Could you live without an automobile?

[Louis C. Phurye]

Your current life, your current situation, your current living arrangements sans automobile. No going to the rental company, no going to buy another one. Could you "live" if your automobile or automobiles were taken away from you? Right now at this very moment.

[RB TexLa]

1. I certianly wouldn't shoot myself

[H2O Man]

140. Nor would a car-jacker.

Just looking on the bright side.

[EFerrari]

2. Yes. And I did for 8 years. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

3. No

I do the next best thing. Limit my transportation to absolute or near absolute needs.

It helps that I am retired now. My gas consumption has been reduced by 30 gallons a month.

[GreenPartyVoter]

95. Same here. We're a rural family, Short of bringing back the horse and buggy and getting

the store systems in the area to decentralize again, it's not possible.

But as you say, you can be smart about how much car time you use.

[LiberalFighter]

103. I average about 3 miles a day now for normal routines.

I try to schedule trips not more than once every two days.

[GreenPartyVoter]

106. Unfortunately hubby is a pc fixit guy who makes house calls, so for business

purposes he has to do a lot of driving, still he swapped the SUV for a Subaru and we cut back on family driving time to some degree to help balance things out. If he's oh a job in a town with a store he'll pick up groceries on his way back, to save a separate grocery trip on he weekend.

[LiberalFighter]

114. I had a skylight installed a few years ago... boy do I love it

Especially being retired. I don't need any lights on in the house til very late. Even more so if I have the front door open.

[GreenPartyVoter]

115. My dream is to build one of those eco-friendly houses you see in

"Mother Earth News". Alas, the money just is not there so in this trailer we shall stay.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

4. I Could Live, Albeit Miserably, But Chances Are I'd Pay Some Kid To Go Places For Me, When Possible.

But it would suck.

Thankfully though, no reason I should ever have to face such a predicament.

[liberal N proud]

5. 8 miles each way to work no mass transit? - NO!

Most of my family lives more than 1000 mile away.
Communities and the country were not set up to live with out the automobile or some form of personal family sized travel.

[taterguy]

33. Eight miles really isn't that far

It might seem like it to you now but if you spent some time on a bicycle eventually you'd get in good enough physical condition you could do it and barely break a sweat.

[liberal N proud]

78. I live near Lake Erie, Would you want to ride bike in this weather?

I call it perpetual winter. middle of May and we still have frost.

And still what about the rest of the family? It is not economical to fly to Tampa Florida or Iowa from Cleveland, not for a family of 4.

[taterguy]

90. Lots of people ride bikes in cold weather

I'm not one of them but, well, I don't live in the North. It's not bad if you have proper clothing. A stop at a good outdoors outfitter will fix you right up. I've got ear muffs designed for cycling that keep my ears warm but don't interfere with hearing. I probably wouldn't do it everyday but I'd try it out.

[liberal N proud]

102. I'm not one of them either

The bicycle that I have isn't fit for that kind of riding. And Oh those hemorrhoids? ouch!

[HughBeaumont]

109. Trust me, you can't bike in OUR winter.

With wind chills that make it feel like it's 10 to 20 below zero in it's peak months, snow that drifts about a foot into the bike lanes and all around dangerous road conditions, Cleveland winters last from October to April and even in September and May, we're still in the 40s some evenings. It really doesn't get warm here until around the middle to sometime near the end of May. Yesterday, it was 50 degrees. We don't really get a fall or a spring.

l & p - I'm about a few miles north of you!

[knitter4democracy]

133. *giggle* Really?

You can bike through a couple feet of snow with no cleared sidewalks for months and ice for months on end?

[ChazII]

153. or perpetual summer??

How many people would want to bike to work at 6 in the morning when it already in the high 90's?? Let alone bike home when it is only 112.
You made a good point in your post.

[HughBeaumont]

110. Yeah I would like to live without a car -

. . . but since Cleveland (+)'s public transportation system SUCKS so hard, that's not happening. Busses that only run three times a day to the suburbs, an RTA that caters mostly to East Siders and airport arrivals and only drops you off in ONE place downtown . . . Wish Cleveland would move into the 20th century on that one.

[hfojvt]

119. one trick is

when you have no car, you either choose a job close to where you live or you choose a place to live close to your job. Then I have also had co-workers give me rides when it was on their way.

[SmokingJacket]

6. Live, yes.

But it would be a pain in the ass. Mostly it's that I'd have to walk home from work at night sometimes and carry buttloads of groceries in a backpack.

On edit: it wouldn't be that bad, actually. I think I'd adjust. The rest of my family wouldn't be as into it.

[enki23]

7. yup. i live just a few hops from downtown. i ride the bus to my job every day.

absolutely, i could. i do. my fiancee, however, has to commute half an hour to work in another town down the road. but if we had to, she could work here too, most likely. hopefully, someday she will.

[gollygee]

8. It would be difficult

but we're within biking distance of everywhere we *need* to go (including my husband's work), although it would be uncomfortable in winter.

[Dark]

46. Don't worry, winter bike rides won't be that uncomfortable for long ...

:-(

[SoCalDem]

9. Personally, yes..but my husband could not

I could also live without a phone (happily)

[Starbucks Anarchist]

10. I already do.

I live in NYC.

[Golden Raisin]

136. Me too. Sometimes relatives and friends

look at me like I have 3 heads when I tell them I don't have a car. I walked home from my office on 9/11 and being "on foot" was an interesting part of that horrible experience and horrible day.

[LeftyMom]

11. I'd have to change jobs, but I could get to school and back okay.

:shrug:

Getting groceries would be the real sticking point.

[greguganus]

12. Nope. Don't wanna walk 30 miles to work. n/t

[southpaw]

13. No... not really.

I could SURVIVE, for sure... but my current situation and living arrangements would be impossible to maintain if I could not get to and from work every day. Public transportation is not available and my commute is over 20 miles one way... added to which, my job requires me to travel all over the county and sometimes to remote areas of the state on a regular basis.

Bring on the clean-burning, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels.

[SteelPenguin]

14. Yes

The grocery store is a bit of a hike, but doable if we had a cart for our groceries, but it'd be an interesting experience and definately require both my wife and I along to manage the kids.

I currently work from home, but the office we're getting is a walk/bike ride away and I plan to commute that way, so no trouble there.

There is a bus a block away that takes us into town, or to the shopping center as well so anything we need from the stores we can access that way, and get to the train/bus station to travel to see the inlaws or to the airport.

So yeah. We could. It would definately be a transition though and take a ton more time travelling to do the mundane things.

[AlCzervik]

15. no, i could maybe get by with a motorcycle though.

[denidem]

16. Yes, I could...and have for my entire adult life

My husband and I are both 53 and we have never had a car/truck/motorcycle, etc. We live in Boston, and while the "T" can be a pain sometimes, we use public transportation and walk whereever we have to go. It works for us and our total transportation cost is $59/month each (unlimited bus and subway pass) and our 10 year old daughter rides with us for free.

[FunkyLeprechaun]

139. I lived in Boston for 6 years

A really extended undergraduate experience (kept changing my mind over what classes to take and what major to take!). I never had a car in Boston and it'd be murder to drive in Boston! Also I never understood why my classmates took their car to Boston, as there's a fabulous Purple rail system outside of Boston (I was late for class only once because the train broke down and that was 3 years of summer classes). However, when I was cutting it close to classes I would try to catch the green line and I'd wait in the cold for 10 minutes then a green line train appears and then passes us all! We'd swear at the train!!!

Unfortunately those 6 years in Boston made me a bit less confident in driving and I'm struggling to take the Driver's Test in the UK. I now live in the Country and driving is a must. I'll purchase a eco-friendly vehicle ONCE I pass that damn test (it'll be my SIXTH attempt at passing it).

City= Yes

Country= No

[MistressOverdone]

17. If I changed jobs and worked across the street from

where I live.

[Iris]

18. Yep. It wouldn't be easy, but I could do it.

I'd probably lose 20 pounds just walking to the train station regularly, but I guess that wouldn't be so bad!

[TygrBright]

19. We'd have to move, but we'd manage.

No public transit where we are, and too far from my esposo's work for him to bike, he's got health problems.

thoughtfully,
Bright

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

20. I'd finally learn to ride a bicycle

the only reason I use a car is to drive to work. In earlier times, when I was single, I lived in a small town and walked everywhere, only using my car on the weekends to go visit relatives in other towns and for vacations. After ten years, I had less than 50K on the engine.

[Ron Green]

21. I'd have to have a bass fiddle in about a dozen different places.

And a trailer for my bicycle.

[joneschick]

22. no grocery stores anymore

I live within walking distance from a major intersection in a fair sized city and the only grocery store closed its doors about a year ago. I could take a series of busses and walk another 6 blocks to a limited grocery store and maybe call a cab to get home. There is a city farmer's market in season. I guess I should look into the bus routes to get there. I could take a couple busses to get to work. That would take about 45 minutes instead of 10........:hi: It's not a walker friendly kind of place.

[napi21]

23. No. No mass transit, and a cab sharges $10 fir a 4 milke roundtrip

to the Dr. & grocery store.

[China_cat]

24. We did it for 22 years

until my husband had to go out of state for a job and we couldn't afford to completely move. So he had to drive in order to get home occasionally.

It would be harder now that I need to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter and our bus company has discontinued the use of ramp equipped busses outside of downtown but I could use the scooter for trips to the grocery. Our only big problem would be trips to the vet with the animals. It's hard to find a taxi that will transport animals. But we could switch to the mobile home vet, I guess.

[Hangingon]

25. No

No local transportation available.

[subterranean]

26. I could survive, yes.

Life would be much less convenient, but supermarkets and public transportation, etc. are close enough that I could survive with just a bicycle.

[waiting for hope]

27. No - have two kids, one

in Day Care but my oldest is going to start taking the bus next year. There is no public transportation anywhere near my place of work either. It sucks, being so dependent.

[Demobrat]

28. I have no car and do just fine.

I hate dealing with cars and arrange my life accordingly.

[magellan]

29. No

Well, not unless we had a horse and carriage, which isn't likely. We work from home and buy a lot over the internet, but we're miles from any source of food so use our car predominately for grocery shopping. It's also handy when we need to evacuate for hurricanes; living in a mobile home, staying isn't an option.

[malta blue]

30. Unfortunately not.

I work 30 miles from home.

[Individualist]

31. My current situation

Sixty-four year old woman with heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis, living alone in a small town with no public transportation. Without a car, one of two things would happen: I'd starve to death because I couldn't get to a grocery store, or I'd die of a heart attack because I couldn't get to a pharmacy to get the medicines I need.

[RebelOne]

32. Nope, I'd have no way to get to work and you can't live without money.

Public transportation is not an option where I live.

[Rosemary2205]

34. NO - couldn't.

I could quit my job - which is much too far for my wheelchair - and go on SSDI instead. I am close enough to the grocery and can pay my bills online. But medical care is another matter. Some sort of vehicle would have to get us there.

[Beelzebud]

35. Seriously what kind of question is this? Could you live without the modern world?

[SmokingJacket]

99. No, it's a good question.

It's interesting to see how many people here are truly *dependent* on cars, and how many -- myself included -- use them just because they're more convenient than the other options I have (I could walk most places if I had the time or use the expensive bus).

[Annces]

No - even the grocery store is too far to walk to n/t

[Recursion]

36. Yes, but I'd have to break up with my girlfriend

I only use it to get to her house. Otherwise, I bike or take the subway to work and take the subway to my CSA and butcher to get food. I said "only my car" because my butcher and CSA have to use their cars to get food through the suburban sprawl to the city.

If we had a sensible growth plan with very dense cities surrounded by green space and farms, they might need their cars less.

[bikebloke]

37. Already have

I haven't been behind a wheel since 1992. And that was a friend's car. I haven't had a car since the 80's. I bike. You have to make some adjustments, but it's worth it. It's better for my health, the environment and my savings.

Though not everyone can do the same. Especially if they live quite a distance from work.

[Retrograde]

38. Yup, done it before

When I broke my arm I was able to get by for a few months not driving. Actually, don't drive much now, being retired: most of what I need is within walking distance, including groceries. It's more trips to the store, but the exercise is good for me. When I go to San Francisco I take the train - it's easier than trying to find a parking place.

When I worked I biked a lot. Of course, I live in a densely populated area that was laid out a century ago for pedestrians and paid a premium to buy a house here: another reason for the biking was saving up the down payment meant not buying a new car.

[deadmessengers]

39. No.

No question about it, no. No way to get to work, no way to shop for groceries (or a way to pay for them since I wouldn't have a job).

[nini]

40. no

this doesn't mean I can't cut back on driving etc.. but I do need my personal transportation.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

41. I grew up in NYC and didn't drive until I was 25. A car wasn't that necessary. Where I live now

I could not get around without one.

[cmf]

42. Yes

I ride in a car/drive about once every two weeks as it is. Husband and I both take mass transit to work, and we live in a small town where we have most useful things within walking distance. We've been kicking around selling our car, but it's paid off and is really handy when we want to go hiking/camping/skiing on the weekend or drive to the town next over for dinner or shopping.

[pink-o]

43. Personally, I could..

...I'm divorced, childless and live in a city with (use the term loosely) public transportation. I only drive to my job at the airport, because I work during hours that the BART doesn't run. But last summer, when gas prices skyrocketed, I biked 3 of 5 days to work, and loved it! I plan to do the same this year.

But I understand those in the 'burbs with a different life-style, on their kids' schedules--it's just not feasible. However, as for the grocery dilemma...I spent 5 years in Europe, and they're predominately car-less. They go to the grocery 4 times a week, buying food that's fresh for their families, as opposed to this processed crap in huge, unmanageable boxes. In Italy and France, there are street markets in every neighbourhood that sell fresh fruit and veg and spices and flowers. Americans are all about quantity and convenience, but we really screw ourselves when we buy food to last for 5 years and store it in our pantries.

Personally, I think there's a special place in hell for the dude who invented Hamburger Helper, et al. Seriously, family or not, you do yourselves a huge favour by buying fresh and in small, carry-able portions. And that would reduce a need for cars right there.

[Clark2008]

135. They also have little markets on every corner

We don't have that here.

I loved being able to stop for dinner and breakfast items while out and about the couple of weeks we stayed in London.

Can't do that here. Sadly.

[LSK]

44. WE DONT HAVE TO: ELECTRIC CARS

The EV1 had a range of 100 miles 10 YEARS AGO.

If they would just start making them again, they could suit the needs of millions of people.

That being said, I could probably live through the Summer but I dont know about a Chicago suburban winter.

And my sister with 2 kids under 4 cannot.

[gatorboy]

45. "taken away" from us?

Please explain. A vast liberal plot to force us to be more environmental? :eyes:

[Beelzebud]

47. Yeah you know. Taken away. Because fascism is an American value now.

I'm all for a totalitarian dictatorship as long as I agree with it! :D

[Louis C. Phurye]

62. Just a literary device.

To try convey a situation in which you would no longer have the mobility afforded by an automobile. I was going to say, "If all the oil dryed up" but I didn't want this to turn into a debate about Peak Oil.

[Strelnikov_]

88. If?

We are one conflict away from collapse of the petroleum based transportation energy infrastructure.

Consider what happens if open war breaks out in the Gulf and nearly half of the worlds petroleum export market goes off line overnight?

Think Adm. Fallon refused to deploy a third carrier to the Gulf and ratchet up tensions with Iran because he is a peace loving man?

No. The professional Navy knows the truth about our capabilities, that they have a 50/50 chance of keeping the Gulf open. And if they don't, the western economies collapse. Fallon, being a professional and intellectual, realized that laying down a 50/50 bet on petrogeddon just to do another war for political gain and to leverage future energy supply was beyond incompetent.

Peak oil is a plateau followed by an increasing rate of depletion. Look upon it as diabetes, a bitch, but manageable.

What scares me are the resultant 'heart attacks' from the diabetes of peak oil. The wars that will result once the industrialized nations come out of the closet with their 'last man standing' approach to fossil energy depletion, and resultant energy shocks thereof.

On edit: Not breaking your balls, agree with your proposition. The 'gouging' prices being paid now will probably be looked upon fondly in a few years (or less).

The warning lights are flashing, is anyone going to heed the warning?

[Louis C. Phurye]

91. I agree with you as well.

Didn't know what people's attitudes to Peak Oil were around here, plus a small part of me has hope that new technologies will be able to fill the gap. However, for such "new technologies" to work effectively in a transition from fossil based fuels to "something else" then they would have had to have been put in place years ago. What is people's ideas on Peak Oil here at DU? Is it a (gonna happen/not gonna happen) debate or is it a (gonna happen/gonna happen, not sure when) debate?

[robertpaulsen]

100. I've asked that question at the Peak Oil Group.

Poll question: The 1st Peak Oil Group Poll: When do you think the world will peak?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=266x540

[Strelnikov_]

146. Fairly mainstream. I would say those that have done the due diligence think

that we are peaking now. Not a really bold leap considering the world has been stuck on, what, 85 M bbl/dy for the last two years in the face of record prices.

But, like the general public, the majority are still in various stages of denial, and will occasionally lash out.

The Environment/Energy forum has taken a decidedly negative outlook on our mitigation prospects recently, to my chagrin. Probably due to a few pro-nuke pedants that are, well, polluting any meaningful discussion.

Also, the term 'peak oil' seems to have become confused. Some conflate peak oil with societal collapse. Peak oil is the event, societal collapse following peak is just one possible time line of many.

My position, as of this writing, is:

- We are currently at peak, surfing the plateau.

- The peaking of fossil energy will require a complete reconfiguration of societal and economic models to maintain industrialized civilization in an energy limited future.

- There are no technofixes. The options we have available that are robust (durable, scalable) enough to base an energy infrastructure on are 30 years old or more (wind, PV, solar thermal, nuclear, coal, etc.). Technology will allow us to use these existing sources more efficiently and with less harm, but at a price in complexity/cost.

- The future of sustainable transportation is electric. In an energy limited future the inherent efficiency of electrons as an energy carrier will be mandatory.

- The primary fix we have, related to the above point, is efficiency/conservation. In the USEA that I have proposed "Entropy is the enemy" will be the organizations motto.

- Due to 27 years of insane right-wing policies that began with Reagan, we no longer have time to mitigate without enduring significant economic hardship.

- All of the above leading to my conclusion that collapse of society is probable. Not that we do not have options, as presented above. The problem is that these options will take leadership, sacrifice, and a willingness to change. Qualities that seem to be nearly nonexistent today, just as they have been throughout history. Nothing has yet been written though. The future is in our hands.

[gatorboy]

111. Why not? It is a finite energy source no matter how you spin it.

[WI_DEM]

48. Yes, I already walk to work (3 miles) nearly every day and have mass transit

which is close by. I probably at most use my car twice a week which with the price of gas is a good thing! But I also recognize that this is an option that many people can't do especially if they live out of town or many miles from their jobs or have children that need to be taken this place or that place can't just do without a dependable car.

[GumboYaYa]

49. Yes, I got rid of my car three years ago.

It was incredibly liberating not to be tied to the car culture. I have saved a fortune since getting rid of my car and I am in better physical condition because I walk or bike lots more. I can't tell you what they are charging for gas in our area.

[Samurai_Writer]

50. After I completely move on may 28th, yes I could

It will be 1/2 mile to the office and 2 miles to the grocery store. I have a bike, and also, we have a great bus system in town. The only reason I would need my car is to go up into the mountains and to go visit my sister.

[jpak]

51. Yes

I live 15 minutes walking (5 minutes by bike) from work and a little more from a shopping and medical center.

The local public transit system, however, sucks and had its buget cut recently.

If it weren't for the lack of buses, I wouldn't need a car at all.

[Beelzebud]

52. Who is going to take them? I'd love to see that attempted.

[haele]

53. With a disabled spouse, his appointments would be difficult -

But I could telecommute and occasionally bus. It would be painful (I've got physical issues with my back and legs which make it difficult to use a bicycle to get around) and would take a huge chunk of time away from my ability to care for my family - but I could do it.
My spouse couldn't - unless you get him a scooter or power wheelchair - does that count as an "automobile". He's got mobility problems enough - and it's a looong, 3/4 mile push up and down small hills (we live on a ridge between two canyons) to get to the nearest bus stop.

To give up our automobile, we would need to have access to at least one halfway powerful scooter that can handle two large people and a large, light cart that can go on a bus to be able to get us around to places we could get groceries and other household - including pet - items, doctor's appointments, schools, and work. And hope that the bus routes don't get changed again so that the nearest bus is a mile and a half away and only runs occasionally on weekdays.

Oh, and add a good three hours of daylight to each day. Preferably around 2pm, so I can both complete my work and run the necessary daily errands (and believe me, I currently compress as many errands in one run as I can to save time, energy, money, and fuel) required to keep every critter in the household halfway healthy and comfortable.

Another option - we can get a goat and cobble up a cart, like my mom's neighbors did in Los Angeles during the depression - they were able to use the goat for the milk, cheese, and wool as well as transportation/hauling. She lived near Crenshaw, and apparently there was still enough rural area in the neighborhoods (and everyone had double lots) that small livestock - rabbits, chickens, geese, pigs, and goats were often kept in the middle of the city.

Haele

[myrna minx]

54. Yes. I haven't had a car since 1990. n/t

[Omphaloskepsis]

55. I have never had a car...

And I ride about 20 miles everyday to get to work/school. I carry my groceries in my backpack. I just have to make a bunch of small trips.

[KG]

56. I live in the city near downtown, i could grab a bus to work.

and walk to grocery stores etc.

i'd lose some income from my inability to do handyman jobs on the weekends.

i could do it, rather not though.

[rox63]

57. It would be a serious pain in the ass

Especially because I do errands for my elderly, disabled Mom, who lives across town. I actually live fairly close to my workplace (less than 4 miles), and could easily bike to work. (Might not work in the winter, though) I think there may even be a local bus route that passes close to my workplace. Grocery shopping would be a serious pain, though, as would getting Mom to all her appointments.

But over the last couple of years, I have moved much closer to both work and Mom, so I am actually driving a lot less than I used to. It used to be 26 miles each way to work, and 20 milese each way to Mom's. It's now less than 4 miles to either.

[Marrah_G]

58. Could I live? yes

I could exist, probably as some homeless crazy woman in the woods unless someone saved me and got me into an apartment in a city. I live in the suburbs. Very little by way of busses. Just commuter rails. Nothing near my job at all.

If I lost my car that would be the end of the road for the kids and I.

Reality is a scary thing.

[NaturalHigh]

59. I wouldn't even want to try.

I'm too fat to bike eighteen miles round trip every day.

[IDemo]

60. The larger question is how will you survive a disappearance of affordable fuel?

All of the hand wringing about gas prices seems to center on the cost of the daily commute, with little or no discussion of how seven dollar gas (or much higher) will affect agriculture, shipping, and trucking. Many truckers are on the bubble as is with present fuel costs. If the cost of growing food and getting it to the grocery shelf doubles and triples because of a declining dollar and skyrocketing fuel, maybe driving to work every day to earn grocery money will become a moot point.

We are living in interesting times, and they are going to become more so.

(Pedaling my fifty year old diabetic legs to work in the meantime).

[Louis C. Phurye]

69. We have a wood burning stove.

And tons of downed trees on the property, due to ice storms. We have a well, but sustaining crops would be a lot of work. Could hunt, but every hunter and his brother is likely to soon bring down the deer population which is currnently burgeoning.

[GOTV]

61. It would be very difficult - particularly groceries and shopping.

I can get to work on public transit, and I frequently do, but I'm a good 45 minute walk from the nearest grocery store. Plus I'd have to go everyday since I would only carry a few bags that far.

[kestrel91316]

63. Yep. It would pose a minor nuisance in my personal life. BUT it would

pose a problem for my business - I have to haul some supplies (heavy/bulky) from the store, and use my car for housecalls.

[Warpy]

64. I live in the city, so yes

but my surgeon is about 18 miles away, in a neighboring town, so transportation there would be problematic.

The rest of it is very doable between my electric scooter and (bad) mass transit.

[Dorian Gray]

65. Sure.

I live in NYC, and I know loads of people who don't have cars. I DO have a car, but I live in Brooklyn and my family is in New Jersey, and I go down there once a week for visits. I COULD take the train, but an hour drive would turn into 2 and a half hour trip. So, I don't do that. But, it's definitely doable.

[taterguy]

66. Easily and happily

I live in a smallish Southeastern city which isn't exactly a haven for transportation alternatives. However, I genuinely prefer using my bicycle for most of my transportation needs. It's two miles to my office and takes the same amount of time to bike as it does to drive and find a place to park. The grocery store is about 1.5 miles away. I can fit over 20 pounds of food in a back pack and a small duffle bag.

There are restaurants and bars within walking distance and using that method saves me from DUIs.

There's a shuttle to an AMTRAK station if I ever need to go out of town.

I genuinely feel sorry for people that mistakenly feel that cars are a necesity. Sometimes they come in handy but most of the time they're just a crutch that you use out of habit and not for any actual compelling reason.

[mnhtnbb]

67. Yes. But it would be a huge adjustment.

Our retirement home that we are building in Panama will not include an auto.
Only electric golf carts will be allowed on the island roads. If we retire there full-time, we will no longer own a car.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

68. No.

While I could get to work okay w/o a car, and even grocery shopping, to the bank, and pharmacy,
I couldn't get to my doctors. With chronic illness, this becomes a problem... SO, I have to say "no" to this question.

[leftofthedial]

70. I can't figure out how to transport

keyboards, guitars, amps, PA, etc. without one, so no.

[Igel]

71. It would be hard.

I could bike to the stores I need to get to--I've done that before, in Los Angeles ... even if I am a bit older now. My wife could take the light rail to work, it's a bit over a mile from where we live and stops close to where she works.

The problem is the weather: Walking over a mile during a storm is a pain, and biking when the temp outside is 95 F and the humidity's pushing 80% ranges from unpleasant to dangerous.

[TheWraith]

72. No.

I live four miles outside of town, and while I might be able to telecommute to my job, I wouldn't be able to bring home food unless it was in a backpack.

[Vinca]

73. I live in a rural area and don't own a horse.

If there is no public transportation - which there isn't - automobiles are a necessity.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

75. Same here

We don't even have a taxi service. Even if I grew all my own food and didn't need to go to a grocery ever, I'd still need a car to get to and from doctors, etc.

No, where I am it's impossible to live without a car.

[BluePatriot]

74. No way to get to work

but loads of stuff within easy walking distance (a Target, a movie theater, Subway/Chinese/Mexican food joint, a Gamestop, a liquor store, a dry cleaner, MY BANK, even a Walgreens and Home Depot, and, hell, the darn freeway. I have no idea how rent here is so cheap.

I am feeling more an more thankful every day for where I live (selected out of laziness / mild driving anxiety a few years back)

[Stephanie]

76. I do! I live in Manhattan.

None of my friends own a car.

[Karenina]

117. I live in Europe and don't need one!!!

:woohoo::bounce::bounce::bounce::woohoo:

[Az]

77. Our nation took a wrong turn 60 years ago in the name of greed

After WWII studies were done showing our wealth and prosperity compared to the rest of the world and we found that we had the lions share of it. We had a descision to make as to whether to share it or horde it. We chose horde it.

Part of that lead to our sense that we did not have to conserve anything including space and distance. So we started to spread out. While other nations infrastructure was in large part built on older methods of transportation we had a fresh start relatively speaking. And we had the resources to build our nation how we saw fit. So we went wide. We built our living communities far from our business centers. Transportation was cheap and other social factors lead to the population fleeing our business centers.

Now sixty years later transportation costs are becoming increasingly expensive. The hording we did in the past is catching up to us as our corporations now see us as overpaid whiny burdens and take their jobs elsewhere.

[Withywindle]

79. I've done it for 15 years.

No car, no problem. But I live in Chicago just two el stops from the Loop, so I can. I grew up in a rural area and living without a car is really NOT an option there...unless you're so self-sufficient you never have to leave your house (and I'm kind of an extrovert so I would go INSANE.)

Sadly, most places in this country it's just not feasible. It's also true that in many places in Europe, and Asia too, things are very different; towns are laid out on a more human-sized biking/walking scale. (Especially true, that point about Italy and France and more frequent trips to the local grocery store for fresher food.) Why is the obesity rate so much lower there? that's probably it right there.

[bleedingheart]

80. no but I wish I could

[windbreeze]

81. well...yeah, if I had a horse and buggy....

(which would require a different kind of fuel, I don't think my neighbors would like having a yard with horseshit quite that close to them either)since I live 30 miles from anywhere, where we all have about 1 1/4 acres each(not enough for a horse)..outside a small town, that has NO entertainment, one store who charges whatever people will pay, and buses that run only on the main country road...at most, a couple times a day, (I also have to consider that I'd have to walk 2 miles round trip to even catch that bus)...or I could walk 6 miles round trip to get to town in the first place...then if I needed to shop...how would I get whatever I bought, home? (how many trips a day, could I make on foot?) I do believe I would need at least a scooter...as I am getting pretty old to be walking 6 miles to and from town...on the other hand...let me say this...IF I lived IN a city, where buses ran on a regular schedule and could get you anywhere you wanted to go...there is NO WAY, I would even consider owning a car...
wb

[bunkerbuster1]

82. No. Public transit is almost nonexistent in this part of MetroLanta.

I'd have to move, at least to within walking distance of our halfway-decent commuter rail system.

[guitar man]

83. not likely

public transportation is poor to non existent where I live, and we have a 16 month old daughter that we have to take along. Bicycle travel is near impossible due to road conditions and traffic.

I do have a motorcycle which I commute with and take every trip that is practical for me to take on it, great gas mileage. we have cut and combined our car trips as much as we can due to gas prices right now.

That's about the best we can do.

[alkaline9]

84. My life wouldn't be "my life" if I did...

...Sure I could get a bike and ride to work (about 9 miles)... walk or ride the bike to food shopping (about 2 miles, but the hills to and from might literally kill me)... but my g/f goes to college out of state and I typically drive to see her every weekend. In the last 3 years I have put over 100K on my 04 Accord driving back and forth to PA from the NJ coast. I suppose it's greedy on my part to want to see my g/f for 2 days out of 7 every week, but without her mental support, all the BushCo BS might have killed me by now.

[wildhorses]

85. not at this moment but, i am doing my damndest to get to that

point...

[Critters2]

86. Yes, for the most part

The only real problems would be out-of-town meetings, but those are more and more becoming conference calls. So, yes. And I'm trying to be more disciplined about driving less.

[Zookeeper]

87. I'm one of those people you see at the grocery store....

with a shopping cart piled to the top with groceries for a family of five.

Seeing as I live two miles from the store, with no public transportation available, I'd have to walk four miles every day to keep food in the refrigerator.

Of course, we wouldn't have the money for groceries anyway, since my DH has to have a car for his job.

[riverdale]

141. Your Designated Hitter needs a car for his job?

This question is really silly. We have to have a car in this country. Just look at groceries: my family goes thu three gallons of milk per week alone. No one who lives in a city without a subway system could get by without a car at all, unless they were single and lived in the South right next to a grocery store. I am laughing at the guy who thinks people in the North can ride a bike to work in the winter!!

[Zookeeper]

148. LOL!

DH: Dear Husband.

There are people in the Twin Cities who ride their bikes to work in the winter. However, I doubt that they ever transport enough groceries to feed a family.

Welcome to DU, Riverdale! :hi:

[KamaAina]

89. Never had one. (Probably) never will.

Of course, that dictates where I can live: no Neighbor Islands, for example. Grocery/discount store and bus are down the block -- but work is 45 minutes each way on a good day, which has not been lately, seeing as how half the city streets are torn up.

I just went for a really really really good job in a Southern college town, and am now trying to wargame that to see if I could possibly swing it. :eyes:

[Swamp Rat]

92. I thought so, but Hurricane Katrina proved otherwise. n/t

[Initech]

93. In Los Angeles? Hell no.

Our mass transit system SUCKS (emphasis) and you really cant get anywhere without a car. It sucks. I wish we had mass transit on par with New York, DC, or Chicago. But we don't, and probably never will, even with all that MTA is doing here, we still wont have anything remotely close to New York or DC. At least not in my lifetime.

[bliss_eternal]

167. LOL. You're right...it's awful.

I did it for years. I was forced to live in an area where I was close to everything I needed (i.e. shopping, public transportation lines, etc). Again, very limited life and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. :(

But I have to agree with you, the public transportation here is horrible on a good day. In some of the smaller areas/suburbs I suppose, they have decent small bus or trolley systems, which make it a bit easier to get around than in greater LA or Orange county. I moved to such an area when I returned, after leaving for a while.

I lived for a year and a half in a city/state with REAL public transportation. Night and day difference. One could go beyond having an existence in a city like that, you could actually LIVE! Most of the people I worked with took public transportation, even the ones with cars. In the winter, cars were more trouble to drive daily. They tended to only drive them for absolute necessities like going to get groceries, medical appointments, etc.

It's funny, when my relatives moved here many, many years ago--LA had GREAT public transportation. Think "LA Confidential era" or "Devil with a Blue Dress era" or even "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" LA scenarios. Movies where you see the "street cars" as they were called. LOL! It's a shame that the powers that be allowed the city to grow beyond the transportation, and now the transportation may never catch up. :(

[MissB]

94. Sure, assuming that public transportation still exists.

The pain-in-the-ass would be grocery shopping.

Dh already bikes to work regardless of weather.

We have bikes for each member of the family, plus tandems that work with our kids. And a cargo trailer.

Public transportation is a half mile up the road or half mile down the road and both lead to grocery stores within 2 miles.

As it is, I limit my driving to one to two days during the week. I haven't pulled out the bike to run errands.

[onenote]

96. no

My father has been hospitalized for the past two months in the critical care unit of the closest hospital, which is a 20-25 minute drive from where I live. I drive to visit him every morning, then drive 45 minutes to work back the other direction; at the end of the day, I drive back to the hospital to see him again, and then finally drive home. THere is no public transportation available that would allow me to keep to this schedule.

[StarryNite]

97. Not where I live.

Sadly, it would be impossible to do that where I live.

[seemunkee]

98. It would be a different lifestyle

but I would survive.

[stirlingsliver]

101. What A Silly Question.

"Could you live without an automobile?"

Could you live without an automobile?"

What a SILLY question.

Of course.

Anyone can LIVE without an automobile.

Automobiles are not necessary for breathing or eating.

Jeeze.

[youthere]

104. Nope...My husband's job is 24 miles away and there is no public transport

where we live. I have to travel all over the eastern part of my state for my job so could we live? Probably not for very long with no income.

[Lisa]

105. I do (haven't had access to one since 1992)

I don't rub it in my friends' faces, because a) I don't have kids to look after, or a job situation that requires hauling or a long commute. I'm fortunate enough to live a couple of miles from work, in a city with decent transit, and within walking distance of most services I need. So I've decided to do my bit, on behalf of people who aren't as fortunate as I am.

Funny thing is -- one of my co-workers, who teaches environmental science, was being dissed behind her back by students critiquing her long commute. The same people were slamming me because they thought I was a "loser" for not making a high enough salary to afford a car!

[uppityperson]

107. Just my auto or all autos? Private, public, all trucks? Changes would be needed

If it was just that I could not have a car, some changes would need to be made. If no private cars at all, more changes. If no public cars/buses, more changes. If NO gas/diesel vehicles, including food transportation, even more changes.

First thing would be relying on other people, helping each other get where we needed and what we needed. If no vehicles, I could not continue to live exactly as I do, no one could. Even you people in cities, walking to work, or with public transit, how about getting food delivered to stores?

If just no private gas vehicle of my own, I'd have to make changes in where I work and what I do.

[Gormy Cuss]

108. Yes. n/t

[FVZA_Colonel]

112. I already do right now.

Of course, I am just attending a university in the middle of a major urban center. My situation could certainly change.

[piedmont]

113. If everyone else was without one, too, it'd make it easier for me to bike I suppose

I could get to work but groceries would be a pain in the ass.

[LibertyLover]

116. No I absolutely could not

I live 35 miles from work. Public transportation, while available to a certain extent, is not feasible. My hour and a half commute one way would take a bare minimum of 2 and half hours one way. Could I do it, sure, and alienate my husband and never see my pre-school daughter, while spending 85% of my week at the office or commuting. Then there is the whole grocery shopping thing. Again, the closest food store is 3 miles away with public transportation only available the last half mile. Could I bike there and purchase food, yes, but not in quantity, or large items like dog food, which make food buying expensive. I'm not even touching on recreation. If I had to rely on public transportation or bike, there would be no recreation, either because of no time, no public transportation going near the places I would need to get to pursue my hobbies or willing to let me board with the objects required to pursue said hobbies (I'm in the SCA and an archer, husband is a crossbowman - you want to contemplate the reception we would get on public transportation?).

We have bought a fuel efficient small car which we use as much as possible and I do drive to the metro to get into the city for work - there is no way I'd drive into downtown DC on a weekday.

[hfojvt]

118. I don't have one now

I have rented about 3 times in the last three months. First to goto the state dem convention, which I ended up not really going to. Then to take my dying dog to see my nieces. Then to goto their confirmation.
I also had to take several cab rides of two miles to take my dog back and forth to the vet. I tried to find a wagon to haul my dog, but a $100 wagon seemed like a huge expense to avoid a few $5 cab rides.
All of those events were optional as is my other typical use of a rental car - to goto protest Bush visits. I remember that I rented a car for the war protest in Feb. 2003, so I have been mostly carless since then, although I may have rented then only because my car was unreliable for a 50 mile trip. I also went without a car from about November of 1987 until May of 1996, but my parents and siblings sometimes carted me to family events. In 1990 though, I biked 180 miles over 3 days to get to dad's place so he could give me a ride to my cousin's wedding. The hard part of that was that I did not have decent allergy medicine so my eyes were red, puffy, itchy and watering most of that weekend.

[Zywiec]

120. No, I live too far from most stores

[supernova]

121. I could not live where I live now

and not have a car.

I live out in the county. There is no bus service, nor any kind of mass transit. I have to drive every where I want to go: work, groceries, post office and other errands, not to mention to get to any evening entertainment I might want. And it's too far for a bicycle to to do any of those things either.

[Vodid]

122. I've been living without a car for several years...

It wasn't a big decision or anything, but I've always enjoyed cycling and my nice touring bike has pannier bags front and rear, plus a handlebar bag...so it was easy and fun to run errands on it. And I have a trailer that hooks onto the back in case I need to transport something larger that doesn't fit into the panniers. One day I realized that I was paying a lot of money in car insurance for a vehicle I rarely used, and I cancelled the insurance. So that was that. It was an easy transition that just sorta snuck up on me, but I live in a flat area with temperate weather...even in the winter. A perfect place for bicycles. It was easy for me, but some folks give up without even considering that they could do it. There are a lot of great bicycle options, including cargo bikes, electric assist motors, and specialized clothing that make riding viable for lots of folks who probably don't even realize it could be an option for many of their errands and trips.

[JTG of the PRB]

123. Probably.

It would not be pleasant, and it would not be convenient, but I could probably live without a car. I'd have to take the bus around town and to work and everything, but I would survive.

I would probably complain, however.

[jeffrey_X]

124. We've been without a car for 3 years now.

We could afford to buy a new car, but choose not to.

[inanna]

125. I do already!

I walk to work most of the time, and co-workers offer me rides in the colder weather (or when it's raining). Sometimes, if the weather is really bad and I can't get a ride, then I'm forced to call a taxi but this is very rare.

Work is about half an hour from where I live. I consider my walks to and from work as my "downtime." And walking like this has gotten me into much better physical condition.

As for groceries, errands, etc., I take the bus wherever possible. If that won't work, then I have to use a taxi.

Most months my transportation costs are between $50 - $60. Beats making car payments and paying for insurance and rising fuel prices, IMO.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

126. I did it in Portland for ten years

Here in Minneapolis, I mostly have a car because I have to cart my elders around to doctor's appointments and such and go places where the buses don't go or don't go often enough or the connections don't work (as in, you'd end up standing outside in the dark for 30 minutes).

But once my elders are gone, I plan to move downtown and bus or walk everywhere. I absolutely HATE the expense and bother of cars, and battling traffic and finding parking spots are not my idea of a good time.

If I didn't have a car, I could meet ALL my transportation needs for about $80 a month.

[karlrschneider]

127. Sure. But not without a truck.

...

[Manifestor_of_Light]

128. Nope, not in Texas.

[MasonJar]

129. When I retire in 2 years yes....now no. I am a teacher who is too far

away to bike at 6:30 and am not in a place that has a bus line that goes where I go. I'd have to move schools or my home. Maybe for 20 years, but not for 2.

[tammywammy]

130. No

[kerry-is-my-prez]

131. I live on one of the most dangerous roads in the U.S. - so no.

I'm scared driving down the road - which is considered the busiest in this town. Most of this city (Naples, Florida) is very non-pedestrian and non-bike friendly. There are a lot of seniors who pull out right in front of you here and a lot of people have road rage at the seniors and the constant road construction. We've had a lot of bikers (both motorcycle and regular bikers) who have been killed or injured.

There are some areas that have added bike paths and I have a friend who is trying to get the city to make more.

It's too bad because when I lived in Chicago and in Michigan I used to bicycle or walk everywhere. A lot of times I'd walk to work or school even when it was 4 or 5 miles.

[Dervill Crow]

132. I could, but my husband couldn't.

He works nights, and public transit just wouldn't work for him.

[Clark2008]

134. Nope.

No mass transit to speak of in my town and I live too far away from work to walk or bike.

Plus, I have a child to get to school and soon will have a second to get to Grandma-care. It's hard to walk or bike with a baby carrier.

[SeattleGirl]

137. For the most part, yes, as I am able to work from home.

But I still need to go out on appointments on occasion, and getting paid by the minute (literally), I would need a car to get to those appointments. Seattle has a FlexCar program that I could use when necessary. Taking public transportation to my appointments would cost me money, but the FlexCar program would help me make money AND help the environment.

[Raine]

138. No

I live in a 'burb of Los Angeles County there is no real rapid transit here and everything is so spread out.

[Lyric]

142. I don't suppose I'd immediately drop dead, but

life would become extremely painful and difficult for us. I have severe health problems, which make riding a bicycle or walking to a bus stop pretty much impossible. I'd have to restrict my outings to doctor visits and necessary grocery store trips, and pay a taxi for those, which we really cannot afford. The better question here would be "Could you *function* without an automobile?". My answer to that would be "No".

We go through about $10 of gasoline a week, because we have a car that gets good mileage and we don't putter around needlessly or recreationally. I feel pretty good about our carbon footprint. $10 a week for three people is pretty darned good.

[pookieblue]

143. No

While I don't live too far from work. It gets too hot in the summer for me to be walking back to work.Or get groceries etc.

the hot summers here in south Georgia are not good for someone with MS. I found out the hard way when my A/C crapped out last summer and it took forever to get a new one.

Plus, my Neurologist is up in Atlanta which is about 100 miles north of us. I know, some may say why not find a neurologist where you live? Well that's because we only have one MS Specialist here in this city. And well I will be nice and not comment on him. I will just say, that the place I go to, is one of the leading MS Clinics in the country.

Now if I actually lived in Atlanta, then I might be able to live w/out a car.

[rasputin1952]

144. I could exist, but it would be difficult. I have some pretty long

stretches here in NE to make. I'd have to start out a day before to get to the next town...:(

[Jack_DeLeon]

145. A car is not required for life, but it does make modern living possible...

I could live without one but I would have to change my lifestyle some.

[donco6]

147. Of course.

Virtually anyone could.

Could they live the same as they do now? That's a different question . . .

And finally, would you want to live the way you would have to live without the benefit of an automobile?

That's the real question, isn't it?

[lse7581011]

149. No!

Could not go to work or take care of my elderly parents!

[Thirtieschild]

150. Only if we bought a horse, learned to ride, built a corral or stable to house it.

Live six miles from town, one of them on a road full of boulders and gullies, couldn't begin to navigate a bicycle on it. Could have managed when we lived in Atlanta - a mile from a grocery store, around the corner from a city bus. DH rode the bus to work, someimes walked home. Not very smart to retire in a rural area.

[ChazII]

151. In a word -- no. n/t

[Selatius]

152. No mass transit = no way to move without cars. (Thank the auto corps. for destroying mass transit)

There are roads in my city that don't even have sidewalks for pedestrians for crying out loud.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

154. No. We live in a rural area ... no public trans. HOWEVER ...

if the question was: 'could your family limit themselves to 1 automobile?' ... I'll admit we could, with some organization and relearning. I can hear my teens howling now. :nuke:

[LWolf]

155. I couldn't get to work.

It's 13.5 miles away. Winter weather around here says no to bicycling, even if there were time in the day to do so. I spend 9-10 hours a day at work, which doesn't exactly leave a couple of hours before and after for alternate transport. I could ride my horse, if there were a place to put her when I got there, and if it were safe to ride down the highway everyone else's cars are on. There are 2 highways before I reach any "back" roads to take. I'd like to take the rest of the cars off the road, too.

If I could retire, or work from my home computer, buy a cart for my horse...I could survive.

I'd never see family outside my horse's range, though.

[Dastard Stepchild]

156. I could, but it would be tough...

I would have to take public transportation through some REALLY rough neighborhoods at some less than desirable hours. And it would add about an hour and a half each way on my commute (over 3 transfers). I eschew the car for most things I can walk to, but the fieldwork really requires a car for ease of carrying materials and to save time.

[debbierlus]

157. Yes.

But, it would SEVERELY restrict my ability to make any money.

[philosophie_en_rose]

158. No.

If there were no vehicles at all (including buses), I could not live without an automobile. I could walk to grocery stores and I do plant much of my own food. However, I need to work, transport the terriers to the vet, and visit family and friends. That requires a car, in my current situation.

[Broken_Hero]

159. Nope, not a chance in hell nt

[Truthiness Inspector]

160. Nope

For a variety of reasons, but I'm not anti-automobile either LOL.

[Nikia]

161. It would be a different lifestyle

We live in a small town without many of the amentities of a city. I do live close enough to work to bike or even walk if I needed to. The grocery store is about 2 miles away, which is doable if I am not buying too many groceries at a time. One of the local stores has delivery though for a small fee. There are some things that we cannot buy in our town, but I suppose that is what the internet and mail order catalogs are for. There are doctor's offices here but if one is sick, who wants to bike over a mile. It would be doable, but change the way we live.

[ChipperbackDemocrat]

162. Could I? No. Would I want to? No.

I often ride my bike or walk to work and most places close to where I live. Work is within 3 miles of home. Luckily my medical services are a block away. Dentist is the next town over. Eye doctor same deal.
Grocery shopping is within a 10 minute walk, but sheer volume means personal conveyance has to be used.

And there is that small matter that I am a car-lover. I love to drive and a I race cars.

A world without cars would means I'd need a lot of therapy, but the alternative effects are worse.

[treestar]

163. Yes, if we all really tried, we could do it

Mass transporation is weak in our country because having a car has always been cheap. We'd probably have to live more of a town life and less of a suburban life.

[Homer Wells]

164. No.

[misanthrope]

165. Due to present physical disability,...

...no. Over a decade ago, I did live without one and it wasn't so bad.

[bliss_eternal]

166. Done it.

Wasn't always easy, but I did it.

I sought out an apartment in an area where most of what I needed was within walking distance--a shopping center, grocery store, post office, major public transportation line, work options and school. I lived in an area with decent public transportation. I found a job within walking distance. Went to school that was very close by bus.

I realize this cheats a bit, because it doesn't include my life currently, as you stated in your question. I just wanted it to be known that it can be done in a major city, with generally crappy public transportation if one had to do it.

At the moment, my dh and I share a vehicle. It's not always convenient and requires sacrifice (on both our parts). But I feel good knowing that we are doing our part for the environment. Soon, we'll be capable of buying another fuel-efficient vehicle which will also make the sacrificing worthwhile, to me at least. ;)

[Norrin Radd]

168. Have never had one. Beyond my means. n/t

[camero]

169. Already have

And I live in a rural area. I walk about 3.5 miles to work. Enjoy the exercise and the view. Take a bus to the doctors. Bike to the store and sometimes I'll go with my friend if it's farther than 5 miles.

Can't get a date without a car but what the hell, that part of my life is pretty much over anyway so I'm not exactly crying about it. It's possible to live without a car.