<DrumBeat: December 13, 2006The Oil DrumAn Update on US Gasoline Stocks and Blending Components>

379 comments on Why We Drive

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Donal on December 13, 2006 - 8:19am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top
Well, I've changed my driving habits, again. Working out of my house was nice, but we couldn't scrounge up any sort of health care. So I just took a job in Charm City. For the first few days, I got in an hour early and walked the neighborhood until I found an 'apartment to let' sign only five blocks away. I moved in yesterday.

The problem around here is what to do with the car. I still must travel on some weekends, and as Stuart mentions above, the train and bus service take over seven hours for a three hour drive, and leave only once per day.

I also need a car for occasional business meetings. The local garages all have waiting lists for monthly parking, and you can get ticketed for feeding the meter in the same spot. Three of those tickets cost the same as monthly parking at a garage a mile away, so I guess I'll stick the car there and ride the Xootr over when I need it.

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LeGorfou on December 13, 2006 - 9:51pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Why don't you hire a car when you need it?

I lived in Montreal for a year before I got a car, I only got one after I got married.

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Valuethinker on December 14, 2006 - 4:01am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Montreal is rare amongst North American cities in that it is centralised enough that one can live without a car.

Amongst cities where one could live (maybe) without public transit: Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto, New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco...

mostly eastern cities, all densely populated, mostly Canadian cities.

Even in Toronto, which has an extensive public transport system, it's basically no good if you live outside the 416 area) ie only half the population of the GTA (2.3 million/ 5.0 million) and I can tell you if you live more than 2 miles off the subway line in Toronto (most in the north of the City do) then transport is a nightmare.  There is a reason the 401 Highway is one of the widest in the world.

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AlanfromBigEasy on December 14, 2006 - 11:36am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I would add pre-K New Orleans in certain neighborhoods.  Close enough to walk to major employers, food, shopping, services, etc.

Pre-K, 3 of the 5 apartments occupied in my "house" did not have cars.  One bicycled to work, one was retired and one was an artist.  Each made limited use of public transit.

Best Hopes for walkable enighborhoods,

Alan

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dm on December 14, 2006 - 1:55pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
That's crazy talk.  The guy lives 5 blocks from work.  When we sold our car we told ourselves that we'd rent a car if we needed one.  In over a year, we've never needed one.

Do we live in a densified coastal city?  No, we live in public-transit-hostile Louisville, Kentucky.

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Donal on December 14, 2006 - 8:52am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
I probably would if I didn't already have a car that was paid for years ago.  Renting a car three times a month costs more than the parking garage.
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nero on December 14, 2006 - 7:00pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Why don't you join a car sharing program?  I've never done it but the idea of having a car sit in your parking spot for days on end just depreciating would drive me crazy.  
 
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slx on December 15, 2006 - 6:26am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
Would it be better if you kept it company while depreciating?
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dinopello on December 15, 2006 - 10:03am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top
They do more than just depreciate, they rust pretty bad if you don't drive them as I found out when my disk brakes needed to be replaced after 3 years and 5K miles.  
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