary or affordable. I now walk twenty minutes to work for my daily job and I take a combination of a train and my bicycle for my weekend job. I love it and to me I feel "freer" as I no longer have to pay car insurance, car payments, wear and tear and gas.

My wife, feels differently. She commutes to work by walking and subway. She doesn't mind it but she does feel "restricted" because we can't just jump in our car and drive out to the countryside. She may have a point because Mass transit doesn't service the rural areas very well.

Regardless, I'm very happy with our transit options.

What do you think? I know that some of you don't live in areas where mass transit is an option, but I'd still like to get your opinions. Which situation makes your feel "freer?"

For every one person that feels the way you do, 69 people feel the way your wife does.

bolehboleh · 06-11-2011, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pvande55

True not all areas are blessed with public transportation. But you can always rent a car. Weekend rates are sometimes very good.

I tell her about the car rentals and she's pretty cool with that. She keeps bugging me about trying out a "zip car" but I think those are usually only good for short term.

Re: Charles (I'm not sure how to quote two people in the same post)

I think that reason might be because many people in the US haven't had the opportunity to live in an area with excellent public transportation. Boston's transit system is good and it's easy to get all over the city and most of the cities inside the I-95/128 belt. I've lived in areas with poor public transportation and areas with excellent transportation options. At the end of the day, I'd rather walk to work on a cold day or ride a crowded subway on a blistering hot day than sit in stop and go traffic anyday!

bolehboleh · 06-11-2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charles

For every one person that feels the way you do, 69 people feel the way your wife does.

Also, I'm not interested in how 69 people feel. I'm interested in how YOU feel and why.

Charles · 06-11-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolehboleh

Also, I'm not interested in how 69 people feel. I'm interested in how YOU feel and why.

I don't want to live in boston or any other cold winter or humid summer east coast or midwest city.
I want to live in Southern California.
I don't want to live in a crowded or dirty or expensive or crime ridden or loud or unfamily or expensive urban area.
Having no car is not practical for me (and 95% of the rest of Americans).
I want to live where there are good schools and homes I can afford.
I live 52 miles one way from my job here in Southern California (I know, that is crazy), and I take a vanpool to work. I can surf the net in the van and we use carpool lanes. Big drawback - I have to get up at 4AM to get on the freeways at 5 to get to work at 6 to get out at 330 to beat traffic home.

You'll own a car in the next two years.

Hemlock140 · 06-11-2011, 07:13 PM

I took the bus yesterday for the first time. I still had to drive 6 miles to the nearest stop, then it took 30 minutes on the bus, and a one-mile walk at the other end. On a pleasant summer morning that's actually not too bad.

It did take me 25 minutes longer than driving, and I would not want to do it in the cold and rain or snow. I have an option for a bus transfer at the work end but waiting for the connection adds another 15 minutes and I can walk the mile in that time.

I'll keep driving my little beater that gets 30 mpg for now, but if it and my backup newer pickup are both on the blink or gas gets to about $10/gallon I'll have an alternative.

pvande55 · 06-11-2011, 07:16 PM

Not every metro region in the US is blessed ( and I use that word because it just about takes an act of God to get rail transit built) with heavy rail or even regional rail. I thought Southern California was pretty well served, with the Inland Empire line that goes from San Bernardino to Oceanside, without going into LA! Chicago is pretty well served and I know a few who travel over 50 miles on the Metra.

MrRational · 06-11-2011, 07:33 PM

expand the budget to allow some taxi cab rides and a weekend car rental now and then

miu · 06-11-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bolehboleh

What do you think? I know that some of you don't live in areas where mass transit is an option, but I'd still like to get your opinions. Which situation makes your feel "freer?"

I used to live in Cambridge 20 years ago, and I had a car for most of my time there. It was a tiny car, a Honda CVCC, so street parking was easy for me. I worked in Boston at the hotels and my shifts were varied. I mostly drove to work.

Now I live in Newton and work in Cambridge. I drive to work, since to get there by the T would entail a bus ride with a subway transfer. Sometimes I need to be at work before the T is running. Late at night, the buses don't run as frequently.

Of course, having a car makes me feel "freer". Especially when I get out of work. With a car, it takes me only 15 minutes each way. Using public transportation, it would be at least an hour travel time and no guarantee of a seat. And having a car makes grocery shopping much easier.