Car Free is not as Great as Advocates Tout

I had been notice also of talk on how wonderful it is to live the car free lifestyle: being free to move about without the burden of car ownership and not being stuck in traffic.  Today I want to bust this myth of a car free lifestyle. I have been carless (carless as negative as homeless) since 2015 when my F-150 finally died. I rely on Transit, Uber, traditional car rentals, and Zipcar to get around.

Often the burden of car owner ship is due to large car loans payments and fleasing (the f is silent in leasing). As Dave Ramsey puts it, car debt is paying the stupid tax.   I try to save up for a use car; I will pay in cash.
Those $15 – $25 Uber rides and Zipcar sharing add up. I need to spend $28 to $32 a week for Zipcar to get groceries. It takes time to take the bus to the Zipcar location and to return the car (two ½-hour rental times at a minimum). I hope Zipcar is available when I need it and it is in clean and rentable condition. Sometimes Zipcar is not clean and / or available.  Traditional rental cars offer the most flexibility but rental plus collision waver is around $48 and is costly for multi day rentals. This week alone I spend $45 on Uber, which is ¾ tank of gas for my old F-150.

 

I have missed job opportunities and places to go because I do not have a car. I will miss groups Christmas Party and bummed a ride from my churches Christmas Eve service because I do not have the money for Uber or car rental and it too far. I have to rely on others for transportation. Going shopping for a few items is an all day event on transit.  Car free advocates do not factor in the time cost; I spend 18 hours and 44 minutes a week on transit. A 1 hour and 32 minute by Transit to work is only 35 minute by driving or a 1 hour and 44 minute truants ride to church on Sunday is only a 35-minute drive.  I timed it out in a rental car. I eat dinner at midnight because I go home and fall asleep because I am too tired and only get four hours of sleep a night.

 

About Scatcatpdx

I am just an average Joe living in the People Republic of Portland Oregon. I was a Republican Precinct Person for Washington County, and campaign volunteer. Now I am a IDKWIA (I Don't Know What I Am). I am a bible believing Christian who is Calvinist and Reformed in my theology and Anglican in worship and practice. My other interest are music (classical and world, Progressive Trance), drawing, and Fury Fandom, I consider myself a furry lifestyler.. I am a Ham Radio operator.
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