Comments on: Living Car-Free in D.C. http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/ Learning to live green and live together Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:53:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: The Real Cost of Owning a Car | GreenCouple.com http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-850 The Real Cost of Owning a Car | GreenCouple.com Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:01:12 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-850 [...] There were some great comments in response to my post last week about visiting a friend who lives car-free in D.C. and it got me thinking about alternative transportation. It also got me thinking about how much [...] [...] There were some great comments in response to my post last week about visiting a friend who lives car-free in D.C. and it got me thinking about alternative transportation. It also got me thinking about how much [...]

]]> By: Andy http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-675 Andy Sat, 31 May 2008 18:09:27 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-675 About the carsharing, I work for a carshare compnay, but in a smaller city, and I haven't used it in large cities before. I can understand how it may not work the same there, but it's one of those things where looking at the full cost is needed. If you are trying to get around to many locations in a city under 5 or 6 hours, then carshare could be a lot more convenient, but if the public transit works well also than that might be a little less convenient but cheaper. Carsharing sounds amazing though when you don't own a car, because although a trip could cost tens of dollars, you likely wouldn't be doing that all the time, and you drive less and pay a lot less compared to owning. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if a typical car user could save $10,000 by not owning a car. Just imagine how many times a week you drive somewhere, when you /could/ have combined some of those trips. If you didn't own a car, or paid for it by the hour, you would be very careful how much you drive and make sure the trips are meaningful enough. -Andy About the carsharing, I work for a carshare compnay, but in a smaller city, and I haven’t used it in large cities before. I can understand how it may not work the same there, but it’s one of those things where looking at the full cost is needed. If you are trying to get around to many locations in a city under 5 or 6 hours, then carshare could be a lot more convenient, but if the public transit works well also than that might be a little less convenient but cheaper. Carsharing sounds amazing though when you don’t own a car, because although a trip could cost tens of dollars, you likely wouldn’t be doing that all the time, and you drive less and pay a lot less compared to owning. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if a typical car user could save $10,000 by not owning a car. Just imagine how many times a week you drive somewhere, when you /could/ have combined some of those trips. If you didn’t own a car, or paid for it by the hour, you would be very careful how much you drive and make sure the trips are meaningful enough.
-Andy

]]> By: Jessica http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-664 Jessica Fri, 30 May 2008 21:02:16 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-664 I went car free in DC for two months last summer. I was at Ft. Meade for some advanced photography training. I could have driven out there, as I normally do, but I was pregnant and didn't want to drive all the way across the country in a car with no cruise control, so this year I flew. I had a hard time getting around because I was pretty far from the metro station. I looked into zipcar, but like your friend, it was too costly for me. It was cheaper to take a cab to the nearest metro station. I made good friends with one of the cab drivers who frequented the post, but a cab trip to the metro station would cost me 40 bucks. Once I got to the metro station, however, I loved it. I wish we had some public transit like that here in Denver. We have two lightrail lines, but they hardly get you anywhere. The only problem with the metro was that, since I was pregnant, I had a tendancy to get motion sickness on them. I still have some metro passes with money on them. I should send them to a friend out there so they don't go to waste. I went car free in DC for two months last summer. I was at Ft. Meade for some advanced photography training. I could have driven out there, as I normally do, but I was pregnant and didn’t want to drive all the way across the country in a car with no cruise control, so this year I flew.
I had a hard time getting around because I was pretty far from the metro station. I looked into zipcar, but like your friend, it was too costly for me. It was cheaper to take a cab to the nearest metro station. I made good friends with one of the cab drivers who frequented the post, but a cab trip to the metro station would cost me 40 bucks.
Once I got to the metro station, however, I loved it. I wish we had some public transit like that here in Denver. We have two lightrail lines, but they hardly get you anywhere. The only problem with the metro was that, since I was pregnant, I had a tendancy to get motion sickness on them. I still have some metro passes with money on them. I should send them to a friend out there so they don’t go to waste.

]]> By: Maggie http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-641 Maggie Wed, 28 May 2008 21:25:32 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-641 Los Angeles is a really tough place to go car-less. I was amazed at how sprawly and car-centered it is, even in the urban core. It was also probably the most overwhelming big city I've visited and I can't say I feel the need to go back, although I have friends there who are quite happy. I generally find big cities totally overwhelming but I think it's good for me to visit them every now and then to get a reminder of the good parts (some really charming walkable neighborhoods, an astounding variety of shops and restaurants, pretty impressive public transportation) and the bad parts (insane traffic, overwhelming numbers of people, long distances to the places you really want to be, obscene housing prices). I read a book awhile back about living car-free (How to Live Well Without Owning a Car by Chris Balish) and although he overstated some of the savings , you really can save a big chunk of money even if you end up renting a car every once in awhile. And perhaps I'm spoiled by living in Indiana and driving an old car so my car insurance and license plates are relatively cheap (he was estimating he saved something crazy like $10,000 a year by getting rid of his car but I'm pretty sure I would only save about $2,000 if I could pull it off at all.) Los Angeles is a really tough place to go car-less. I was amazed at how sprawly and car-centered it is, even in the urban core. It was also probably the most overwhelming big city I’ve visited and I can’t say I feel the need to go back, although I have friends there who are quite happy. I generally find big cities totally overwhelming but I think it’s good for me to visit them every now and then to get a reminder of the good parts (some really charming walkable neighborhoods, an astounding variety of shops and restaurants, pretty impressive public transportation) and the bad parts (insane traffic, overwhelming numbers of people, long distances to the places you really want to be, obscene housing prices).

I read a book awhile back about living car-free (How to Live Well Without Owning a Car by Chris Balish) and although he overstated some of the savings , you really can save a big chunk of money even if you end up renting a car every once in awhile. And perhaps I’m spoiled by living in Indiana and driving an old car so my car insurance and license plates are relatively cheap (he was estimating he saved something crazy like $10,000 a year by getting rid of his car but I’m pretty sure I would only save about $2,000 if I could pull it off at all.)

]]> By: rosiegirl http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-630 rosiegirl Wed, 28 May 2008 03:03:02 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-630 I have to agree with arduous. For years I have maintained that I would gleefully give up my car, but the transit system where I live is appaling at best. I live and work in town and it takes me approximately 10 minutes to drive to work. If I were to not use my car I would have to walk to work as no form of transit even comes close to where I live. At best this walk would take me over an hour and a half. Similar to Linnea I tend to condense all of my trips. I have to agree with arduous. For years I have maintained that I would gleefully give up my car, but the transit system where I live is appaling at best. I live and work in town and it takes me approximately 10 minutes to drive to work. If I were to not use my car I would have to walk to work as no form of transit even comes close to where I live. At best this walk would take me over an hour and a half. Similar to Linnea I tend to condense all of my trips.

]]> By: arduous http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-628 arduous Tue, 27 May 2008 19:13:35 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-628 I would *love* to go car-less but unfortunately in LA, that's not really an option. But in cities like DC, or Chicago or NY, it is possible. You do pay a premium for living near public transit, but then again, if you don't have a car, you're not paying for insurance, car payments and gas! I would *love* to go car-less but unfortunately in LA, that’s not really an option. But in cities like DC, or Chicago or NY, it is possible. You do pay a premium for living near public transit, but then again, if you don’t have a car, you’re not paying for insurance, car payments and gas!

]]> By: Linnea http://greencouple.com/2008/05/26/living-car-free-in-dc/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Linnea Tue, 27 May 2008 03:56:09 +0000 http://greencouple.com/?p=211#comment-609 Here (in Seattle), some of the buses shut down relatively early, so it can be a hassle if you're going to see a show that lets out after eleven or midnight. I've had to walk down Capitol Hill my fair share of times, and this last time caved and drove my car. I find myself condensing all of my car-related errands into as few trips as possible. And I have some back up errands that I can run (I can walk from the grocery store, but it's a short hike), just in case there isn't any parking (hey, I'm already in my car...) Speaking of cars, tho.... I should probably make sure my tires haven't been chalked... Here (in Seattle), some of the buses shut down relatively early, so it can be a hassle if you’re going to see a show that lets out after eleven or midnight. I’ve had to walk down Capitol Hill my fair share of times, and this last time caved and drove my car.

I find myself condensing all of my car-related errands into as few trips as possible. And I have some back up errands that I can run (I can walk from the grocery store, but it’s a short hike), just in case there isn’t any parking (hey, I’m already in my car…)

Speaking of cars, tho…. I should probably make sure my tires haven’t been chalked…

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