If you’ve ever been stuck in a traffic jam, sitting motionless behind a diesel-belching truck as cyclists glide past happily in the bike lane, it may have crossed your mind that you’d be happier living without a car. But chances are, you quickly brushed aside that notion, imagining just how impractical that would be. After all, the whole modern world is practically built around automobile travel – and with so many places designed to be accessed by car, is living without one even possible?
The answer to that question is far from simple, as it largely depends on your specific situation: where you live, where you work, and what you do for fun. But the question is worth asking – especially if you’re someone who’s happier almost anywhere else than behind the wheel. Going without a car just might be the key to a healthier, more frugal, and less stressful life.
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Car-Free Life
There’s no doubt that there are many benefits to living without a car. The perks of a car-free life include:
Savings. Owning a car is costly. Aside from the cost of the car itself, you have to pay for gas, insurance, maintenance, and, depending on where you live, parking and tolls. According to AAA, the total cost of owning a car comes to about $6,100 per year on average. Of course, there are ways to keep these costs down, such as buying a smaller car or paying off your car loan early. But even if you pinch your pennies, owning a car still costs you thousands of dollars a year.
Health. Doctors agree that getting more exercise is one of the best things, if not the best thing, you can do for your health. And one of the best ways to fit more exercise into your day is to walk or bike more, rather than driving. Giving up your car practically forces you to be spend more time moving your body, even if you’re only walking to the nearest bus stop.
Less Stress. For many people, the hours spent behind the wheel are the most stressful part of the day. Studies at the University of Montreal and Britain’s University of East Anglia both show that commuters who walk or bike to work instead of driving are more relaxed both during their commute and after it. And, in addition to skipping all those hours sitting in traffic, going car-free means no more frantic hunting for parking spaces or worrying about making it back to your car before the parking meter runs out.
Less Pollution. If you want to live a greener lifestyle, giving up your car is one of the biggest steps you can take. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, driving is the single most polluting activity the average American does in a day. Going car-free reduces your carbon footprint, as well as your contribution to smog and acid rain.
But going car-free has its downsides too. The fact is, in many parts of this country, it’s really hard to get anywhere without a car. And even when it’s possible to get where you’re going by bus, by bike, or on foot, it often takes a lot longer than driving.
Living without a car is easier in some places than others. Some U.S. cities, such as Miami, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, encourage a car-free lifestyle by having great mass transit systems or an extensive network of bike trails. However, in rural or suburban areas, it’s often hard to get around without a car because there’s limited public transportation and few bike paths – and perhaps not even any sidewalks.
Alternatives to Owning a Car
To determine whether a car-free life makes sense for you, you need to know your options and alternatives. For example, walking and biking can be practical if you live close enough to the places where you work and socialize. And in many cities, mass transit – such as buses, subways, and trains – can take you just about everywhere you need to go.
However, even if there are places you can’t go without a car, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to own one. You might be able to share rides with others, either in a carpool or through a formal ridesharing program like Uber. Alternatively, take part in a car-sharing program like Zipcar, which gives you access to a car when you need it. And if you only need a car on very rare occasions, simply rent one or take a cab.