Life Before Cars

Recalling a life before my car

When I was growing up, we walked every where.  I still remember walking to the grocery store a few blocks away to purchase items we needed for dinner instead of taking the car.  I knew most everyone in the neighborhood and really knew the individuals who owned or worked in the local stores.

I walked to school each day, until I bought my first car at age 17.  My car was my pride and joy and allowed me to get where I was going faster, but it wasn't until 33 years later that I realized what I lost by driving.  We had a local business my siblings and I walked by each day, when the holidays came by they would give us penny candy and stop to ask us how our family was spending the holiday.

I was fortunate, in my opinion, to grow up near a fresh water lake. I loved spending time at the beach and went nearly every nice day each summer.  Before buying my car I would walk a block to catch a city bus which would take me to what we called "the dock".  There I would pay .75 for a ride on a ferry which would drop me off  half a mile from my favorite beach.  I would hike the trial to the beach, which gave me time to enjoy the sounds of nature.

After I purchased my car, the trip that used to take me close to 45 minutes now took 20.  It took that long because I spent most of it stuck in traffic waiting at red lights. The peaceful ride across the lake on the ferry and the quiet of the hike was replaced with the frustration of traffic, increased costs for gasoline and everything else that comes with owning a vehicle.

Seeing the benefits

I am not one who enjoys shopping, I prefer to spend my time in nature.  I don't live near a shopping mall, the closest being 15 miles from me. I have given some thought to how I would get to places in the nearby city without a car and realized I could still get there, it would just need to take a little planning on my part.  I could catch a bus from right outside my home, but I would need to return to scheduling my time so I wouldn't miss my ride.  So it is possible to live in at least the suburban area I do and still do anything I would like to do.  Here are tips for families to make that transition.

The rising gas prices may be giving us an opportunity to return to a better way of life.   By parking our cars we will save money, not only on gas but in repair costs as well. Our health will improve as we get more exercise as well.  Instead of simply knowing the few individuals who work at the businesses I frequent, I am now getting to know so many more people who have been here all along.

Living Car-free

Until a year and a half ago I had never envisioned living without a car.  My last car was a gem, it never broke down even at ten years of age.  I loved my car, but the rising costs of gas had me reconsider this possession.  I made a huge life change at this time moving from the country to a small town where everything I could need was within two and a half miles of my home. Most within half a mile.  It was time to now look at living car-free.


Instead of selling my car I gifted it to my son and his wife to replace their gas guzzler.  My life has improved more than I could ever imagine and I wish I had done this years ago. 

Noticing what I have been missing

 It is amazing what you will see and do when you don't have a car.   Here's what I encounter during the warmer months while I am out:

• Going at a slower pace I was able to take in the beautiful scenery I usually miss.
• Residents have already been out working in their gardens and mowing the yards
• I need to keep to my shopping list.  If I purchase too much I won't be able to carry it home.
• My town is special, there are plenty of opportunities for bikes, joggers, and wheelchairs to easily access all the amenities.
• I am meeting others who are out and getting to know people in my community.

Knowing I need to be able to get my purchases home I needed to keep my grocery list simple.  Here's of what I may can bring home in one trip.

• Rice and black beans
• Vegetable broth to make a soup
• Edamame to use in my soup
• bananas,  raspberries, and small bag of grapes
• leafy greens and spinach for salads
• Raw almonds
• Raw sunflower seeds
• Greek yogurt for my grand-children
• dish soap

As you can see,  I will be eating pretty darn healthy.  Usually I tend to over buy, especially fresh produce, it's been a difficult transition to shopping for one person after feeding a family for 21 years!  By buying only for a few days I was able to limit the amount of food that may end up in the compost pile!  There is also no room for impulsive purchasing keeping me to a list and my budget.

I know what you are going to say, sure if you are single it would be easy to live car free but what about families?  Families are going car free too.  Follow the experiment of one family as they experiment with living car free for one year. It hasn't all been rosy, but it can be done.