Christa, Day 44: No Can Do

Here's some information about my car: It gets P. and us to the doctor, though we have walked her to the ER once before. It gets us to New York to see my mom and my grandparents. It gets me to work in a town with very limited local public transportation. It allows me to pick up free toddler clothes and gear from Freecycle. It makes doing things like buying groceries and seeing other people possible in our terrible white winters.

All of which brings me to today's simplification idea:

Try living without a car. OK, this isn’t something I’ve done, but many others have. It’s something I would do if I didn’t have kids. Walk, bike, or take public transportation. It reduces expenses and gives you time to think. A car is also very complicating, needing not only car payments, but insurance, registration, safety inspections, maintenance, repairs, gas and more.

Well, Leo, it IS something I've done. I had no car in Brooklyn for some time and even no car in Queens for a little while. This was doable because I was a hip single gal living in Brooklyn and then Queens where there were plenty of Asian markets and, later, a supermarket down the block and great 24-hour public transportation and also everything I needed at all hours because I was in New York City. Carless in Boston might be possible, but everything closes at what feels like 9 p.m. - including the public transportation!

Carless in the north shore? Ahaha.

Could I do it? Yes. I'd have to find new doctors for all of us and while we do have a grocery and bank and post office within walking distance, it would be a cold horrible experience to get to them from December to March, so I'd probably just feed my family un-cashed checks and unsent mail all winter. I'd have to quit my job, or give my reluctant boss a telecommuting ultimatum. We could still visit our New York family, but getting there would be a day's worth of train rides (commuter rail, 1 hr w/ walking, to Amtrak, 4+ hrs, to LIRR, 2 hrs) and a lot more expensive. No more free stuff pick ups.

Yes, owning a car is more expensive than taking a bike everywhere or using public transportation. Provided there even is reliable public transportation. Look, we walk. A lot. And bike.




Weekend shopping is often a by foot affair that includes the whole family. I like to use my car as little as possible. But life without a car where we live? Would be downright complicated. Figuring out something simple like how to visit with a friend would be such a pain in the butt that I'd become a hermit. I would not make the effort or spend the money to see my family. And I'd be shopping every day for things since I'd be limited to however much I could carry home in a wheely basket. Which was perfectly fine in New York when the stores I frequented were a block away. Not so much here.

Call me whiny, if you will. But this is an idea for city dwellers, not us current suburbanites.