Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Again, Thanks for the responses, everyone. Very interesting feedback here. Based on these responses, there are some cities/areas I wouldn't have even thought of in which you don't really need a car.
As I said in an earlier post, my two main concerns re: getting places would be work & the grocery store; I guess you can get groceries delivered in some places, but I'd like to pick out what I'm eating.
In any case, I'm thinking that re: grocery shopping, depending on how much you eat & how many people are in your family, you may have to take several trips each week without a car depending on how many groceries you pick up each week. (In my case, I grocery shop with a car, and go once a week). I guess that would depend, though...
The problem is that in the DC area getting a cab can be a really iffy proposition. When we had just one car that my husband needed to get to work, there were times when I needed to get a cab and sometimes they wouldn't show up.
Not everybody has a good friend who lives nearby that can help.
Maybe there isn't bus service to your doctor's office. Or there may be bus service but it doesn't run late at night--or doesn't run very often.
Car share? You mean like Zip Car? If so, you would have to get to the car first, no?
Yes. Zipcar or whatever.
I happen to live in a pretty walkable place. The zipcar spots are about 3 blocks away. Though, if I was going to the hospital, I'd hit the emergncy room first as that is one block closer. I live in a relatively walkable place, but there are some destinations that aren't great to access via transit (too many transfers or the ride is too long). But those places are in easy biking distance. In 10 minutes walk I have a CVS, independent grocery, stores, shops, restaurants and coffee shops. Also a hospital emergency room, and pretty much any medical office ever. Up that to 15 minutes and it adds more of everything. 20 minutes adds more. The most useful buses are within a 3 block radius and they take you to other useful stuff. Target isn't bus-accessible. Option 1 is to take the bus to the train and go to one of the train accessible ones (around a 20 minute train ride). Option 2 is take the bus/transfer to another shuttle. Option 3: ride your bike, it is only 2 or so miles. Option 4: take a cab or uber/lyft.
There aren't many things not easily accessible via transit for me (maybe the nearby Lake in the hills and some of the bigger regional parks (forests). Day to day stuff is easy to access without a car.
I'd recommend getting car share if you need to drive farther a few times a month. If you don't car rental is sufficient, just have a drivers license.
The problem is that in the DC area getting a cab can be a really iffy proposition. When we had just one car that my husband needed to get to work, there were times when I needed to get a cab and sometimes they wouldn't show up.
Not everybody has a good friend who lives nearby that can help.
Maybe there isn't bus service to your doctor's office. Or there may be bus service but it doesn't run late at night--or doesn't run very often.
Car share? You mean like Zip Car? If so, you would have to get to the car first, no?
In the area that she was referring to (Vienna, VA), she must have lived in the perfect spot if she was within walking distance of a Metro station. There are parts of that same town where it's impossible to walk to where you need to be and bus service is non-existent.
I would love to live in an area where everything I needed was within walking distance---or very easy to access by public transportation.
It is like that here in the Bay Area in many parts. That is why Uber/Lyft are so popular. They are pretty reliable (of course there are other issues). I haven't tred flywheel yet, the taxi companies uber-like app. I have had good luck with Uber. I take it maybe 2x a month.
Yes it depends upon how much you consume and family size, but that's not an issue when you live near a supermarket. Here in the Bronx/New York City, I have 4 grocery stores within a 10 minute walk. The closest one is down the street (the first level of an apartment building). We also have several bodegas/corner delis/convenience stores nearby.
Buying a grocery cart enables you to carry a lot more than you could otherwise. There are several models available, including those that fold. I've also seen people utilize trailers on bicycles, especially in Brooklyn.
Yes, NYC is one of the few places I know about (in the U.S.) where you can walk to grocery stores, public transportation, etc.
Unfortunately, my understanding is that the cost of living is quite high in NYC - especially if you want to live in an area that is close to these conveniences.
The city of New York is comparatively expensive to others but there are plenty of neighborhoods where one can rent at a reasonable cost, especially in the boroughs.
A huge chunk of the city is extremely walkable and virtually all neighborhoods have necessary amenities within walking distance. For luxury and speciality items/services you may need to travel to other neighborhoods depending on where you live however.
There are some people in NYC which seldom leave their communities. Neighborhoods are very autonomous.
I also live in NYC, the Bronx, and don't need a car to get around. New York is expensive, but prices vary drastically according to the neighborhood. There are some great parts of the Bronx, and it's a lot less expensive because of the name.
The one drawback to getting used to living like this is leaving the city. I've become so used to not driving that the thought of even renting a car really stresses me, and my husband never learned how to drive. It's limiting when travelling outside of NYC.
I also live in NYC, the Bronx, and don't need a car to get around. New York is expensive, but prices vary drastically according to the neighborhood. There are some great parts of the Bronx, and it's a lot less expensive because of the name.
The one drawback to getting used to living like this is leaving the city. I've become so used to not driving that the thought of even renting a car really stresses me, and my husband never learned how to drive. It's limiting when travelling outside of NYC.
I hear you. I have to drive at least somewhat every day where I live, and hate it. Having to deal with a car is a huge hassle. The stress associated with making your way through traffic, the wear and tear on the car, and the expense (maintenance, emissions testing, renewing registration each year, etc.) is a lot of trouble.
So, when I take vacations I go out of my way to take them in places where I won't have to rent a car & can use the local public transportation. It is possible to do this in some places, as long as you plan things ahead of time & do research.
I'm aware that at least some people who grew up in NYC never had to deal with having to learn to drive, and probably just have a drivers license because they need it as proof of I.D. Based on what I remember when I was there & the testimonials of those who live there, it's fairly obvious that the train system in NYC is almost certainly the best in the U.S.
Last edited by The Big Lebowski Dude; 07-14-2015 at 08:16 AM..
Here a car is an extra hassle since you always need to find parking and keep moving it even if you don't drive it much (because of parking regulations). Then there are parking tickets. I used to have a car since I worked outside of the city. It's so much less stressful not to deal with all that.
Yes - you're confirming everything I've heard about owning a car in NYC. Someone I knew lived there, and she had to keep moving her car re: parking. Apparently, there are more cars than parking places in NYC.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
