Would you volutarily sell your vehicle and rely on LA Metro Rail & Bus service for your primary transportation? (Long Beach: insurance, home)

[Sky-Blue]

I can easily afford my car and all the expenses. However, I am considering selling off my car and primarily relying on metro rail and bus to get around. Have you ever relied on LA public transportation?, or would you consider doing it? Share please. Thank you!

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by Sky-Blue

I can easily afford my car and all the expenses. However, I am considering selling off my car and primarily relying on metro rail and bus to get around. Have you ever relied on LA public transportation?, or would you consider doing it? Share please. Thank you!

I have been relying upon Metro transit for the past 13+ years ... It all depends upon where you live and work but I've been able to make it work for me, even though it isn't ideal for everyone. Wish they would improve mass transit to NYC levels but that would be a dream.

[PDF]

I think the best thing to do is go car-lite. LA is the perfect city for that.

[DellNay]

It's totally impractical. You would have to utilize some form of auto transport to get to In between places and LA is not the kind of place where there's taxis driving around looking for passengers. Also there's a safety issue and you would Jane to be prepared to carry out a Bernard Goetz scenario in terms of being armed defensively and using it as necessary on hoodlums causing mayhem.

[munchitup]

Originally Posted by DellNay

It's totally impractical. You would have to utilize some form of auto transport to get to In between places and LA is not the kind of place where there's taxis driving around looking for passengers. Also there's a safety issue and you would Jane to be prepared to carry out a Bernard Goetz scenario in terms of being armed defensively and using it as necessary on hoodlums causing mayhem.

You are probably safer on the LA buses and trains than driving in LA traffic. Something tells me a lot of people with the above response have never even tried to use the Metro.

I like my car, which I use once or twice a week - but I could see myself living without it in LA if need be.

[DellNay]

I'm talkin bout the train not da bus

[jm1982]

I don't think I could do it, at least with my current job. It's located in an area that isn't accessible by public bus. I'm also 18 miles from work. It would be a nightmare trying to get there on time, even by car it's a crappy commute.

I too have romanticized the idea of being car free.

Cars give you a freedom, but it's a double edged sword. Insurance, Car Payments, paying $4/gallon gas , maintenance, registration, etc also act as a chain for many people. There are some people that can easily afford that, but they are probably in the minority. I don't think people really add up all the expenses of owning a car.

If I lived close to work and couple take a short ride on public transit I'd probably be alright taking it Mon-Fri .

but then what about on weekends?

I feel like i'd rely more on people driving me around and I wouldn't want to feel 'like a leech' so to speak.

[SandyCo]

No. I can't imagine schlepping groceries home on public transportation. I'm spoiled, I admit it. Also, I can drive to work in fifteen minutes. Taking a bus or the Orange Line would take me at least forty-five minutes. Since I have to be at work at 6:30 a.m., you can probably see why I always use my car.

[BRinSM]

5 or 6 years ago I began using the bus exclusively for daily commuting. I realized the bus wasn't convenient enough for me so I bought a scooter and sold my car. I used the bus only during heavy rain. While living and working on the westside this was an ideal situation but only worked because my wife had a car. I guess what I'm getting at is that there other options than just transit or car.

[ccm123]

Not in LA, unless you live relatively close to work. If you lived in, say, Woodland Hills and needed to commute to say, Long Beach, I think it would be very inefficient.