> I don't know why I keep trying this no-car stuff, but I did It might just not be for you, and that's okay. Your actual experience is more useful to you than

> I don't know why I keep trying this no-car stuff, but I did It might just not be for you, and that's okay. Your actual experience is more useful to you than anything I say below. My personal point-of-view is that I live in lower Manhattan, commute by electric bike, and regularly take the subway, buses, ferries, and commuter rail. I very rarely rent a car for trips outside the city. > I had nowhere to leave my stuff, so I had to carry everything with me There's definitely a learning curve there. It's usually possible too get by with less then you think if you plan in advance, but I don't know your situation. I have a little mini backpack where I carry my water bottle, charger bank, sunglasses, hat, and a reusable grocery bag. > or make the long trek to my hotel If you don't mind me asking, which neighborhood did you stay in? Was this in Manhattan? I would expect an average of a 5 minute walk to the subway, plus a 5 minute wait time for the train to arrive, and you shouldn't need to return to the hotel during the day. > I've tried NY with a car before then I think a lot of people don't realize how well a car works in NYC, even in Manhattan. In the outer boroughs it's probably the most convenient option. The main issues are 1) parking, which you don't seem to mind, and 2) rush hour traffic. Cars work very well here late at night and early in the morning, and pretty well during the day. Robert Moses built quite a lot of highways here. > Public transport is ... slower This is often true even in NYC, unless there is traffic. My rule of thumb is that the subway has a higher average time but a much lower variance. An electric bike is faster than both options, which is why delivery drivers here use electric bikes. In the tourist areas, there's usually traffic, so the subway is usually the better choice for visitors. The subway is also usually the better choice for commuters, because they commute during rush hour. > Public transport is ... less convenient because they only run during popular hours The NYC subway and buses are 24 hours and work well even in the middle of the night, although I would not recommend taking them to the outer boroughs in the middle of the night for safety reasons. > Public transport is ... more expensive than renting a car because you have to supplement with Uber This may be true depending on your personal tolerance for walking and the kinds of trips that you make. You really have to be okay walking up to 10 minutes on each end for public transit to make sense. This is also why New Yorkers walk so quickly!