> If I could, I'd give up ever having to drive again in a heartbeat. Try it. I lived in Chicago years ago, where cars are expensive and inconvenient to own, at

> If I could, I'd give up ever having to drive again in a heartbeat. Try it. I lived in Chicago years ago, where cars are expensive and inconvenient to own, at least by American standards. I would walk to the grocery store, which was about 4 blocks I guess, about a 10-15 minute walk. So your shop is limited to what you can carry back, so you have to shop every day or every other day, with the walk there, the shop, and the walk home taking the better part of an hour. Every other day or so. And on the way you are accosted by at least one street person asking for money, and with your hands full of grocery bags you feel a bit defenseless. And then there were the rainy days. And the cold days. Not fun walking 10-15 minutes at 6 degrees F with a 20mph wind in your face. It had its charms, but overall it sucked. I prefer my rural house and easy weekly shop with a car now.