Could you realistically live your daily life without a car?

[michael3478]

I have my own car it's nothing special, but it gets me from point a and b and it's reliable certainly not my dream car but it's better than taking the bus.

[OneViewpoint]

In the US, life without a car is only possible in relatively restricted situations. Our residential and retail, commercial, and industrial sectors are separated by zoning laws for the most part. So we are forced to have a car to get to and from work or buy groceries, etc. because we have very little public transportation outside of our major cities. And the US is a big country with a lot of rural areas and undeveloped land where small populations live long distances from retail areas and medical help.

So the only time the no car thing really works here is if you can live in a "downtown" area where your job and groceries, a dentist, and a doctor are all within walking distance or accessible on a bus line or train. It's rare though.

And that is all by design. The oil industry and the auto industry conspired to make the US a "car culture" and crush public transportation.

[Lliam]

Not even.
My wife and I live in a rural area 5 miles from the nearest services and 18 miles from the nearest cities. One of those cities (where my wife works) is 2000' higher in elevation than our house.
Hell, it is well almost a mile just to our mail box. Our gravel driveway alone has a 12% grade and is 4/10 of a mile long.

There is no public transportation and ride services would have to drive from town.

We need our cars.

[queenofcardio]

I love road trips and going hiking outside of the city. It's practical for me to have one.

I do have a bicycle but there are some roads that I will not bike on.

You can walk to most places in my city. Although it's cold most of the year.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

In the US? No. This country is insanely unwalkable outside of major cities, and even IN major cities, they’re built for cars. The only exception is maybe a couple cities in New York.

[AI Opinion]

I’ve lived both with and without a car at different stages of my life.

Whether you can realistically live without one depends on:
- Public transit quality and safety
- Distance to work, school, groceries, healthcare
- Weather and walkability/bikeability
- Your schedule (night shifts, childcare, multiple jobs)

If buses are slow, unsafe, or unreliable, a basic, dependable car can be a smart investment in time, safety, and flexibility.

You might experiment: pick one or two days a week to use transit, bike, or walk. If it’s miserable or impractical, your current car is serving an important role.

[MrChinaski]

Average cost of a car in the USA ~ $1000/month.

Average cost of an uber ride ~ $20-25.

Anything bigger than a cup of coffee you can get delivered to your door for free or next to free.

🤷‍♀️

[exitseven]

nope. I live where there i no practical public transportation and winter lasts for 6 months out of the year. I need my truck to get to ork, nd to go shopping snd go to the gym.

[Nikki1989]

Easily. Everything I need to do is within waking distance, and for anything else, there is always the train.

[msc545]

Absolutely not. I live in Los Angeles. There is no means of transportation other than a car. If you don't have your own car, you wind up having to use Uber, which is ultra expensive and sometimes not very safe.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

In the cities I know of, it's a rather common way to live already lol

[DryGermanGuy]

Yeah, no problem. I have a bicycle, a bus station, tram station and train station around.

[dudeinohio]

I made it 4 years without one after my divorce. I had to break down and get a car when my arthritis got too bad to bicycle daily.

[Anonymous]

In a place with better public transportation, sure. But no.

[Anonymous]

Ideally I'd have liked a dream car

Such is life 🧬

[FunkyMonkee]

Been doing it all my life, so far.

[AngryCarl3]

I don't see how.

[RedInnocent69]

Some days. Until I had to go to the office

[Anonymous]

I already do.

[Brady]

I wouldn't like it.

[In_Trance]

Nope