Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Hypothetical Question
Assuming that you had (a) a car and (b) two small children and that you were (c) moving to a large city with a good public transportation system, would you consider going without the car (but not without the children) for a year or two in order to save loads of money on insurance, gas, and maintenance (and be environmentally friendly while you're at it)? Also assume that your employment situation is hazy and you are anticipating being dirt poor. Please answer in fifty words or less.
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16 comments:
Ask FoxyJ--she's the one who will get to try to contain them on public trans the most--you'll be working your heart out and enjoying adult conversation. One thing about cars...your kids are trapped in their carseats, which really helps with crowd control in a moving vehicle.
By the way, I have very fond memories of being in grad school and dirt poor. During those two years I had two premature babies...went into labor during my graduate piano recital...my oldest son broke his right arm...the day he got the cast off he broke his left arm...son #2 developed juvenile anorexia...husband had a major hernia repair...baby daughter in the hospital with RSV for three weeks...
Yeah, next time I think I'll just lie down on a busy street and let the cars run over me.
Fond memories...those were the days...
Did you count the words? I'm sure there were fewer than 50...
Seeing as how I just spent mondo moola to get my car running, I'll have a car handy if you ever need to borrow one...
...low rates...
Hmm...a little more radical than going without t.v., but, after reading the link, not necessarily too far-fetched. FoxyJ, as a young one, rode the bus many times in a city that was far less oriented toward convenience in public transportation than Seattle. Hmm...yes, she should have the deciding vote as she will be schleping the groceries, etc. etc. most often, no doubt.
It depends on where you're going to live in Seattle. I do fine on a bike, but I also live six miles from downtown. If you live in the outskirts, it all depends on how close you are to groceries, etc. My dad commutes on the bus an hour every morning to get downtown, but not everyone is willing to do that.
Traffic is bad, and our public transport is mediocre right now. We have a lot to learn from Portland and San Francisco.
I say go for it, but I think that you should get a bike. Even if you don't totally get rid of the car you can save quite a bit of money on gas by relying on a bicycle for transportation.
The rain/colder winter weather might not be very fun while at a bus stop. You can always sell you car when you get there. You might get more for it since cars are more expensive in the Pacific Northwest. But I can't live without air conditiong so you are tougher (more tough?) than me.
Based on my sister who lives in Manhattan, who had no car and three kids for quite awhile--it all depends on how close an affordable grocery store is. If it's far, car is helpful, even if you only use it for grocery shopping. If it's close, go car-less!
As one who is also currently dirt poor, I have to say no to this one. I realize that it is a Western way of thinking to beleive one cannot live without one's own buggy/horse/automobile but that's the way it is. You just never know with public transit. It can be wonderful and horrible all in the same hour and with kids, the idea of no car AT ALL freaks me out. Can you say emergency room visit?
Could you keep it and just only drive when you REALLY HAVE to?
I'm all for keeping the car - but I'm a Republican. WWAGD?*
*What would Al Gore do?
Lots of good advice and mine is late so...
Really consider bringing the car up so the decision can be made based of facts. I think one has about 30 days to retag and there may be lots of running around.
My son towed theirs so his wife could ride with him. The low mileage trucks hardly change.
Some insurance will be required anyway even to borrow a car. Transfer the policy to get/keep any years-of-being-insured credit.
Very best wishes,
Bob Millward
Ditch the car and make friends with all the weirdos on the bus. How can you live in Seattle and not be a bus junkie? That's where the real experience lies.
Besides, then when you do finish up school and get a car back, it will feel like paradise. Live the European life so you can later re-experience the American dream.
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We could do everything but church and Costco without even learning the bus routes now. It's awesome. I walk everywhere.
Having a car is a nice thing though. You never know when there will be bothersome fellow pedestrians which can be dealt with no other way....
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Also, many towns here have a CarShare program--you might see if Seattle has something similar if you think that might be a better idea.
I haven't taken time to consider everything, but just off the top of my head, I think you'd regret not having a car with 2 small children, particularly if there was some kind of an emergency. If you think you could manage, I'd suggest taking the car, and then trying to not use it for a few weeks and see how it goes. If you think it would be okay, you could sell it there.
I've never owned a car, and I've done fine. Of course, this is more of an inconvenience to my friends and family than I care to admit, and also I have cats instead of children and I don't usually take them out with me.
By the way, can I get a ride tonight?
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