Carless goodness.
It’s been almost a year since I sold my car. I thought it might be a bit of a struggle, and that I’d miss the ol’ lady at least somewhat.
I was wrong on both accounts. We moved in October to a place closer to a Metro station, but even before, I was taking the bus to the Metro, and I had no problems at all. In fact I really love it — I get to watch all the suckers stuck in traffic each morning and each afternoon, and not once have I felt anything close to longing for that again.
I had a MINI Cooper S, which is an awesome car. There was nothing wrong with it, and it was a blast to drive and own. However, the warranty was going to expire soon, and those cars are $$$ to keep on the road. Also, it still had really good resale value, and my wife and I could definitely use the cash for our future more than just to have a cool car. I thought I’d miss it more than I do — the only time I ever really miss it is when I see an identical one, which isn’t that often.
Fortunately we live just outside D.C. (often voted the most walkable city in the States), so the transition wasn’t that hard for me. The Metro (for the most part) is great, and always running, and I work only 3 miles from home, so I can walk, run, or bike if need be.
The time to myself in the morning and the afternoon is much more valuable to me now. I can read a book (yes, I did rediscover this), read a newspaper, prep for meetings, and much more. In life as everyone says, it’s the little things that count, and for me this is very true. These little perks are becoming more and more important to me — I’m not sure I ever want to go back to needing a car.
It’s not only better for the world at large (even if only on a small scale, but hey, doing my part right), but I’ve made the fundamental shift away from being car-dependent to DIY-mode. If there’s something I need, then I’ll find a way to get there.
**Note — we do still have a car, my wife needs it for school, but it’s a manly Yaris.
