The No Car Club
Seeing as this week started off with an anniversary, I thought it only appropriate to end it with another. While there is no clear marker like Bastille Day for this one, has officially been two years since my car died and I’ve been living car free. At first it was a bit of laziness, not wanting to deal with the whole insurance/title/etc., but then it became a challenge to see if I could really live in a city like Baltimore without my own set a wheels. It’s been two glorious years now, and there’s not a day I’d go back and wish I had a car again (especially these days with crazy gas prices!). So in honor of the two year mark, I came up with a Top 10 Reasons to Not Own a Car:
10. No paying for gas/insurance/upkeep or maintenance
9. No worrying about finding parking and you don’t waste $150+/month to pay for a piece of concrete while you slave away all day at your job
8. Walking is free exercise
7. One way streets become two way when you’re on your feet and traffic jams are much more pleasant as you pass angry cars with a mere stroll
6. You can offer to take friends to the airport (a huge favor to people) and they’ll lend you their car while you’re gone if they’re as awesome as my friends (I’m thinking I could even start my own business with this one, seeing as I’ve done 8 airport runs in the past month and a half)
5. Forces you to think logistically and be more productive with your time. And you learn to only pack what you can carry.
4. Car share programs like ZipCar have made getting a car when you need one a breeze (all gas and insurance is included in the totally reasonable fees! Much cheaper than owning a car yourself)
3. Carpooling means more QT with friends! (It’s seriously made me way more social, rather than driving myself places in the old days)
2. Public transportation makes for a great topic of conversation. And trust me, if you ride the bus in a place like Baltimore, you will have stories. (And the less than stellar public transportation I ride on a daily basis means ride it anywhere else is a breeze!)
1. More money to travel! :)
Dare you try getting around for a week or weekend without your car????
{infographic [click to enlarge] by Piece Studio – out of Baltimore! – for GOOD magazine}
Alex
July 18, 2008 at 1:15 pm //
I went car free for my big move to NYC, and I must say, I have not missed my car for a single minute! I guess it helps that i live in a city with an incredible public transit system… but still!
Abbey Goes Design Scouting
July 18, 2008 at 1:28 pm //
i’m car free too and have to say that it is life changing! happy weekend!
itinerantlondoner
July 18, 2008 at 2:40 pm //
It’s much easier when you’re in a city, especially a European one. I live in London, and no-one I know owns a car. In fact, I’ve never even had a lesson, so I can’t even drive. And I’ve never missed it, either.
Prêt à Voyager
July 18, 2008 at 3:16 pm //
Speaking of high gas prices: http://typography.com/ask/showBlog.php?blogID=121
A
design for mankind.
July 18, 2008 at 3:30 pm //
I’m car free, too! :) My bike is quite busy. ;)
Prêt à Voyager
July 18, 2008 at 3:36 pm //
It’s everywhere I look today!
10 Car Free US Destinations:
http://travel.msn.com/Guides/greenarticle.aspx?cp-documentid=536340>1=41000
Anne
p.s. Erin- that’s impressive in LA!
Kateri
July 18, 2008 at 3:43 pm //
Hooray for being car free! 27 and never had a license. Although i just went through driver’s ed so that i would be able drive in case of an emergency… or inebriated friend.
Gretta
July 18, 2008 at 5:34 pm //
I dare! But it’s easy to do when you work from home, and can walk a mile to Trader Joe’s for supplies;)
Anonymous
July 18, 2008 at 7:06 pm //
Love your comments, bet you would not have made such statements in high school or college, when a car was a must have, cannot do without….
Obviously the old car crapping out was the beginning of great new adventure!
MSD
Liz
July 18, 2008 at 7:59 pm //
I would add that another benefit of being car free is owning lots of cute AND sensible shoes. At least this is a priority for me, as I end up walking most everywhere, but refuse to sacrifice fashion. :)
fpteditors
July 19, 2008 at 12:08 pm //
Going car-free is getting to be quite a world-wide movement! We feel that the car is subsidized and to equalize we should make public transit free!
Linsey
July 19, 2008 at 4:12 pm //
Love it! You have inspired me to try car free in Savannah where public transportation is not that great. Im doing it next week so Ill let you know how it goes. Horray for car free!
lost
July 20, 2008 at 10:29 pm //
I joined the no-car club when I lived in Baltimore and your post made me realize that I’ve now been car free for almost three years!
When I was in B-more, I lived on St. Paul and walked to work at Hopkins, right past the BMA and the Wyman Dell every day — another great byproduct: you never know what treasures will emerge on your car-free commute!
Here’s one more tip: I was lucky enough to sell my car to my mother, who needed a new one, so the car has remained “in the family” and I still get to drive it occasionally when I visit the folks. Another car-less option that might work for some folks :)
Xander
July 22, 2008 at 2:47 am //
Being forced to go carless after moving abroad has definitely decreased my daily stress levels (can you imagine being having a car in Bangkok? yikes). I really admire that you’re doing it in the states, though! -X