Carless

[Badger]

Luckily my primary residence is FL, so that's were I have my drivers license. They don't take those away for any reason that I've been able to determine (probably including death). So I'll just get in the left lane, turn on my turn signal, and drive 35 mph into the sunset (in a 55 mph zone).

Couple that with all the tourists and you have an exciting yet inexpensive entertainment for the afternoon during rush hour traffic.

Cheers!

 

[Car-Guy]

No way I'll ever go carless. I'll probably drive my last/best car to my own funeral. Well maybe I'll be driven in it.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

I try to minimize my driving and walk/bike a lot but don't think I'd want to be carless for too long. I wouldn't voluntarily go carless and plan to keep my current car for a long time. I have thought that if it was totaled, I would delay buying and try getting by without for a while as an experiment. The savings in fuel and insurance would likely cover added expenses of ridesharing and deliveries but there would be enough inconvenience I don't think I would go too long in the experiment -hard to transport my paddleboard on an Uber!

 

[Jerry1]

Sorry for reviving this old thread but some good thoughts init already....

Anyone considering or gone carless recently? Seems you can have almost anything delivered these days. Quick access to things like Uber for spur of the moment trips to shops and around town.

Just thinking how going from current situation of one car to no car if spouse and I are no longer working would work out. $1000 a year insurance used towards Uber rides to places. Have groceries delivered.
Sell the current like new car and stick 30k in the bank. Seems that would go a long way towards car rentals when needed for out of town trips perhaps.

Any thoughts on this plan... crazy?

Before I went careless, I’d go with a used car and get most of the benefit you’re describing. Find a good used car for around $10K, maybe less if you can find a good deal. Put $20K in the bank and put the lowest amount of insurance on it and save on that cost. But, don’t skimp on liability insurance. When you want to take a trip, rent a dependable car if you don’t feel your very used car is dependable enough.

As for me, cars are something I appreciate and blow some dough on. I’m struggling to think of the day I might go down to one car. As long as me and/or DW can drive, we’ll have a nice car.

 

[Surewhitey]

We went to 1 car twice. Once in LA & when living in Mexico. Biking was the second "car" in the family and I actually preferred it in less than 5 mile trips. Usually just as fast too...

Carless is a long way off for us. We travel too much for that. DM needs to go carless, but still has 2 cars. I just mentioned they should be fine with 1 car, but step dad doesn't let go for some reason... He's barely able to walk, much less drive.

We're 2 cars now only because I use mine for biz purposes. When I stop, we'll likely be back to 1 nice car...

 

[REWahoo]

Careless? More frequently than I'd like to admit. But carless? Nope.

We live in a semi-rural area, 5+ miles to the nearest convenience store and 10+ to a supermarket. After almost 50 years as a two car family we tried going back to one car last year. Didn't work for us.

Neither of us felt comfortable going anywhere and leaving the other at home without transportation, so we're back to two vehicles.

 

[target2019]

imoldernu,
Thanks for so many interesting threads. If you see this reply, please let me know what meals are like in the great beyond.

In NJ we still need two cars. We barely use the 2nd, but it is handy to have a spare.

 

[Car-Guy]

Careless? More frequently than I'd like to admit. But carless? Nope.

We live in a semi-rural area, 5+ miles to the nearest convenience store and 10+ to a supermarket. After almost 50 years as a two car family we tried going back to one car last year. Didn't work for us.

Neither of us felt comfortable going anywhere and leaving the other at home without transportation, so we're back to two vehicles.

Similar here. 15 miles to the nearest "anything" (gas station/convenience store/etc) and 20 miles to a supermarket. Nearest hospital is about 20 miles away too, if you only need a bandaid. Anything that I'd consider to be a city is about an hour's drive at highway speeds. There are no taxis, buses or uber service anywhere near here. So, we keep two cars in case one is "out of service" for a while.

Worse case, I guess I could ride the tractor into town if I really had to. Over the years, I've seen a few folks ride their horses to the local Walmart so maybe that's an option I should consider.

 

[Car-Guy]

imoldernu,
Thanks for so many interesting threads. If you see this reply, please let me know what meals are like in the great beyond.

Not sure he has Internet services there. But I miss his posts too.

 

[Chuckanut]

Neither of us felt comfortable going anywhere and leaving the other at home without transportation, so we're back to two vehicles.

Have you considered getting a TukTuk?

 

[audreyh1]

We don’t care to live in dense urban areas so carless is not practical. Currently 8 miles to our main supermarket. Really a good 5+ miles from any decent retail area.

But the real issue is that we still have strong wanderlust and like going on car trips - long day trips and much longer many weeks trips. A very nice beach plus great coastal birding is 80 miles away - sure is nice to just hop in the car and go.

I would not like to rely on deliveries either.

We did go to just one vehicle the first year after retiring because we weren’t using the 2nd vehicle at all. We usually run errands together, and locally we use our bicycles especially DH. DH can drive, but prefers not to, so I’m sure that made a difference. My job has always been chauffeur, especially when we had the big diesel pusher.

Confession: we have never used Uber.

 

[REWahoo]

Have you considered getting a TukTuk?

We test drove one but DW said no. Didn't like what it did to her hair above 70MPH.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have done the math and it would be much more expensive to use Uber than to drive my car. Grocery delivery is great if you have no other options but I want to pick out my own groceries. My car is old so cheap to register and for insurance.

 

[Ramen]

When younger, I had a car but, in early 2002, decided I was done with motorized transport. Sold my car, bought a bicycle, and haven't looked back. In both of the major metro areas that I have lived in since, I have been able to arrange my life so that most of the places I need to be are within a radius of a few miles. That way, I can get there by bike. If it's a bit further, I take public transport. It has worked out very well and saved me a bunch of money. I'm 59, and should have many bicycling years ahead of me still.

I'm not very keen on motorized transport, especially the 4-wheeled kind. I feel closed off and disconnected from the environment I am moving through. It's actually a bit boring and, unlike when riding my bicycle, I am not getting any exercise. It doesn't make much sense to me, to pay all that money in order to feel little connection to the world around me and get no exercise in the process. Motorcycles were fun, but at this point in my life, I want to live for as long as possible.

If I lived in a rural or semi-rural area, I doubt I'd be able to get by with just a bike and public transport.

Ditto all of this. I have not had a car in more than a decade and hope I can get away without ever having one again. Might not be possible or practical, but I'll remain car-free for as long as I can.

 

[pacergal]

imoldernu,
Thanks for so many interesting threads. If you see this reply, please let me know what meals are like in the great beyond.

, I saw his name and my heart did a little extra thump. He was a knowledgeable man in many ways. Bless that guy.

If it was only DH and I, we could consider being car less. We have nice grocery within walking distance and a small downtown core easily accessible by bike or an e-bike. As it is now, we are considering selling one of our cars and having only one instead of two. that's a start!
However we have kids, DGKs and siblings all within 40 miles of each other and it would be more costly for all of those Ubers for the visiting we do.

 

[HawkOwl]

Living in Florida, I don’t want to hitchhike when the next hurricane pulls into town.

 

[W2R]

We live in a very urban inner suburb, with 20 story high rises just 2-3 blocks away from our quiet, single story, tree lined residential street. The biggest shopping mall in the area is 1/4-1/2 mile away although we never actually go there. We have a big grocery store a half block away, and several others within a mile. Also I actually counted 80-100 restaurants within a mile from where we live. Frank brings us take-out from one of the nearby restaurants for our meals. We seldom need or want to go anywhere else. The hospital, and my doctor, medical lab, and so on, are 1-2 miles from here although my dentist is probably 5 miles away. As for hurricane evacuations, after the last one (which I ended up spending mostly alone in a basement ICU in Arkansas while half dead with severe Covid double pneumonia) I may never want to evacuate again.

So, I don't have much need for a car. I have one, and have to make an effort to use it a little bit every week or two in order to keep it running. I'm almost 75 years old and I'd rather stop driving before my abilities are affected by old age, rather than after. I could see going without a car at some point not too far in the future, but not quite yet.

 

[Sunset]

I'd like us to go down to 1 car instead of 2, but it's a tough argument with DW.
Currently, the 25 yr old car doesn't cost much, avg repairs $100/yr and $300 for insurance. Gets used once or twice per week just to keep it running.

I personally wouldn't go car less, as we don't live walking distance to various shopping, and worse is it snows here.
Although we could get groceries delivered, I enjoy grocery shopping and deal hunting.

Most importantly, is we visit some older relatives weekly to ensure they are OK and help with stuff, weekly trips via Uber would kill any savings.

 

[ls99]

No way, no car or pickup truck or subarban. Have one of each. They serve well for their designed purpose.

 

[razztazz]

I've thought about this for a while. Even before the heart attack. I noticed taking the I-80 bridge to the big town, my reflexes weren't what they used to be in that mass of traffic. Maybe I was just out of practice but I never looked forward to it.
Then there's macular degeneration which is one of those things you really cannot defense. It's called "Age related macular degeneration" for a reason.

I have relied on some modern conveniences while recovering from the heart attack. Cabs, (must get a smart phone to use Uber), having stuff delivered, the occasional lift from a neighbor. I do not live close enough to any buses but, I think if I were unable to drive due to lack of mobility, eyesight, Parkinson's etc I probably wouldn't be fit to just jump on a bus either. That seems to be a voluntary option for those who just don't want or like to drive anymore.

The scheduling of pick-ups is the hardest. I get dropped off at a place. Then when I'm done call for a ride: "It'll be 90 minutes." I can't make that a way of life!

 

[aaronc879]

When younger, I had a car but, in early 2002, decided I was done with motorized transport. Sold my car, bought a bicycle, and haven't looked back. In both of the major metro areas that I have lived in since, I have been able to arrange my life so that most of the places I need to be are within a radius of a few miles. That way, I can get there by bike. If it's a bit further, I take public transport. It has worked out very well and saved me a bunch of money. I'm 59, and should have many bicycling years ahead of me still.

I'm not very keen on motorized transport, especially the 4-wheeled kind. I feel closed off and disconnected from the environment I am moving through. It's actually a bit boring and, unlike when riding my bicycle, I am not getting any exercise. It doesn't make much sense to me, to pay all that money in order to feel little connection to the world around me and get no exercise in the process. Motorcycles were fun, but at this point in my life, I want to live for as long as possible.

If I lived in a rural or semi-rural area, I doubt I'd be able to get by with just a bike and public transport.

I haven't been able to figure out a way to have a set-up on my bike that would allow me to get a decent amount of groceries without being concerned that it would be stolen while i'm in the store. Any suggestions other than to only get one days worth of stuff at a time. I am not interested in that. That may work in California where almost every day is dry and comfortable but that doesn't work in Wisconsin.

 

[braumeister]

I haven't been able to figure out a way to have a set-up on my bike that would allow me to get a decent amount of groceries without being concerned that it would be stolen while i'm in the store. Any suggestions other than to only get one days worth of stuff at a time. I am not interested in that. That may work in California where almost every day is dry and comfortable but that doesn't work in Wisconsin.

I would use a backpack. Any decent camping type backpack should be comfortable enough to wear while riding a bike and would hold quite a bit.

 

[W2R]

I would use a backpack. Any decent camping type backpack should be comfortable enough to wear while riding a bike and would hold quite a bit.

That's what I used back in college. I couldn't afford a bike, but would put groceries in my backpack for the 8 block walk home. If I accidently bought too many to fit, then I'd also have to carry one of those paper bags of groceries that were used back then. I had a rain poncho for when it rained but that didn't keep me and my groceries from getting soaked. Still, I was young and this sort of trek was not difficult for me until my late 50's.

 

[aaronc879]

I would use a backpack. Any decent camping type backpack should be comfortable enough to wear while riding a bike and would hold quite a bit.

Would stores let you in while wearing a backpack? I doubt a store like Walmart would but maybe a straight up grocery store would be ok with it.

 

[W2R]

Would stores let you in while wearing a backpack? I doubt a store like Walmart would but maybe a straight up grocery store would be ok with it.

Yes. Since it's empty on the way in, you can just sling it over one shoulder. They just wanted to look in it (and look at your receipt) when you were on your way out. Once you are used to buying groceries on your own, you'll get used to this sort of thing.