Good areas to live without a car in Southern California (Los Angeles: ski resorts, fit in)

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by nmnita

I think the person was trying to make the point: it is almost impossible to live in the So Ca area without a car. If you live in or near downtown L.A and don't expect to do much sight seeing you can get by. There is even service from the valley's but it isn't anything like the system in the bay area, NYC, Atlanta, DC etc. People in so Ca have a love affair with their cars.

Again, I don't see how people in SoCal have a love affair with their cars anymore than anywhere else. I really don't With the exception of the Beverly Hills wannabe who leases a Mercedes that they can't afford just to look high rolling, I don't see this love affair with cars.

Maybe it was at one time, but greater LA has grown up.

[jkbatca]

Originally Posted by yowps3

Why don't you just get a car like the rest of the people?

Because some people, through no fault of their own, cannot drive. Or they did drive once, but now cannot drive. And this could be due to health, etc, not just legal problems.

The only area I visited which had enough mass transit which I would consider living a decent life without a car was downtown San Francisco. Pasadena could maybe work, but not familiar with their mass transit.

Places like Ventura County (including TO) technically have mass transit, but generally my opinion of it is it's virtually non-existent. Don't be in any hurry to get somewhere to use this, nor expect it to drop you off anywhere near any real place of interest.

As for what do you need a car for in California, there a quite a few places to see and things to do in California which require a car. If you are not going to do any of these things, you are missing out of a lot. Check out the tons of pictures of the Internet to see what California has, and they look a lot more impressive in person!

[jkbatca]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Again, I don't see how people in SoCal have a love affair with their cars anymore than anywhere else.

Have you ever ridden a dirt bike (motorcycle) or 4x4 in the desert or state forests such as Los Padres to explore and take in the challenges of driving through it? Have you ever ridden a sports motorcycle or sports car in the Santa Monica Mountain range (especially Mulholland and "the Snake" area)? Or just drive through some of the grand vistas California has? Try those first and then ask that question.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by jkbatca

Have you ever ridden a dirt bike (motorcycle) or 4x4 in the desert or state forests such as Los Padres to explore and take in the challenges of driving through it? Have you ever ridden a sports motorcycle or sports car in the Santa Monica Mountain range (especially Mulholland and "the Snake" area)? Or just drive through some of the grand vistas California has? Try those first and then ask that question.

I enjoy Californias scenery and outdoors to the fullest extent. I've been to many areas in Southern California.

I still think those things listed however, really aren't about cars themselves, its really just a car that gets you to the place.

I think the in the midwest people are going to have more of a "love affair" of their cars for the sake of their cars. In California its more about where they can simply take it to.

Are there many cruise nights all over California towns or the cities where people simply show off their classic cars for the sake of it? Its huge in the midwest.

[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by Chava61

Contributing money towards gas is not a problem.

Do employers actually ask on applications if one owns a car or not? That sounds like legal discrimination.

There is nothing either illegal or immoral about discrimination on the basis of car ownership.

[RCLL]

You can live practically in any city without a car as most have public transportation. Sure some cities have better public transportation than others. Bottom line is convenience. What normally takes one hour to go from point A to point B, will take several hours. A major factor in your lifestyle.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

There is nothing either illegal or immoral about discrimination on the basis of car ownership.

Well it is definitely discrimination if the car is not necessary for the actual performance of the job. I would think that Southern California employers assume that one has a car and they would not bother to verify that.

[jkbatca]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

Especially if your level of emotional maturity never made it past that of 10-year old.

It's true that Glorification of the Holy Car is California's unofficial state religion, so making fun of those lemmings who aren't running toward the cliff is great sport for those who are. The State and her citizens are in deep denial about Peak Oil and are doing very little in terms of planning for a transportation future with the reality of $10-a-gallon gas.

The reason a certain percentage of people like vehicles in California include:

a) There are many California unique and readily accessible roads where driving on them allow you to experience how well a motorcycle or sports car handles (even at a safe speed limit of course!). The genuine experience of turning and g-forces and the interaction with a vehicle are something that a computer cannot (yet) duplicate. I have ridden a sports motorcycle through many places in the area and it is quite enjoyable!

b) There are many unique off road places to see which can be accessed by either dirt motorcycle or 4x4. Riding on dirt roads of various conditions takes some skill without crashing. Riding (actually interacting with) a dirt bike through various terrain also is a unique experience which is very enjoyable! Getting out in the woods which would take a long time by hiking is very nice also.

c) Due to the great weather we have in California, one can go through very unique vistas with the top down or on a motorcycle while 99% of others are sitting in their houses with freezing rain outside.

d) Do this while enjoying the many unique vistas California has to offer. Drive down PCH between Mugu Rock and Zuma beach in a convertible or motorcycle (like I have) once

e) Mass transit still does not take me to many of the hiking and biking trails I like to frequent.

You know, maybe just maybe there actually IS a reason SOME people genuinely like driving in California after all.

[jkbatca]

The problem with answering a question of "good areas to live without a car" is it just raises the question of "what kind of life do you want to live?". If all you do is use mass transit to get you to the grocery store / shopping center / work, that's one thing. If you want mass transit to take you to interesting places, then that's a whole order of magnitude more to ask mass transit to do. And there are many places which tout mass transit, but it doesn't take you to places you may want to go nor does it take you there in a decent amount of time (especially if you are used to driving a car there). So it's pretty difficult to answer the original question without some more background on what "living without a car" means to a person.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by jkbatca

The problem with answering a question of "good areas to live without a car" is it just raises the question of "what kind of life do you want to live?". If all you do is use mass transit to get you to the grocery store / shopping center / work, that's one thing. If you want mass transit to take you to interesting places, then that's a whole order of magnitude more to ask mass transit to do. And there are many places which tout mass transit, but it doesn't take you to places you may want to go nor does it take you there in a decent amount of time (especially if you are used to driving a car there). So it's pretty difficult to answer the original question without some more background on what "living without a car" means to a person.

I am talking about every day living without a car and not about exceptional places that a person might want to go outside of their daily lives.