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I am very happy with my current life right now, which does not require a car at all on a regular basis, but I was lucky enough to inherit an old car that I use
by nerdponx 3y ago
I am very happy with my current life right now, which does not require a car at all on a regular basis, but I was lucky enough to inherit an old car that I use for weekend trips out of town and generally getting around to areas that would be difficult or impossible to reach by public transit. I drive about once a week on average, but that average belies just how tremendously valuable the car has been in terms of saving me time. It's been worth every penny and then some. But This is more or less an ideal scenario that I wish everyone had access to, even though I know most people don't. Often you have to choose 2 of the 3: good access to transit, room to park a car, and enough money in the budget for a car.
- acdha 3y agoYeah, cars certainly have utility but I always remind myself that the total cost is higher than we think and it’s especially harsh for people who aren’t very comfortable financially. I’ve been at the mechanic’s when someone is trying to figure out what they can do to keep their car running enough to avoid losing their job, or praying that a tire patch will hold. The problem in the United States is that a lot of infrastructure was deliberately built to exclude poor people so there aren’t great options in many suburbs for improving transit or bike access short of building road connections through someone’s bank yard. This has a nasty ratchet as cars have been getting more expensive while those suburbs age and need maintenance far in excess of what the property taxes cover.