The Price of Necessity

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by Waldo

And WORD! about cars. I have my six year old Honda in the drive and have been thinking seriously about getting rid of it. I put more miles on it getting to and from the airport than I do the rest of the month. I live in an extremely walkable neighborhood and I ride my bike. But I've decided not to sell it because I'd hate to find myself in need of one and having to buy an unknown entity. I bought this one new and it's paid off. I know everything about it and (knock on wood) it's a perfectly good car.

Not having a car is a pretty big lifestyle choice. When I first got rid of the car (forever ago!) I was living a 2 hour bus commute from work - not such a great idea. But since then I've gotten smarter and have intentionally chosen apartments that are within reasonable distance of work, a grocery store, on the bus route, etc.

Even in the town where I now live (which is a far cry from Toronto, I tell you) where the bus stops running at 11 Monday-Friday and 6 on Saturdays and Sundays I'm doing more than fine. The money I save each month by not owning a vehicle can certainly afford me the luxury of taking a taxi once or twice a month if I'm going to be out real late and in an area of town that I can't walk home from.

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by betenoire

Not having a car is a pretty big lifestyle choice. When I first got rid of the car (forever ago!) I was living a 2 hour bus commute from work - not such a great idea. But since then I've gotten smarter and have intentionally chosen apartments that are within reasonable distance of work, a grocery store, on the bus route, etc.

There's been a lot of discussion lately, and I've done a bit of research myself as well, on the "demise of suburbia". Much talk about how the tide is finally turning now that people are losing their homes they are realizing that it wasn't their home that was the problem. It was their transportation costs.

I don't remember what show it was but the other day I watched a special about retrofitting shopping malls and other big box stores in suburban areas and they were talking to a few people who work in Manhattan but chose to buy a home in eastern Pennsylvanian because it was "more affordable". What they hadn't considered was the fact that they would turn around and spend *more* on transportation than they were spending on their mortgage. And their quality of life with all that driving? In the toilet.

I feel strongly, and hope fervently that I'm right, that the big trend in the next twenty years is a new urbanism to go hand in hand with a better understanding of the importance of living and working in close proximity.

[betenoire]

Originally Posted by Waldo

There's been a lot of discussion lately, and I've done a bit of research myself as well, on the "demise of suburbia". Much talk about how the tide is finally turning now that people are losing their homes they are realizing that it wasn't their home that was the problem. It was their transportation costs.

I don't remember what show it was but the other day I watched a special about retrofitting shopping malls and other big box stores in suburban areas and they were talking to a few people who work in Manhattan but chose to buy a home in eastern Pennsylvanian because it was "more affordable". What they hadn't considered was the fact that they would turn around and spend *more* on transportation than they were spending on their mortgage. And their quality of life with all that driving? In the toilet.

I feel strongly, and hope fervently that I'm right, that the big trend in the next twenty years is a new urbanism to go hand in hand with a better understanding of the importance of living and working in close proximity.

I hope you are right.

I read a study years ago about how people who live in the suburbs are in general less "happy" than people who live in the city. They also die younger.

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by betenoire

I hope you are right.

I read a study years ago about how people who live in the suburbs are in general less "happy" than people who live in the city. They also die younger.

That study I'd have to read to believe that but maybe its the burbs and not rural living. I couldnt live in the suburbs or city anymore. City living is definitely a personal lifestyle choice as well as rural country living.

[CherylNYC]

Originally Posted by Waldo

There's been a lot of discussion lately, and I've done a bit of research myself as well, on the "demise of suburbia". Much talk about how the tide is finally turning now that people are losing their homes they are realizing that it wasn't their home that was the problem. It was their transportation costs.

I don't remember what show it was but the other day I watched a special about retrofitting shopping malls and other big box stores in suburban areas and they were talking to a few people who work in Manhattan but chose to buy a home in eastern Pennsylvanian because it was "more affordable". What they hadn't considered was the fact that they would turn around and spend *more* on transportation than they were spending on their mortgage. And their quality of life with all that driving? In the toilet.

I feel strongly, and hope fervently that I'm right, that the big trend in the next twenty years is a new urbanism to go hand in hand with a better understanding of the importance of living and working in close proximity.

I live in a part of NYC where public transportation is difficult and very time consuming. But two wheels and an engine make it so easy to bungee my tools on the back and ride to the far flung studios where I work. I ride my bicycle when it's feasible, but mostly I commute via motorcycle. My biggest, least fuel efficient bike gets 43 mpg. The rest of them get 50 mpg or better. If I wanted to get even better mileage I could go shopping today and come home with a scooter that gets 123 mpg! And then there's the world of electric scooters which cost less than a dollar a day in electricity to operate. What is more, up to seven two wheeled vehicles can park in a spot normally taken by one car. A car will take up the space occupied by up to four two wheeled vehicles in city traffic, and that doesn't include lanesplitting.

Cities in Europe are way ahead of us here in the U.S. when it comes to encouraging fuel efficient, congestion reducing two-wheeled motorized transportation. London has notably good policies. Sydney, Paris, and countless other European cities provide great facilities for us. Toronto, Vancouver and Austin Tx give free parking at Muni-Meters. San Francisco has a very well structured system. Unfortunately, we are subtly and overtly discouraged from riding motorcycle and scooters here in NYC.

Check out www.nymstf.org

[Waldo]

Originally Posted by CherylNYC

I live in a part of NYC where public transportation is difficult and very time consuming. But two wheels and an engine make it so easy to bungee my tools on the back and ride to the far flung studios where I work. I ride my bicycle when it's feasible, but mostly I commute via motorcycle. My biggest, least fuel efficient bike gets 43 mpg. The rest of them get 50 mpg or better. If I wanted to get even better mileage I could go shopping today and come home with a scooter that gets 123 mpg! And then there's the world of electric scooters which cost less than a dollar a day in electricity to operate. What is more, up to seven two wheeled vehicles can park in a spot normally taken by one car. A car will take up the space occupied by up to four two wheeled vehicles in city traffic, and that doesn't include lanesplitting.

Cities in Europe are way ahead of us here in the U.S. when it comes to encouraging fuel efficient, congestion reducing two-wheeled motorized transportation. London has notably good policies. Sydney, Paris, and countless other European cities provide great facilities for us. Toronto, Vancouver and Austin Tx give free parking at Muni-Meters. San Francisco has a very well structured system. Unfortunately, we are subtly and overtly discouraged from riding motorcycle and scooters here in NYC.

Check out www.nymstf.org

Denver is very two wheel friendly as well. Even though there have been some high profile accidents of late we're home to the BCycle program. It's doing quite well. I see people on them all the time and it makes me smile each time.

In many places in Albuquerque the parking spots for scooters and motorcycles are closest to the entry.

I have it too easy though. Working from my home means I don't have to worry about transportation at all until I have to go on the road. I, like you, try to do my part because I have such a big carbon foot print due to my travel. 3x or more a month on a plane. Often times long hauls.

[Sachita]

Originally Posted by betenoire

Not having a car is a pretty big lifestyle choice. When I first got rid of the car (forever ago!) I was living a 2 hour bus commute from work - not such a great idea. But since then I've gotten smarter and have intentionally chosen apartments that are within reasonable distance of work, a grocery store, on the bus route, etc.

Even in the town where I now live (which is a far cry from Toronto, I tell you) where the bus stops running at 11 Monday-Friday and 6 on Saturdays and Sundays I'm doing more than fine. The money I save each month by not owning a vehicle can certainly afford me the luxury of taking a taxi once or twice a month if I'm going to be out real late and in an area of town that I can't walk home from.

I think if you live in the city or you can go without or share a car it's a very smart move. I personally know people that share a car but like Waldo and myself work at home so it's not a huge issue.

Could I go without my big ass 250 Cargo Van living out here on the farm? Maybe I could if I set myself up right. I'd have to rely on delivery for feed for animals. The vet makes house calls. I could grow quite a bit of produce. Yeah if I had to I could. But since my van is a write off for my farm I considered it a cost of overhead.

I've done a lot of things in my life and this whole rural downsizing luxury has been quite a challenge for me. My next step, if I can get up the courage is to start moving towards full sustainability or as close as one could get. I often think about the things I MUST have and what I could do without to slip fully into that transition. Internet and cell phone would be hardest for me. Toilet paper I could do without because I have. When I'm in the woods I try not to bring it. I fill a bottle of water wash and dry. In fact I might do that more here. Not because of the savings but to start using less paper and now that I think of it I'll be much cleaner!