Comments on: Going Car Free (or Car Less)

By: LisaNewton

LisaNewton — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:35:11 +0000

I understand where you’re coming from with the biking. I recently started biking here in Los Angeles, and the streets are more than a little scary. Whenever possible I do stick to the sidewalks, but even these have their own set of problems.

Right now, I watch as much as possible, keep an eye on the traffic, and follow all the correct signals.

Of course, I also wear a helmet. It might look geeky, but I don’t give a damn.

I wish you luck as a one car family. It takes a little effort, but I’ve discovered that it is also very rewarding…………………..:)

By: Daphne

Daphne — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:00:58 +0000

Hi Carla,

I sold my last car 3 years ago and never looked back. What I love about not having a car – no worries about refuelling, servicing, washing, and looking for parking! Maybe one or two days a year I wish I had a car, but otherwise I’m happier without. Hope you enjoy the experience!

By: Squawkfox

Squawkfox — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:17:31 +0000

I have been living car free for about 12 years. It’s not the easiest path, but with a little planning it’s very doable. In the summer I ride my bike everywhere…I even have a trailer I use for groceries. In the winter I take transit or carpool.

I’ve saved countless dollars not owning a vehicle too. Plus I get fitness to boot.

By: Gennaro

Gennaro — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:10:44 +0000

Great move, Carla. It’s definately easier to cut down on car use in certain cities. In New York City, for example, it’s very easy. Depending on the borough, of course. This action of cutting down on the autos fits into Gandhi’s “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

By: Carla

Carla — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:27:17 +0000

@Natural – I don’t know what I would do in harsh winters. We are just going up to PDX so it’s not as bad as the northeast (though they came pretty close this winter!). We will still have one car between the two of us. We LOVE getting out of town too much to give that up.

@Sagan – I certainly hope so!

@Richly – The only website I know about is http://511.org/ for the Bay Area. I’m sure there are others around for different areas – I hope!

@living my rich life – 10 minute cycle to work sounds great! Do you have hills where you live?

@Mark – Great blog!

@Wilson – 4km is pretty ideal!

By: Natural

Natural — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:22:29 +0000

if i lived in NYC, i would give up my car, but where I am now, in NJ, that’s just not going to happen. there is public transportation, but where i work, it doesn’t come often. oh yeah, i would die in the winter.

wish you the best!

By: Sagan

Sagan — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:17:02 +0000

Hurray! Good luck:) Life is much easier without having a car (or an extra one) anyways.

By: Richly Chheuy

Richly Chheuy — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:13:23 +0000

Good luck Carla! It shouldn’t be too bad, as long as you have a car for backup.

My commute makes it difficult to find any form of public transportation, but I wish I could find some way to get to work without having to drive everyday. I bought a Prius last September to help offset some of my fuel costs (I was driving a Jeep Liberty and that was guzzling gas like frat boys guzzle beer).

Do you know of any web-based tools out there to help plan out public transportation routes?

By: livingmyrichlife

livingmyrichlife — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:25:50 +0000

Good luck! I’m sure that once you are in the new routine you’ll be more at peace with the decision. I love having one car that we rarely drive. It helps that Hubby is at home most of the time and I have an easy 10 minute cycle to work.

By: Mark Salinas

Mark Salinas — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:02:13 +0000

Good for you! I would love to add you to my journey page…check it out!