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I just took a break from living in Fort Mill and lived in Arlington, VA and was basically car free for a year. I live in Baxter now, and I frequently take the 82X bus and even bike commute from Uptown. Is it possible in Baxter to be car free? Yes. Would I live in Baxter without a car? No. In Arlington, it was so easy not to have a go and not because of the Metro--I learned to hate the Metro. As I lived in a high density area, most of what I need was within a mile of my apartment. Anything else was just a little further and I could bike, metro, bus or take a cab.
As I really enjoyed the lifestyle in Arlington, I have spent sometime looking into places in CLT that would be closer to that lifestyle. I have already lived uptown and wouldn't recommend it because it is dead on the weekend. From my search so far, I would recommend somewhere around South Park or Freedom Park/Sewlyn East Blvd area. These areas have spots of high density living, sidewalks, trails, and access to more frequent public transportation.
And although a car is an expense, generlly in order to live in a place that you can be car free is more expensive than living with a car. My 1 bedroom apartment in Arlington rented for more than my mortgage for a 3000 sqft house in Baxter.
"Ye'r not from here; Are yee, Boy?" - he said, warning him off the property...
Quote:
Originally Posted by GarlicPickles
Please take this in the least offensive way possible... noone cares about your city. This is a thread about York County South Carolina.
I love the suburbs. I love my car. I don't feel "dependent" on it. If I didn't have a car I would feel dependent on public transportation because where I could go would depend upon where the public transportation goes and when I could go would depend on when the public transportation goes there. In my car I can go wherever I feel like, whenever I feel like it. It is comfortable and clean and I never have to sit next to a foul smelling person when I sit in it.
Different people prefer different surroundings. If you like living among the densest human habitation in the planet, good for you. I would hate it. The only reason you can live in that environment is because other people choose to live in rural areas where they have the space to grow, raise or catch your food. Where I live is dependent on urban areas for jobs, commerce etc... Don't try to convince me that I need to live like a sardine and i won't try to convince you that you need a picket fence, a dog and two kids okay?
You can love all that... completely fine.
But, please at least TRY to address these questions:
1. Are you concerned about the vulnerability that car-dependent people, and a car-dependent country have to rising oil prices?
2. Have you thought deeply about why America is getting poorer, and why some other countries, which are also oil importers (but much less per capita) are getting richer? And I mean getting behind the headlines, and superficial nonsense you read in the mainstream media, and trying to really understand what is happening.
(#2 might be a very interesting topic for discussion, if people want to take the thread that way.)
If you dont have a car,,,how are you going to go out at night? any night? NO ONE here in charlotte goes out at night a walkin other than walk their dog....keep it real
"Ye'r not from here; Are yee, Boy?" - he said, warning him off the property...
You can love all that... completely fine.
But, please at least TRY to address these questions:
1. Are you concerned about the vulnerability that car-dependent people, and a car-dependent country have to rising oil prices?
2. Have you thought deeply about why America is getting poorer, and why some other countries, which are also oil importers (but much less per capita) are getting richer? And I mean getting behind the headlines, and superficial nonsense you read in the mainstream media, and trying to really understand what is happening.
(#2 might be a very interesting topic for discussion, if people want to take the thread that way.)
The internal combustion engine has done more to elevate the standard of living, create wealth and promote freedom than perhaps any other invention in the history of mankind (the firearm might be the only contender). Was there a massive economic boom when man began walking upright? How about when the bicycle was invented? The train, though valuable, did not cause the kind of massive economic transformation as the automobile.
As for America getting poorer and other countries getting richer. As developing countries gain wealth there is more care ownership, more infrastructure and more energy creation. While at the same time we have all but eliminated our own production of energy. Energy is the most important commodity in the world and we have handed that market over to other countries because no one here wants to see an oil rig, a coal plant or forbid a nuclear plant out their window. But apparently it is okay for other countries to clear cut, strip mine and throw up as many under-regulated coal plants as they want (including 1200 proposed worldwide this year with 3/4 of them in China and India). The same is true for manufacturing. America was the home of the industrial revolution and made itself into the largest manufacturer of goods on the planet. We have allowed our manufacturing to be gutted in large part because we will not produce the energy needed to be competitive. Labor cost, contrary to popular belief, is not the sole reason manufacturing jobs leave the US. The cost of energy is an equal driver in moving jobs to developing countries.
As for the first question, yes. Because we refuse to utilize our own resources we are by definition dependant on others. I hate dependency and love self-sufficiency so that does concern me. If we did take advantage of our own resources I would be less concerned. However, at some point in the future we will need to find a different, but just as effective, fuel source. Batteries are not it.
I am not quite sure why you assume all of us "car-addicted" people are mindless and that you are the only one that has thought beyond the headlines of the mainstream media. Your point might be worth more consideration if you were not as condescending in your delivery. You post on lots of different forums, sometimes off topic in someone else's thread, always about the same thing. People come here for information sharing and getting questions answered. It is rude to hijack someone's thread to preach to them about how your way of life is better, smarter and more socially concious than theirs. It may be that lots of people have put "deep thought" into it and arrived at a different conclusion.
As a side note, all of the people I know that have either decided to not own a car or only own one car per family because of environmental reasonws spend half their time asking to borrow other people's cars.
The internal combustion engine has done more to elevate the standard of living, create wealth and promote freedom than perhaps any other invention in the history of mankind (the firearm might be the only contender). Was there a massive economic boom when man began walking upright? How about when the bicycle was invented? The train, though valuable, did not cause the kind of massive economic transformation as the automobile.
As for America getting poorer and other countries getting richer. As developing countries gain wealth there is more care ownership, more infrastructure and more energy creation. While at the same time we have all but eliminated our own production of energy. Energy is the most important commodity in the world and we have handed that market over to other countries because no one here wants to see an oil rig, a coal plant or forbid a nuclear plant out their window. But apparently it is okay for other countries to clear cut, strip mine and throw up as many under-regulated coal plants as they want (including 1200 proposed worldwide this year with 3/4 of them in China and India). The same is true for manufacturing. America was the home of the industrial revolution and made itself into the largest manufacturer of goods on the planet. We have allowed our manufacturing to be gutted in large part because we will not produce the energy needed to be competitive. Labor cost, contrary to popular belief, is not the sole reason manufacturing jobs leave the US. The cost of energy is an equal driver in moving jobs to developing countries.
As for the first question, yes. Because we refuse to utilize our own resources we are by definition dependant on others. I hate dependency and love self-sufficiency so that does concern me. If we did take advantage of our own resources I would be less concerned. However, at some point in the future we will need to find a different, but just as effective, fuel source. Batteries are not it.
I am not quite sure why you assume all of us "car-addicted" people are mindless and that you are the only one that has thought beyond the headlines of the mainstream media. Your point might be worth more consideration if you were not as condescending in your delivery. You post on lots of different forums, sometimes off topic in someone else's thread, always about the same thing. People come here for information sharing and getting questions answered. It is rude to hijack someone's thread to preach to them about how your way of life is better, smarter and more socially concious than theirs. It may be that lots of people have put "deep thought" into it and arrived at a different conclusion.
As a side note, all of the people I know that have either decided to not own a car or only own one car per family because of environmental reasonws spend half their time asking to borrow other people's cars.
Sure, cars were once a driver for wealth creation, but America went too far in building out its suburban infrastructure, and car sue is now harming the country.
I suggest you need to take a good long look in the mirror.
Carfree folk are fed up to the gills" with the extraordinary arrogance of the car-dependent.
They have set the agenda, and robbed us of choices, certain they are right, while denying the enormous evidence to the contrary*.
I don't like to see people lose money, but the rise in oil which is coming, will devastate many who are not prepared for it. And while I may have sympathy for those who were REALLY TRAPPED, the vast majority still have many other choices and are simply in denial about how vulnerable they are, and how Cars and drivers are subsidized in so many ways.
Do you doubt that many people in other countries are laughing at the difficulties that the USA is now facing? Many would say: "The wasteful Americans have brought problems upon themselves by being so short-sighted."
You may not like to hear this from a fellow American, but I have lived overseas for many years, and can see things from both points of view.
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*From another Posting/ (see Urban Planning section):
====
The car-dependent who control the political agenda in most cities, presume:
+ THEIR right to drive wherever they want, and have convenient parking must be preserved
+ THEY have the right to expect others to pay for half of highway upkeep through sales taxes
+ US Military personnel must risk their lives "to keep the oil flowing", and everyone must be taxed to keep a global military presence that costs American twice as much per capita as any of its allies
+ We all must breathe toxic air, contaminated by car exhaust, whether we approve of the subsidies to car owners or not
+ Precious oil reserves must be burned up (at low) prices so they can keep driving
The car-dependent who control the political agenda in most cities, presume:
+ THEIR right to drive wherever they want, and have convenient parking must be preserved -I don't believe it is a right. It is a privilege. A privilege the vast majority of people enjoy which is why there are lots of places to drive and lots of places to park.
+ THEY have the right to expect others to pay for half of highway upkeep through sales taxes - Pretty sure every single thing that you would pay sales tax on has been transported over a publicly maintained road so yes, the sales taxes should help pay for the roads
+ US Military personnel must risk their lives "to keep the oil flowing", and everyone must be taxed to keep a global military presence that costs American twice as much per capita as any of its allies
- Or we we could just utilize our own national resources but people like you won't let us.
+ We all must breathe toxic air, contaminated by car exhaust, whether we approve of the subsidies to car owners or not - Here we get to the real issue. The reason you breathe "toxic" air is because you don't have the nerve to truly live "car free". If you want fresh air, go live where cars can't go. There is plenty of places you could go of course then you wouldn't have cars and trucks delivering all of your food, clothing, warmth that you rely upon. You want all the comforts that come with a motorized society but reserve the right to point your finger at us "car addicts". Your lifestyle is just as dependent upon oil as the rest of us.
+ Precious oil reserves must be burned up (at low) prices so they can keep driving - What is so precious about oil reserves if we shouldn't be using them? If they create "toxic" air? The prices will be whatever they are, it's called capitalism. Right now they are inflated because we refuse to access our own reserves.
How come all your little indoctrination material sets up this "us versus them" scenario like people driving cars are the enemy? Also, if the rest of the world is laughing at us because we are so stupid and because of all the "difficulties" we are facing why do people continue to move here from overseas over probably every other nation combined (including you by the way). Also, if driving is such a financial drain why don't you live where almost nobody owns cars, New York City? Instead, you want a lower cost of living among all us "car addicts". Sounds like a car is a sound economic decision. It alllows you to live in lower cost, rural areas while still providing the ability to access areas of high employment opportunities etc... for far less than living in an urban setting.
How come all your little indoctrination material sets up this "us versus them" scenario like people driving cars are the enemy? Also, if the rest of the world is laughing at us because we are so stupid and because of all the "difficulties" we are facing why do people continue to move here from overseas over probably every other nation combined (including you by the way). Also, if driving is such a financial drain why don't you live where almost nobody owns cars, New York City? Instead, you want a lower cost of living among all us "car addicts". Sounds like a car is a sound economic decision. It alllows you to live in lower cost, rural areas while still providing the ability to access areas of high employment opportunities etc... for far less than living in an urban setting.
Dear me.
Do you really believe what you have posted there?
I do hope you will look back on it in 2-3 years, when the economy may be different, and in maybe 5 years when dollar oil prices will be much higher, and see how accurate it was.
I am "going off " the idea of moving to your area, because it has become clear to me that the vast majority of your neighbors are simply not ready to face the dramatic changes that are needed to reduce their oil usage, and to have a less car dependent life.
People seem to be more ready in some other areas that I am investigating, so I may focus there.
Thanks to people's postings. I may not agree with them, but their opinions were useful.
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