by Because of snow. It happened in Boston, in the 70’s. There was a blizzard, and not like the namby-pamby blizzards we get now. This was a blizzard where you couldn’t see your hands held out in front of you or your feet when you looked down. Never mind snow piled up against the cars parked along the street, you couldn’t even see the cars that you knew were there.
My car was parked at the end of a long driveway, and I spent about three days trying to dig it out and I never got close. I finally gave up and just left it there until the snow thawed (a month or two later?). When it did I gave my car to my brother and have never owned a car since.
I’ve never felt so liberated. I know some people feel more free with cars—”I can pick up and go at anytime!” But I just felt encumbered. Having a car took too much care and attention, and I can pick up and go at anytime without one.
Unfortunately that doesn’t work here in Greensboro (and most towns and cities) because we don’t have decent public transportation. If I could give up my car (I just spent $300 for brakes and $100 for a battery just this week), I’d do it in a heartbeat.
I put up pictures for you and Betsy over on my blog if you want to look.
LOVE the new website design!
I agree with Karen — in the South, one is totally stranded without a car. Unfortunately even in a modest-size city where I live, you can’t walk to the stores because they are all out in “strip-malls”…too far from the city center. (Plus, the SUV driving people with cell-phones plastered to their ear would probably run you over, no sidewalks/paths off the main access highways.)
I had a wreck a couple years ago, (teen texting while driving rear-ended me) and if I hadn’t had a rental car (via auto insurance), I’d have been unable to get food/essentials. Not even a cab in this town! Argh!
I so wish this would change, but doubt it will in my lifetime.
Oh yeah totally. You have to live in a city to pull this off. (And thanks, Cara!)