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I live in rural Indiana in a very small town with no Dr’s, Dentists, bank, taxis, restaurants and only one very small convenience store with no actual real food. It’s impossible to live here without a vehicle.
A tidy and prosperous small-town may have all of the essential services, plus some luxuries such as independent restaurants, veterinarians, antique-shops, a brokerage firm, good independent car-repair shop and the like. An economically disadvantaged town might lack those things, even if it's nominally of several thousand people. Affluence matters. In an affluent town, a car might not be necessary, especially if one is reasonably fit and can cycle or walk. Many of the hardships of small-town living aren't about size per se, but of impecunious conditions. In a town bereft of resources, one has to make it to the next town, even say to reach a supermarket - and that may be 10 or 20 miles.
There is also stark distinction between living in-town and in the rural expanses outside of it. Life might be serene, quiet and pleasant a few miles outside of town-limits, with none of the tensions of having close neighbors. But even a 2-3 mile walk, each way, gets tiresome fast - even for fit and motivated people. Then a car becomes essential.
A tidy and prosperous small-town may have all of the essential services, plus some luxuries such as independent restaurants, veterinarians, antique-shops, a brokerage firm, good independent car-repair shop and the like. An economically disadvantaged town might lack those things, even if it's nominally of several thousand people. Affluence matters. In an affluent town, a car might not be necessary, especially if one is reasonably fit and can cycle or walk. Many of the hardships of small-town living aren't about size per se, but of impecunious conditions. In a town bereft of resources, one has to make it to the next town, even say to reach a supermarket - and that may be 10 or 20 miles.
There is also stark distinction between living in-town and in the rural expanses outside of it. Life might be serene, quiet and pleasant a few miles outside of town-limits, with none of the tensions of having close neighbors. But even a 2-3 mile walk, each way, gets tiresome fast - even for fit and motivated people. Then a car becomes essential.
I live in a middle income town of 800 in rural Indiana and we just don’t attract or want a bunch of businesses especially chain stores, although a small grocery store would be nice. The bigger town near us has a lower average income but they also have all the stores, restaurants and businesses.
I live in a small city in a senior housing complex that is downtown and did not want a car. I have trouble with my knees so can't walk too far. I use a mobility chair to get to stores and other businesses downtown. Walmart is about 3 miles away and I can take a transit bus for fifty cents by showing my Medicare card or one of two taxis (is $5.00 a trip wherever). There are Medivans for doctor appointments about 40 miles away in a larger city. It has been the best thing for me not to have a car to worry about or pay for. In winter, all the residents here have to move their cars to a city lot so this one can be plowed early in the morning. I normally use a walker but bought the mobility chair (used) for the transportation option and I love it. Not having a car has been the one change in my finances that has enabled me to not be or feel poor anymore. It is not for everyone though.
If you are living in small-town it looks great, it's very exciting to go to rural areas, living with Cow, Buffaloes, and many other pets the main Issuue we get is Network, urban people love to live in rural areas but because of the network they get bored...
You would think that a bicycle would be the easiest vehicle in the world to maintain, that anyone could it, male or female.
The tire went flat on my bike a week ago. I tell you!!! I'd rather change 4 car tires than put a tube into a bicycle tire, then mount it on the rim, and put the chain back on.
A month ago, I was pulling the bike out of my storage shed, the brake line got caught on something and it didn't work anymore. Tried everything to fix it myself, to no avail. Finally hauled it over to a bike shop for them to fix it.
If you're going to opt for a bicycle, make sure you have plenty of extra tubes as you'll need them and batteries for your front and rear lights.
You would think that a bicycle would be the easiest vehicle in the world to maintain, that anyone could it, male or female.
The tire went flat on my bike a week ago. I tell you!!! I'd rather change 4 car tires than put a tube into a bicycle tire, then mount it on the rim, and put the chain back on.
A month ago, I was pulling the bike out of my storage shed, the brake line got caught on something and it didn't work anymore. Tried everything to fix it myself, to no avail. Finally hauled it over to a bike shop for them to fix it.
If you're going to opt for a bicycle, make sure you have plenty of extra tubes as you'll need them and batteries for your front and rear lights.
You live in a region with lots of cacti.
Stay on pavement and the number of flats will decrease.
Oh...and goatheads are worse than cacti!
Mounting bike tires on rims can be very easy or need-two-people difficult. I only handled one in the latter category in my decades and tens of thousands of biking miles. Some tires that nominally are the same labeled size run slightly small or slightly loose. YMMV.
You would think that a bicycle would be the easiest vehicle in the world to maintain, that anyone could it, male or female.
The tire went flat on my bike a week ago. I tell you!!! I'd rather change 4 car tires than put a tube into a bicycle tire, then mount it on the rim, and put the chain back on.
A month ago, I was pulling the bike out of my storage shed, the brake line got caught on something and it didn't work anymore. Tried everything to fix it myself, to no avail. Finally hauled it over to a bike shop for them to fix it.
If you're going to opt for a bicycle, make sure you have plenty of extra tubes as you'll need them and batteries for your front and rear lights.
You must be doing it wrong. Gloves help when handling chains. The trick with bike tires is to get the bead well down into the narrow part of the wheel itself, well away from the bead, so you have more slack to pull the tire bead off, and use a good lube, dish soap in water is good, purpose made tire lube concentrate is better.
If you do it right, you hardly need any tire irons at all (and what irons you use will be plastic anyway). Sometimes it helps to have an assistant, 4 hands are better than just 2.
I recently moved to a small town for work. I have never owned a car before and i am use to using the transit and walking places. Everywhere in town is a 10-15 minute walk. The town is isolated it is a town of 5,000 people. The town has no transit i plan to stay for 2 years. Its been 4 months and i survived 4 months without a car. People keep telling me i should get a car. There is a pricey grocery store, two banks, a library, 3 take out places, 2 restaurants, a hospital, dentist, law offices.
However there is no mall; i do my shopping online. My work is a 5 minute walk from my apartment and the grocery store 15 minute walk.
Anyone else survive without a car in a small town with no transit? Is it possible?
So I wonder... how did you get there? Did a friend drive you?
What if you need to go somewhere outside this small town?
It depends entirely on your age and fitness. You can and should walk wherever you can because we in America are turning into an unhealthy bunch who don't get enough exercise. Look at pictures of people in the 40's. Nary a fatty among them. Type 2 diabetes was almost unheard of.
That being said, we do not live in the 40's. We have other demands and problems they did not have. However, you can learn to live smart. Order all your bulk items from Walmart or other large bulk supplier - the 32 count toilet paper, the 15 package paper towels, the huge bottles of laundry soap, cranberry juice, and hair products. In a small town you probably don't have access to grocery delivery, but I do, where we are. I can make an order including specialty tomatoes, red tip lettuce, etc.etc. and it will be delivered within 2 hours. No need to do the car thing. You pay in delivery fees what you do not spend starting up your car (if you have one) which despite all the naysayers, costs you money every time you turn the ignition on.
So one can manage without a car in certain circumstances. It's a healthier life, but not everyone is situated where they can do that, just because America's infrastructure was not built that way, as Europe's was. I do think that we should try to do what we can, however, to walk more and live healthier lives.
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I'd rather change 4 car tires than put a tube into a bicycle tire, then mount it on the rim, and put the chain back on. 
