4 ms·

Ask HN: Do you live w/o a car (outside the US)?

7 points by da02 15y ago

What city do you live in? Has it ever been a problem not having a car?

SaintSal 15y ago
Gave up my car in Vancouver. (Used the money I saved on rent, and moved downtown where I walked everywhere.) Now, I live in London, England. I bike everywhere or use the Tube.
- Mankhool 15y ago
  I haven't owned a car for 29 years and have lived in Vancouver off and on for 24 of those. Having said that - our transit system is really quite disgusting and I am seriously thinking that 2012 will be the year of the car for me.
david927 15y ago
Nice, France. No. (Also true for where I've lived before: Berlin, Zurich, Prague.)
nandemo 15y ago
I live in Tokyo. Public transport is very extensive here, though quite crowded. Many people don't own cars. I'd say most single people don't. I used to commute by bicycle in my previous job. It's rarely a problem not to have a car. Doing groceries can be slightly inconvenient, but I often order online anyway. If you wanna travel by car you can always rent one. I used to commute by car in Sao Paulo and it was really stressful. When I choose the next place I'll live, one of the most important factors is whether I'll be able to live without a car.
Sword_Monkey 15y ago
No car. Simply because the upfront cost was too much, fuel just keeps getting higher and public transport/walking has been completely adequate. Only time I've needed a car is when moving house, but even then a hired Van has proven far more useful than a car. Also parking in Brighton (UK) is an absolute nightmare, residential permits cost <£150 a year, and that's after the queue for getting one.
thomas11 15y ago
Zurich, Switzerland. Public transport is very good. With the car-sharing company Mobility it's easy to book a car by the hour if needed. That plus normal car-rental for longer trips comes out cheaper and more hassle-free than owning.
jgrahamc 15y ago
No car. I live in London. Zipcar etc. work well.
ojilles 15y ago
No. Currently in Milan, Italy. Yes, previously in Aarhus, DK and Amsterdamn NL.
alopes 15y ago
No car. London
- hurch 15y ago
  Melbourne. Combination of bike and public transport (good overall but there are some deadzones.). Also fair few temporary hire car are around the city and surrounding suburbs
latch 15y ago
Hong Kong, "Over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world" [1] No, never been a problem. I'm looking to move, and I'll only do so where I don't need a car (waste of money)..thankfully there are tons of options. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong#Private_cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong#Private...
brianmac 15y ago
Oslo, Norway - No car, easy to walk everywhere, great transport, and city bike system.
dirkdeman 15y ago
Amsterdam: no car. Ede (more, well, rural): definetely.
CookWithMe 15y ago
No car, Berlin. Never had a problem in the city. Holidays are a different story (I like to visit remote regions in the alps), but then I can rent one. When I visit other cities, I go by train or plane.
sofarsogood 15y ago
Munich, no car. It has never been a problem so far: public transport is quite good, decent bike infrastructure, a handful of car sharing and car rental companies with a lot of stations, lots of groceries.
kodeshpa 15y ago
No Car in major cities of India .
alykhalid 15y ago
No Car. Edinburgh, UK. No problems so far.
SingAlong 15y ago
Bangalore. no car. But I have to admit that I always feel like getting one because all the tech events happen on the other side of the city and I spend a lot of time travelling to these events.
lazyfunctor 15y ago
Bangalore. no car. Public transport is not bad.
mirsadm 15y ago
I moved to Toronto (from Melbourne Australia). Use to be obsessed with cars. When we moved we sold both our cars and I love not having to drive anymore. It helps that the public transport is a million times better in Toronto than back home.

7 points by da02 15y ago

What city do you live in? Has it ever been a problem not having a car?

Gave up my car in Vancouver. (Used the money I saved on rent, and moved downtown where I walked everywhere.) Now, I live in London, England. I bike everywhere or use the Tube.

Mankhool 15y ago
I haven't owned a car for 29 years and have lived in Vancouver off and on for 24 of those. Having said that - our transit system is really quite disgusting and I am seriously thinking that 2012 will be the year of the car for me.

david927 15y ago

Nice, France. No. (Also true for where I've lived before: Berlin, Zurich, Prague.)

nandemo 15y ago

I live in Tokyo. Public transport is very extensive here, though quite crowded. Many people don't own cars. I'd say most single people don't. I used to commute by bicycle in my previous job. It's rarely a problem not to have a car. Doing groceries can be slightly inconvenient, but I often order online anyway. If you wanna travel by car you can always rent one. I used to commute by car in Sao Paulo and it was really stressful. When I choose the next place I'll live, one of the most important factors is whether I'll be able to live without a car.

Sword_Monkey 15y ago

No car. Simply because the upfront cost was too much, fuel just keeps getting higher and public transport/walking has been completely adequate. Only time I've needed a car is when moving house, but even then a hired Van has proven far more useful than a car. Also parking in Brighton (UK) is an absolute nightmare, residential permits cost <£150 a year, and that's after the queue for getting one.

thomas11 15y ago

Zurich, Switzerland. Public transport is very good. With the car-sharing company Mobility it's easy to book a car by the hour if needed. That plus normal car-rental for longer trips comes out cheaper and more hassle-free than owning.

jgrahamc 15y ago

No car. I live in London. Zipcar etc. work well.

ojilles 15y ago

No. Currently in Milan, Italy. Yes, previously in Aarhus, DK and Amsterdamn NL.

alopes 15y ago

No car. London

hurch 15y ago
Melbourne. Combination of bike and public transport (good overall but there are some deadzones.). Also fair few temporary hire car are around the city and surrounding suburbs

latch 15y ago

Hong Kong, "Over 90% of the daily journeys are on public transport, making it the highest rate in the world" [1] No, never been a problem. I'm looking to move, and I'll only do so where I don't need a car (waste of money)..thankfully there are tons of options. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong#Private_cars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Hong_Kong#Private...

brianmac 15y ago

Oslo, Norway - No car, easy to walk everywhere, great transport, and city bike system.

dirkdeman 15y ago

Amsterdam: no car. Ede (more, well, rural): definetely.

CookWithMe 15y ago

No car, Berlin. Never had a problem in the city. Holidays are a different story (I like to visit remote regions in the alps), but then I can rent one. When I visit other cities, I go by train or plane.

sofarsogood 15y ago

Munich, no car. It has never been a problem so far: public transport is quite good, decent bike infrastructure, a handful of car sharing and car rental companies with a lot of stations, lots of groceries.

kodeshpa 15y ago

No Car in major cities of India .

alykhalid 15y ago

No Car. Edinburgh, UK. No problems so far.

SingAlong 15y ago

Bangalore. no car. But I have to admit that I always feel like getting one because all the tech events happen on the other side of the city and I spend a lot of time travelling to these events.

lazyfunctor 15y ago

Bangalore. no car. Public transport is not bad.

mirsadm 15y ago

I moved to Toronto (from Melbourne Australia). Use to be obsessed with cars. When we moved we sold both our cars and I love not having to drive anymore. It helps that the public transport is a million times better in Toronto than back home.