The Travel Chica

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Can I live car-free in Columbus?

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I have really struggled to write this post.  I think part of it is because I often wonder if I’m just being stupid.

I want to live car-free.

And when I tell people that, they look at me like I’m crazy.

I did not drive a car once during my 20 months in Latin America.

I walked a lot.  I wasn’t buying much because I lived out of a backpack and lived in hostels or furnished apartments (that sometimes came with a crazy landlady).  I went to the market for for small food purchases of only what I planned to use in the next two days.

When I wanted to visit a nearby town, I took the local bus and enjoyed the view from the window or watching the locals interact.  Sure, this usually meant being crammed into a bus full of sweaty people and oftentimes standing, but it was part of the adventure.

When I wanted to go a further distance, I took a nicer bus where I could put the seat back, listen to my iPod, read, write, and watch the countryside pass by.  Basically, it was relaxing.

When I decided to settle down in one place, Buenos Aires was a good choice for me.  One of the things I loved about Buenos Aires was the availability, efficiency, and low cost of public transportation.  Buenos Aires is a massive, crowded city, yet I could get anywhere I needed to go at any hour relatively easily. I would not even want to have a car in Buenos Aires.

I used to own a car in Columbus.

Creative Commons photos from Flickr courtesy of Martyn @ Negaro

It was nice too.  And paid off.  

(Unfortunately, it was not the one in this photo.)

I rarely drove that car because I lived and worked downtown and could walk or bike to most places.  I estimate that I drove my car twice a week on average during late Spring, Summer, and early Fall, and I probably could have ridden my bike one of those times but was just lazy or in a hurry.

Now I am back in Columbus with no car.

I live downtown.  I choose to work downtown.

I think Columbus drivers (actually, let’s make that Ohio drivers) may be the worst drivers in the world.  And if it rains or snows a tiny bit, it’s like bumper cars..

I don’t want to drive in Columbus.  It’s stressful.

And I’m a downtown snob… all the good stuff is downtown (except all the good ethnic restaurants).

I can walk or ride my bike to two large grocery stories and a couple of small farmers markets.  There are lots of great restaurants, coffee shops, and bars in my neighborhood or within a 15-minute bike ride.

Most of my closest friends live within biking distance or on a reasonably fast bus route.  (And those of my friends who don’t should really consider moving to the cool part of town.)

I don’t want to own a car.

I do not want to be burdened by the responsibilities of owning and maintaining a car, especially if I am not going to use it very often.

Buying a car means going into debt.  The car will immediately start depreciating.  Owning a car requires car insurance and maintenance expenses.

And yes, I am a bit of an idealist.

I do care about being physically active.  I do care about the environment.  I do care about the way my city looks (lots of traffic is not very attractive).

Creative Commons use by Flickr user anitakhart

But living car-free in Columbus is going to be a challenge.

Columbus is really spread out.  It is a perfect example of urban sprawl.  Almost everyone that can afford a car has a car.  And there are just times when you need to get outside of the downtown area.

Public transportation sucks in Columbus.  We have a bus system, however, most of the routes I have mapped for destinations beyond my comfortable biking range take a ridiculous amount of time given the distance.  The one good thing is that all buses have a bike rack on the front… so there’s that.

Based on my recent experience, Columbus drivers are uneducated about sharing the road with bikes and some are hostile assholes.  Yes, there are a few more share the road signs and a bike painted on a few streets to remind people that lane is also for bikes, but it does not seem to me that Columbus drivers treat cyclists any better than they did two years ago. I believe the problem to be a lack of education (for the cyclists too).

I was riding one day, and someone going the opposite direction (meaning my presence on a bike did not impact his driving in any way) honked at me, made eye contact, and then gave me the Thumbs Down sign. Seriously?!!
Creative Commons Flickr photo by quinn.anya

So what am I doing to live car-free?

I am spending some money on my bike and gear.

I bought lights (fancy ones that flash) for the front and back.  I am going to change to tires that will be more efficient for the road.  I bought some rain gear.  I am going to learn how to maintain my bike.

I will try to car-pool. 

My friends that live in the area are really great and will always offer to pick me up if we’re going out.  Some have even gone out of their way to take me shopping out in the ‘burbs (everyone wants to go to Target now and again).  Bottom line is I have to not be afraid to ask for help and return the favor in other ways.

I am going to rent a car when necessary…  and make it worth it.

There will be times when it is just too inconvenient to take the bus (my time seems more valuable when I’m working full-time), and I can rent a car for the day for as little as $25 if I book far enough in advance.  When I rent that car, I will make sure to run every errand possible and be efficient.

I am going to write a letter to the city to find out what they are doing to educate drivers and cyclists and make the roads safer for cyclists.  I am going to educate myself as much as possible.  There are some great government resources to get started on this Car Less Ohio site.

I am going to participate in Car Free Day Columbus (and guilt everyone I know into participating as well).

This event September 21st is going to “challenge residents of central Ohio to consider and experience the environmental and money saving benefits of a variety of travel options.”

An intriguing part of the campaign is Car Free Spots, which will transform parking spots into something new and creative, such as bike parking, an art gallery, or a café.  I hope this day will give people the chance to see what Columbus looks like and feels like with fewer traffic.

Maybe I will end up buying a car.

Maybe the effort and inconvenience will be too much and outweigh the benefits of living car-free.  But I’m going to try.

Good resources and interesting reads

I found some other links I’d like to pass along to anyone considering living car-free.  I came across this interesting article that asks the question if it is possible to live without a car in a medium-sized city in the United States.

You can even find articles on eHow and WikiHow that give you instructions on the steps to take to live car-free.

If you have any more tips or stories from your own experience living car-free, please share in the comments.  I need all the help I can get!

 

Travel Tip:  There are many cities in the world that have great public transportation options for locals and for visitors.  One of my favorite cities that fits this criteria is London.  I recently learned about Birmingham, the second most populous British city.  With lots of history, cultural activities, great restaurants, and a solid public transportation system, I think I should visit.  Maybe I could even live there.  Check out Birmingham hotels from Travelodge for accommodations.

Comments

  2. I’m living car free too! Mostly because cars are expensive and I can’t really afford one on my grad school stipend. But also because, like you said, driving is stressful and I don’t need to contribute to one more car on the road. Public transportation around the university is good, because there are free buses that run frequently. But the rest of the city is pretty bad. Like, the bus comes once every hour! It’s hard to plan around. Luckily Raleigh is small and I can bike to most places, including downtown. I just wish it weren’t so hot/I were more comfortable being sweaty.
    Abby recently posted..Housekeeping Items

  3. You can do it! Seriously, it’s totally doable, and you’ve got a good plan laid out there. I like your idea of renting a car if something big comes up.

    I’m a life-long pedestrian. I’ve never owned a car. I’ve lived in L.A., Denver, D.C., as well as small towns, and overseas. There are always options if you change your mindset! Personally, I can’t imagine owning a car. The concept is too foreign for me. :)

  4. Great move. I still have my old Jeep (which was stored most of the last 2 years) and that is handy for camping trips. It is still cheaper for me to rent a car to say, drive to L.A. once or twice a year to visit family (and less gas). Santa Cruz has lots of bike lanes but some of the drivers are problematic as in not having a clue what it is like to be exposed on a bike. Anyway, I hope it works out long-term.
    Philip recently posted..Road Tripping New Zealand’s Catlins–Day Two

  5. Interesting point of view, it inspired me to start living a car free life, I could sabe lot of money like that too

  6. I don’t have a car but that is quite easy in Toronto as the public transit is so good and I live downtown. Do they have a car sharing service like zipcar? You can rent them pretty easily if you need to go somewhere for the day that’s a bit far out and it’s far cheaper than owning a car.
    Ayngelina recently posted..Well hello there, Snoop Lion?

    • Unfortunately, no. That is the first thing I looked into. Well, Hertz has a zipcar-esque service that caters to OSU students. But I looked at the prices, and for the cost of renting a car for four hours, I could rent a car through a normal service like Budget or Enterprise (also 4 miles closer to my house) for 24 hours for the same price.

      I have been told that Columbus cannot support Zipcar… because everyone that could afford to use Zipcar already has a car. (Sigh)
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Can I live car-free in Columbus?

    • I don’t mind the expense so much as the long-term commitment of buying a car. Did you read the article I linked to at the bottom of my post? It makes a really interesting statement…

      “People who do the math will find that more time is consumed getting around by car than exclusively by bicycle, if you count the time spent earning your mode of transport. The majority of Americans spend more than half their working hours just paying for the car. As a friend of mine says, ‘Cars drive you to work.’

      We’ve been duped by the biggest marketing campaign of all time. We are sold cars precisely because their gross inefficiencies (relative to other forms of transportation) create (numerous) opportunities for profiteering.”
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Can I live car-free in Columbus?

  8. I haven’t owned a car for 6 years now and I am still amazed by how much money I save not having one. Insuring and maintaining a car is such a huge drain on your finances, I much prefer spending that money on travelling :-)

    I live in Stockholm now and the public transport system is brilliant, for just over $100 a month I can have unlimited travel on all buses, trains and boats within the city. I could not run a car on that!
    Runaway Brit recently posted..SPACE Star-Gazing Tours in the Atacama Desert

  9. I don’t have a driver’s licence and I don’t own a smart phone. I just walk to and from work everyday and I’m happy for it. If I need to get to the cottage, well, that’s what buses are for.
    Franco recently posted..Store glass window

  12. Sounds like a tough city to be in without a car. But if you can live downtown and walk, bike, carpool and/or bus it to work, then to me it’d be worth not having one, ntm, if the travel bug were to hit you again, you’d have way more cash at your disposal from not having the car.

    I remember being in Amsterdam and seeing all the ‘in shape’ people commuting by bike. I thought: just for the ease of not owning a car, this is a city that I could live in. Cars suck. :-)
    Earthdrifter recently posted..A Taste of Egypt

  13. Good luck! Being car-free anywhere in Ohio would be a challenge, I think.

    I was car-free when I was living in Wellington, NZ, and loved it. The city was walkable, and also had a decent bus system – a car was completely unnecessary.

    Now, back home in northeast Ohio, being car-free isn’t really within the realm of possibilities.
    Amanda recently posted..Ljubljana’s Ironic Bridge of Love

    • Unfortunately, that is true. I even took a Greyhound bus to Dayton when I first got home, and it cost over $20 for a 1.5 hour ride on a rather crappy bus that didn’t even have seat belts. If I was going two ways, it would have been cheaper (including gas) to rent a car for the day.

      I don’t know about the bus systems in Cinci or Cleveland, but I hope they are better than Columbus. I think Cinci and Cleveland both have Zipcar though.
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Can I live car-free in Columbus?

  16. This is so very awesome! I will follow your project closely because one of the reasons I don’t really want to live in a lot of USA cities right now is because I don’t want to own a car. It’s very cool that Columbus even has a car-free day and there is a website dedicated entirely to a car-less Ohio.

    Good luck! Can’t wait to see how it works out.
    Adam recently posted..One million flowers: Photos of the Brussels Flower Carpet

  17. After moving from Los Angeles to New York City, I have been car-free for almost 2 years. Do I miss it? Not at all.

    When you do need a vehicle, I usually do Zip Car which rents by the hour and is super easy or rent a car.

    Best of luck to you!

  18. I’m very interested to hear how it works for you Stephanie. My gut feeling would be that I could never do it, but then again I’ve never tried. Is there a Light Rail system in Columbus or a subway? I think that would be the minimum that I would need to even give it a try.
    Steve recently posted..TripAdvisor’s Strangest Complaints

  19. I’d say try it for a while and squirrel away the $$ you would have spent on gas, insurance, registration, loan, parking etc. You’ll either find you want to spend your money on something more fun, or you’ll have a nice big down payment on a car if you decide car-free isn’t working for you. And good luck!
    50+ and on the Run recently posted..Sunday Haiku XXIX

  21. Have you considered a scooter? Could be a nice complement to the bike for the slightly longer trips or occasions when you are more pressed for time. I myself will be back in the U.S. for several months and will be facing the same situation, maybe even worse as I will be staying in the burbs. Should be an interesting challenge.
    Jeff recently posted..What Is a Favorite Place?

  22. Wow! I wish there are more people out there who thinks like you Steph. Our world would be a much better place if that happens. I love the idea of you caring for the environment and for your body as well. Wish many people in other countries would consider bicycles as another option for transportation just like in China (the world’s bicycle kingdom) – it’s clean, cheap, healthy and energy efficient.

    Your post definitely inspires people like me to teach myself to consume LESS everyday. Your intentions are good and yes, this can be hard for other people but I’m confident that you can do this long-term. 😉
    Ivy @ Pathway to Asia recently posted..Wayang Kulit: Indonesian Culture in Shadows

  25. I live in NYC and I actually have a car. I sometimes drive to work on the weekends, but for the most part, I prefer the subway and my bicycle better. I drive just as crazy as those yellow cab drivers and although I wouldn’t recommend people to be driving around the city, I have no problems doing it. I’ve had the same car since my sophomore year in College and that was YEARS ago! Most of my friends have bought brand new or used cars and I’m so proud of the fact that I’m still pushing mine and it’s still running great! It was either a brand new car or traveling, and of course I chose the latter. I highly doubt I’ll miss having a car since I’m so used to public transportation; I know for a fact it won’t bother me the least bit.
    Antoinette Bernardo recently posted..11 Years Ago, I Still Remember that Day

  27. A Car-free Day event sounds like a good idea for many cities. Unfortunately, many cities in the U.S. don’t make it easy to be that way. Public transportation is not great where I live, but I use it whenever possible. I love visiting places like NYC and London where it’s so easy to get around on foot as well as public transport. Good luck with your challenge.
    Cathy Sweeney recently posted..My Vineyard Wedding

  28. I would LOVE to not have a car, but St. Louis is not set up that way, at all. Many times before and after my move abroad, I considered selling my paid off car. There were definitely times I could have used the extra money, but I held off. I knew when I got back to the US, I would need a car. I hope to someday live in a city that does not require me to own a car, because I HATE driving, and the maintenance fees annoy me. I commend you for going car free! I am quite jealous. I miss the public transit of BA so much.
    Rease recently posted..Cafe con Leche: Cuban Food in New York City

  29. To answer the question posed here…. Not if you live in Beavercreek, OH. It is shocking the steps that this SUBURBAN community is taking to prevent bus service extension from neighboring communities. You can read a lot more about this and see how little the state and federal governments are doing to stop communities from this kind of action towards transit. http://www.675bus.com and follow the Facebook and twitter feeds as there is much information to come as we attempt to get support for a more just result.

    • I understand. I’m originally from Kettering/ Centerville, so I have an idea of how non-existent public transport and biking options are. However, it is shocking that communities are actually trying to prevent improvements in public transport. Keep up the fight!

  30. I think it’s a great goal! I didn’t have a car for a few years in Sydney and found it to be so stress-free. I did find lots of problems when I was in the US, though, because cities just aren’t made for pedestrians. Footpaths would just stop in the middle of a block. People looked at me crazy when I would ask how long it would take to walk somewhere! Good luck – but you’re fighting against the culture!
    Turtle recently posted..A city divided and conquered

  36. Hello, your article is encouraging. I plan on visiting Columbus in about a week and was curious if the lack of car has been good for or if you’re even in Columbus? I want to try to take the bus to everywhere downtown and surrounding areas. Will this be a good experience for me?

    Thanks so much! :)

    • Yes, I am still living car-free in Columbus. Buses are possible if you’re sticking to downtown and nearby neighborhoods and not in a hurry :-) I actually ride my bike more frequently than I ride the bus because it’s often faster and can get me to places the buses don’t go.

      Check the website for routes. http://www.cota.com/

      We also have Car2Go, Lyft, and Uber if the bus schedule is a problem.

      • Thanks for the info! I’ve been looking at bus routes and even the CBUS. I’ll most likely take an Uber or Lyft to downtown then get around by taking the bus and getting a day pass.

        Thanks again! I’ll probably be there in about a week. I’m excited to visit and explore a little bit of Columbus :)

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