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No plans to buy a vehicle ever, good idea?
Daniel
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I'm 19, i graduate in a month or so, but I'll be living with my parents for a little bit while i wait for this girl to finish raising enough money so we can move in together.
I've been thinking that i really don't need to buy a car, when i brought this up in a class discussion my teacher made the remark that "you will be one of *those* guys", to which i responded (in a jokingly fashion) "What? Healthy?" The truth is i already am "one of those guys", i get invited to party's every now and then, but i hate the atmosphere of them, so this is not really a problem for me. If i do hang out with someone they generally seek me out. I've only had 2 real jobs in my life so far and both times i've been able to get by without a vehicle just fine. I enjoy the exercise i receive from biking, and honestly, i don't get much exercise in my life so it's probably a wise decision that i continue biking.
However every person i talk to about this tells me that "at some point in the future you will need a car". I don't see why i would, i mean you can rent vehicles by the hour now (and lets not forget public transportation), yet every single person i talk to says it's a bad idea.
I really don't want to spend the money on something i will barely use, but everyone tells me that I'm wrong. What do you think?
I've been thinking that i really don't need to buy a car, when i brought this up in a class discussion my teacher made the remark that "you will be one of *those* guys", to which i responded (in a jokingly fashion) "What? Healthy?" The truth is i already am "one of those guys", i get invited to party's every now and then, but i hate the atmosphere of them, so this is not really a problem for me. If i do hang out with someone they generally seek me out. I've only had 2 real jobs in my life so far and both times i've been able to get by without a vehicle just fine. I enjoy the exercise i receive from biking, and honestly, i don't get much exercise in my life so it's probably a wise decision that i continue biking.
However every person i talk to about this tells me that "at some point in the future you will need a car". I don't see why i would, i mean you can rent vehicles by the hour now (and lets not forget public transportation), yet every single person i talk to says it's a bad idea.
I really don't want to spend the money on something i will barely use, but everyone tells me that I'm wrong. What do you think?
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You might be able to make do while you're young, single and don't have any dependents, but if you ever start a family you're going to need one.
That's good to know. How do you deal with grocery though? Just man up and carry them home?
It's certainly possible to just bike everywhere, even in the middle of nowhere. But it depends on how much time and energy you want to spend on the bike instead of doing other things.
Buy less of them? If you're only grocery shopping for one or two, it shouldn't be too hard.
Also, considering you live in Regina, do stock up on non-perishables before winter.
What everyone else has said rings true, if your area has a decent transit system then it makes everything substantially easier. Groceries really aren't that big of a deal, have you ever seen those people on the bus or sidewalks with a small foldable cart? Or even a commuter bike with saddlebags and a backpack are simple enough.
If you can manage not having a car, it saves you a ton of money. Cars are huge money pits as it is.
I've had my car for 6 years but rarely use it. I've uninsured it for a year here and a year there and just parked it because it's totally unneccesary to have.
As far as groceries he'd either get rides from people or get stuff from the gas station across the street.
The upsides are obvious -- no gas, no insurance, no car payments.
The downsides are less obvious: you don't get to set your schedule for anything you rely on transportation beyond walking. You're also limited in those situations to what you can carry on your body. Your commutes increase, sometimes significantly. A 10 minute drive can turn into a 30 minute bus ride.
I have two coworkers that rely on the bus to get to work, and they're pretty timely people. Which means that they rely on the bus schedule for when they show up and leave work, which isn't compatible with every kind of job. My job is also directly on a bus route, and not all jobs are. In other words, it limits you to jobs that are near bus routes, unless you want to get into paying a taxi all the time.
It also means that your 'stuff' you own is limited to what you have delivered, you have fewer options for shipping things away, and anything that involves moving a bulky object is moved onto friends/family. Again, you can just fall back on deliveries -- IKEA delivers, most furniture stores deliver, and so on. And yes, in many cases you may buy an object too bulky for whatever car you would own.
However it's much easier to get on without a car thanks to the internet, due to exactly what I said above -- you're more connected and can get deliveries/pickups by simply paying for them. That means that while you lose some immediacy, you're hardly "cut off."
The larger problem then truly comes down to work, and your work schedule. Some people simply only take a job that works with that setup, which is fine, but you can see how that limits your options.
Finally, and this is a bit far off, but not driving does make moving significantly more expensive. Renting a truck and moving is cheap, whereas hiring movers is stupidly expensive. Like 5x more.
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I live in Boston and we have a few, I use one called peapod. Excellent quality, takes much less time than actually going to the store, and it comes right to your door. As for cost, at most it is $9.95 (depends on the dollar amount of your order), but due to various specials and coupons, I have only paid that once or twice.
It is a great way to stock up on bulky things (cat litter/food, bottled water, jumbo packs of meat, fruit, etc) that would otherwise be a huge pain to carry.
Definitely worth looking into to see if there is something like that in your area. By the way, I haven't had a car for over two years, the only downside is going to stores/restaurants outside the public transportation area, and being limited in jobs. Otherwise, I almost never regret it.
EDIT: Beat by truck-a-sauras...what are the odds of that?
They've changed on the tipping though, there is actually a spot for it on the form you have to sign when they deliver. Its not required, but it obviously isn't refused either. I usually throw the guy a few bucks for hauling 200 lbs of groceries around.
Also one of my co-workers relies on the bus to get to and from work. A nice side effect of this is if the boss ever asks her to work late her reply is "Only if you feel like giving me a ride home" - which usually results in her getting to go home on time.
So yeah, it looks like the main obstacle is the effect it would have on possible employment and how hard it will be once winter hits. It sounds like it is not going to kill me to try it without one for a while.
This hardly works for everyone, but during the morning commute it is actually quicker for me to ride a bike than it is to catch the bus or drive a vehicle. Granted, this is only because of the influx of traffic at that hour and any time that isn't 7-9am or 4-6 pm a vehicle is faster.
Have you thought about a scooter?
What if god forbid an emergency pops up at your parents house NOW and you have to get there and there's not enough time to rent a car hop the bus?
Or as simple as an old friend comes in to the airport and wants to hook up in 45 minutes?
Taxis.
If you live close enough to drive to the airport, you live close enough for a bus to take you there.
heh, I'm in S'toon. Walking and biking is great, until winter hits. Freakin -40 weather. That's when I hate not having a car
I dunno, I don't own a car at all right now, but I'm also not working far away or full time. I do plan on buying one towards the end of summer, but a cheap beater really. You can find a functional car in SK for under $5k if you hunt around (take someone who knows cars with you so you don't buy a lemon or something that will need a lot of repairs). It's good to have one, for emergencies or at night when the buses are less than stellar (they stop running after midnight here, and are only once an hour on sundays and evenings... and stop at 9:30pm on Sundays to boot)
anyway. I think it's a good idea to have your drivers license and access to a car, even if you plan on using it very rarely (which is probably best anyway)
... ambulance?
The downside to your friend's situation is that if she never stays late, the boss could assume she's not that dedicated to her job, and pass her over for promotions. Again, this is long-term stuff, but something to keep in mind. I usually ride my bike in the summertime, but for times when we need a driver to go out to a work lunch, I offer to drive that day. Does this mean I get promotions & raises? No. But I know my boss appreciates it (she lives 2 blocks from work, since we're in a city, and walks).
Yes, if you can pull this off, it's sweet. I'm in the same boat; it's faster for me to bike to work than it is to drive, thanks to lights, finding parking, etc. There's a bike rack right beside the building, in a locked courtyard, so I also get the "closest" parking spot. It's longer going home because it's all uphill, but still comparable.
I still have a car, though. Not buying gas for it is pretty sweet, but I couldn't go without one, especially after buying a house.
Dude, if you're too sick/injured to walk, the last thing you should do is drive.
And if a major emergency happens at his parents house, the first thing he should do is call an ambulance or the police, not drive 30 minutes to help out.
If the person is hot enough and totally down, then you get more points by calling a taxi for immediate pickup, rather than forcing them to wait to pick you up. Sorry, you need better reasons than that for owning a car.
Cars are indeed useful things. I mean, the biggest thing that it comes down to is that it takes longer to get places if you can't drive. A lot of people don't want to spend a long time on a bus, and would happily pay the expenses of a car to not only have their own car, but to get places faster.
On the flipside, we've got these things around here called Zipcar that let you rent a car on an hourly basis. Kind of a "car subscription membership" thing. If the OP gets something like that in Regina in a few years, he can assess his living situation and maybe think "huh, paying this membership and then going out shopping on the weekend would be really damn nice," then he can do that. I mean, ultimately though, it comes down to the fact that if there are busses, and you're not in a rush for time, you can get by with no car in North America.
Specifically to the OP, I think you threw some people by saying you're moving in with a girl and then that you're gay. I mean, I would've said "it's not hard if you're just 1 person, but when you've got 2 people in a relationship it can be more difficult." Ultimately it comes down to the same thing, though -- if you end up dating someone, and it gets more serious, the likelihood is that the person you're seeing will own a car. At that point, the trick is to not come off as a mooch. My only advice if you don't buy a car is to at least know how to drive.
Bicycles are cheap, easily replaceable, easily fixable, easy to maintain, easy to use. The only problem is traveling in poor weather, but that is a matter of dressing right, and timing your travel. And getting around long distances.
I have a car I use for traveling 20 + miles, or when I need to move things from point a to point b, but otherwise I put more miles on my bike per week than a car. Cars aren't necessary unless you live in a small town where things are far from eachother.
I commend your ambition.
What about reoccurring treatments for chronic issues... i.e. rehabilitation for a physical issue that prevents biking but still allows driving? OR a location that simply is very inconvenient to people without cars?
As for the family issues... how bout simply "your father knocked over (this) and we are now older (not feeling well etc) can;t you come right now to help us with it?" or "we need you to come home right away, your (sibling neighbor etc) is really needing help they aren't good off and we don't know what to do!"
Still, it isn't as though Daniel won't ever be able to buy a car if it turns out that he needs one. It might be a pain if he waits until it actually becomes necessary, but it's still an option to wait and see.
Anything large enough to be prohibitively difficult to get home by bus can be delivered for a nominal fee and even if you had a car, you'd want to get it delivered for you anyhow because fuck that noise. Groceries? Just go every Wednesday (slowest day of the week) and keep your fridge well stocked and you'll never have to bring home more groceries than you can transport by bus.
My car insurance on my 4 year old vehicle is $120 a month. It could be higher or lower depending on where you live and what your record is like, but I've got a pretty good record right now. $120 a month buys a bus pass, and leaves $40 for cab fares throughout the month in my city. That's not even considering the fuel, or the car payments themselves. That's enough to get you where ever you need to go, and take a few trips when you're in a rush in a cab, or to get home from the bar a bunch of times. Plus side there is the fact that you don't have to worry about being the designated driver.
I got my car on 0% financing, so I'm paying $180 every paycheque directly towards retaining ownership of my vehicle. Even at 0% that's retarded because let's face it, the car isn't appreciating in value. The worst part is, I bought it brand new at the time. If you buy a car, buy it used. Buy something Japanese from 10 years ago. Trust me, it's not worth owning new.
Then on top of that because I own a relatively efficient car and limit my driving, I burn about $20-$30 a week in gas. Most weeks I can keep it to $20. If you drive a car with shitty mileage you can easily spend two or three times that. My boss spends over four times that to drive her stupid SUV.
All of this to... get to work? Pick up groceries? Come on, there's no way it's worth that much for convenience's sake and it's no luxury to drive in rush hour traffic. At least on a bus you can read a book.
In my defense, when I bought the car I was living outside the city and it would have meant an additional $10 a day in highway bus travel and that takes away a large chunk of the savings, in addition to wasting an extra hour of my day (half hour in each direction waiting for stops and catching a city bus and so forth). Also it's fucking cold here in the winter. So there was logic to it at the time. If you live in the city though? Don't buy a car. It's really, really not worth it.
And if you ever get turned down by someone because you don't have a car, thank them for saving you the time it would have taken to figure out exactly how vapid and useless they are by dating them.
EDIT:
For relevance, I'm one province over, in Winnipeg MB. So a lot of my post should probably be applicable. Also, waiting for a bus in the cold isn't much better than scraping the ice off of a car in the cold, and then the first 10 minutes of the drive prior to the car heating up.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
But we're not fucking kidding about the six months of winter. There is snow on the ground from the beginning of November through to the end of April in a lot of places, and trying to ride a bike, in the snow, in a city... not a good plan. It's hard enough for people to deal with cold, slush, salt, and sand when they're driving a car with 9" wide tires and traction control. You try that shit on a bike, and you are going down.
Not having a car during the winter is a bitch. Hell, even having a car but not having a convenient parking spot is a bitch. This past year I lived in residence, and my assigned parking spot was almost a mile away from my actual room. I *dreaded* going shopping, because it meant hauling a dozen bags of heavy groceries in one trip in -40 degree windchill for ten or fifteen minutes, through snow, ice, and ankle-deep freezing cold sludge.
If Regina has a half-decent bus system, then by all means, give it a try. See how well it works for you over the summer, and if it seems easy, try a winter without a car. If you can do it, more power to you.
Just don't be one of *those* people. The militant ones, I mean. That's the "those people" everyone talks about: the assholes who think they're better than everyone else because they don't drive. The ones who never bother to learn how to drive in the first place, and whenever they're asked to, say, help out a friend by driving a U-Haul, respond by declaring "I don't even have a license!" as if deliberately avoiding a basic life skill of our society was something to be proud of. Seriously, fuck *those* guys. If you know how to drive, and have a license already, and keep it up to date, no worries - you can assure people that you're not one of those guys, and all will be cool. But man, militant car-haters are as bad as militant vegetarians.
And keep your drivers' license up to date even if you don't own a car, because the ability to drive is a good skill to have.
Also, if you've got a friend with a car, well, it's nice to have.
But there's certainly no need for a car if you're in a city with a decent public transit system. I mean, out in the country, sure, you need a car. Where I grew up it was a good ten miles to the damn supermarket, let alone to the nearest city. But in a city you should be fine. Try and find an apartment within walking distance of at least a convenience store if not a small supermarket: I'm maybe four blocks away from a small but serviceable branch of this town's supermarket chain and good lord that's a wonderful thing to have, especially in the winter.
I will mull over this for some time, luckly i have a lot of time.
Honestly, the only 'issue' i have is groceries, which I have solved by covering the gas + extra and having people give me a ride there. Or, I just put on a backpack and carry as much as I can.
Just remember that if you decide to go no-car, food in cans? It doesn't seem like it when you buy them, but cans get heavy when you buy a lot.
- Riding a bike and walking isn't safe in some areas. Commuter cities pay little heed to guys on foot. I know from first hand experience.
- There's also danger of crime, depending on area.
- The bus schedules will limit when you can be out. Train schedules are often even more limiting.
- Buses take a really long time to get anywhere. I've taken cross city rides for 3+ hours.
- Buses aren't always on time, and will screw you over eventually.
- Late minute changes of plans will screw you over.
- Going to more than a few spread out locales a day (for errands or socializing) will be difficult or impossible.
- A taxi cab doesn't replace a car for longer distance travel (i.e., more than an hour, one way).
- Bumming for rides isn't always an option, and is often inconvenient for others.
- Sometimes you're just plain tired (not sleepy, but tired) or achy.
- People will pity you, regardless.
There's other stuff, but I can't remember.I don't know much of anything about your area. There's a huge difference from being carless in LA and carless in NY. I think saying that if you're in a suburb or city that you can go carless is a huge overstatement. There are places where you just won't be able to live properly or healthily without one.
I know this sounds pretty backwards, but in all honesty, I think you actually have to be pretty well off (financially) and stable in your area to go carless and still feel free. Being carless and poor really sucks, because then you truly are very restricted.
I still think you should try it out, but I doubt you'll actually prefer it.