People Who Do Not Own Cars

Quite a few threads have me wondering what your lifestyle is like that it doesn’t necessitate owning a car. I think it is great that you are able to live car free, but I am wondering how this is. Many people have expressed the feeling of freedom that comes with not owning car, but for me it feels like a lack of.

Do you work in the city or commute to the suburbs? Are you otherwise required to commute to areas outside the city on a frequent basis? Is your family local and how often do you see them? Would you describe your lifestyle as minimalistic? This is the part of me wondering how I would have gotten that all-in-one printer home the other day or the cans of paint and bbq I just bought. When I run my weekly errands, I get everything done in one shot. How is that possible on a bike? Do you use car-sharing services? How often would you say not owning a car creates a hindrance? Do you ever feel like you are losing time in your day due to a reliance on public transportation or that it is more of a hassle?

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 8, 2010 at 7:57am

61.74%? I guess we've made some progress, but we've got a long way to go.

Steven Vance said:

From the American Community Survey (detailed table), 2006-2008 3-year estimates, the portion of people driving to work in the City of Chicago is 61.74%. The number riding bikes is 1.04%. The number walking is 5.62%.

The portion of people driving who drove alone is 83.11%.

BK said:
If any of this sounds elitist, as is sometimes the accusation against successful and proud car-free individuals, I guess I really don't have an apology. According to the 2000 census, only 33% of Chicagoans don't drive to work. Yes, it's been a decennium since then and I don't know how much that number has changed but I hope it has for the better! I'd say going against the grain of the other 67% of the population possibly confers elite status. I see going car-free as responsibility and not a trophy since I not-so-accidentally put myself in a position to do it.

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Permalink Reply by Scott on November 13, 2010 at 8:54pm

I live and work in the city. Had no problem getting a printer back to my house from Staples on the front of my dutch bike. Car free since 2003!

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Permalink Reply by dav on November 14, 2010 at 2:41am

Q: Do you work in the city or commute to the suburbs?
A: I work in the city and commute 5 miles to work every day.

Q:Are you otherwise required to commute to areas outside the city on a frequent basis?
A: Not at all

Q: Is your family local and how often do you see them?
A: Distant suburbs. Once or twice a year.

Q: Would you describe your lifestyle as minimalistic?
A: 3 kids. Not at all minimalistic.

Q: This is the part of me wondering how I would have gotten that all-in-one printer home the other day or the cans of paint and bbq I just bought.
A: Own a good bike trailer.

Q: When I run my weekly errands, I get everything done in one shot. How is that possible on a bike?
A: What takes 15 minutes in a car takes 25 minutes by bike. Save money, spend time.

Q: Do you use car-sharing services?
A: We use Zip Car if we need to go to the burbs.

Q: How often would you say not owning a car creates a hindrance?
A: Never. You'll stop thinking in terms of "how much easier this would be if..."

Q: Do you ever feel like you are losing time in your day due to a reliance on public transportation or that it is more of a hassle?
A: No

COMMENTARY: Just get rid of the car. You'll be fine.

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on November 14, 2010 at 4:59am

1. My parents live in Madison and are in their 70's. I need to check on them at least once a month these days and take care of things around the house for them as my sister lives in TX -which is even further away. It doesn't seem that HSR is going to make it between Chicago and Madison any time soon (if ever) and taking the bus from O'Hare is something like $30 round trip these days plus a round trip up to the blue line to get to that bus. Put it at $35. I can make the round trip in just over half that in gas in my car.

2. My car was made in 1993 by people who don't make disposable cars (Toyota) and runs as good today over 15 years later and 313,000 miles as it did when it rolled off the assembly line. It's been paid for both monetarily as well as the hidden environmental costs. Building a car is a huge cost to the environment -and those who throw them away every 5-6 years to buy these new electronic battery-operated monstrosities full of heavy metals are doing much more harm to our planet than my car (which is already here and isn't going anywhere).

3. I do all of my own maintenance -which is mostly just keeping it adjusted. The costs to keep it up are very low actually. In the last 5 years I've spent about $500 in parts. It was made in Japan by people who don't go out every night and get drunk and come in hung over the next morning to higher standards than many other cars. The biggest cost to keep this car on the road are TAXES. License, registration, stickers. The tax-man cometh and he wants all you can produce for the looters.

4. The car gets 25MPG combined gas mileage. It used to get about 30MPG back when they made real gas. Now the gas is 10% filler and the car gets 80% of the mileage. At least ADM and big corn are making their money (taxes again).

5. I work in construction as a commercial electrician. There aren't many jobs here in the city for my type of work (and those that are here are kept in a seniority system for locals who have been here for a LONG time by the union). I spend a lot of time driving to the job sites where there is work WHEN there is any. Often that is to power plant shut-downs around the state and as far away as Wisconsin. Riding a bicycle to Byron, Point Beach, or Kewanee on a bicycle is not really an option. If the commute is over a couple of hours I'll stay local and come home for weekends. But the economy has gotten worse and worse and contrary to public belief this money that has been stolen from our grandchildren to "boost" the economy now has gone totally to the Big Bankers and nothing is being spent on real infrastructure.

If I never had to leave the city I could easily get away without a car. Since there is almost zero commercial construction work the car has basically sat between drives to Madison to take care of my parents. If they were out of the picture I could almost park it for good if there was any growth in chicago so I could get a local job in one place where I didn't have to go to a different construction site somewhere random around the city or the surrounding burbs every month or so.

In the city it is obvious to most of us who ride that a bike is faster and more convenient than a car. When I am forced to drive in this city (getting out of it usually) it is painful to sit and wait for traffic to move when I could be passing everyone and slipping through the lights. The only time I use the car is when I need to buy a load of lumber or stuff like that which I can't fit on the bike. Even with a trailer you can't carry drywall or 4x8 sheets of plywood like I can strap to the roof of my Camry.

But because of the things I enumerated above it just isn't possible not owing a car right now for my situation. As it is, I'll drive my old Camry once a month and not feel bad about it when some whiny hipster tells me I'm destroying the world by owning it.