Also read other posts with the label 52 small changes
For
five years in the US, I not only drove, but also immensely enjoyed it. I never
saw it as a chore, something to be afraid of. I gladly gave free airport rides early
in the morning. I would drive from Lincoln to Omaha to get some mutton biryani in
a jiffy. I needed no nudging for long road trips, and most of them, I did
singly. I drove anywhere between 300-500 miles (one-way) during long weekends, visiting
places like the Niagara Falls, New York City, and Princeton during my stint on
the east coast (that later became my PhD). Before I left for Germany, I had
embarked on a 22-day long road trip that lasted roughly 8,000 miles, driving
from Nebraska to Houston (to renew my passport), continuing to Chicago (to get
a work visa) before visiting Washington, DC to say goodbye to close friends and
finally getting back to Seattle where I sold my car. If I did not run out of
time with my driver license, I would have continued my road trip (driver
licenses expire with visa expiry).
Things
changed when I left for Germany, forcing me to rewire my brain. I could no
longer afford to keep a car for various reasons (including not wanting to
understand road signs in German). As if on cue, I also discovered the joys of efficient
and reliable public transportation in Germany. I took trains all over Europe,
all the way to Denmark and Sweden in the north and Slovakia in the south. Where
trains did not go, buses and airplanes did. I walked too. It was the best
healing experience after being forced to sell my car and give up my driving
license when I left the US.
After
two years, I moved back to the US. I live in a mid-size city now with a
population of about 0.2 million people. Unless you live in a big city like New
York City or Chicago, most of the US has bad public transportation. I was prepared to
go back to my old ways of being. I thought that I would buy a car, get a driving
license, and in no time, I would be driving once again to the mountains, to the
nearby cities and quaint little towns.
But
in these two years, I had changed. I no longer wanted to go back to my old ways
of living, especially after I had completely weaned myself off it. Although I
got myself a driving license, I did not want to buy a car unless I absolutely
needed it. My wish must have been heartfelt, for things evolved in a way that
worked out for me.
On
day one at work, I was given a bus pass that would let me ride any bus within
the city for free. Next, I realized that the home I had chosen was very close
to a bus stop. Then, I realized that the only bus in front of my apartment took
me directly from home to work. I saw that as a sign from the universe. I
decided to hold off on buying a car for as long as I could. It’s been 18 months
now, and I haven’t regretted one day of it.
Why I prefer life without a car?
· It saves me a lot of money (in
buying and maintaining a car). Fuel. Insurance. Parking. Repair. Routine
maintenance. Tabs and taxes. Leisure trips. It all adds up.
· No parking expenses and speeding tickets.
· No more whimsical trips. I used to
do them a lot before, mostly to meet people who are not active in my life anymore
anyway.
· I walk more and make healthier life choices.
Sometimes, I walk partially to work till I get tired and then hop on a bus.
· Riding the bus is a social
experience. I get to meet and talk to a lot of people. I have some bus buddies
too, and some of the drivers know me now.
· I manage my time better (since the
buses run once every 30 minutes during the day, and once every hour in the
evenings). I don’t waste time at work doing random things like spending time on
social media. When I am at work, I work.
· I don’t have to show up to places I don’t want
to. It’s much easier to say no to people when you do not have a car.
· I buy only what I need and what I
can carry with me, resulting in less clutter at home. My fridge has never
looked better. My grocery has never looked healthier. Often, unhealthy food
choices are also heavier to carry, like sweetened beverages. The grocery store
is right next to my bus stop. Not only do I get free transportation to work, I
get quick access to food too.
· I get to take the Amtrak train more
often and love the experience.
· I drink less coffee and do not make
sugar-craving induced, impulsive trips to expensive coffee shops anymore.
· I consciously live in a lovely
neighborhood where I can walk to nearby parks. It is a very pretty neighborhood,
great for both my physical and mental health.
· I look at the weather website more
often. I ask for directions. I look at maps to figure things out. I carry my umbrella with me now. I take
slightly different routes sometimes to get to know the city better. I plan my
time and my life better now.
· I don’t go on impulsive trips to the
shopping mall anymore. I use that time to pursue hobbies like reading and
writing.
· I sometimes read on the bus.
· I use all the time and money I save
to spend more time with my family in Kolkata, and also continue my world
travels to different countries. My local and domestic (within the US) travels have
drastically reduced now.
Challenges of not owning a car
· It gets pretty cold and icy in
winter. They do not always clean the sidewalks properly. Walking on icy
sidewalks is dangerous.
· Sometimes, I have to work until late
and buses run infrequently. If I do not want to wait for another 45 minutes to
take the bus, I have to take a cab.
· I don’t get to pursue photography as
much, since I am mostly restricted to taking pictures of places I could only walk
or take a bus to. No more impulsive sunrise photography trips.
Clearly, my benefits outweigh my costs. Plus, I have a
license, I can always rent a car (I have only done it once during the past 18
months). More importantly, I get to experience the thrill of doing something
differently and making conscious life choices. For those who think that your
lifestyle dictates whether or not you need a car, maybe your need
for a car also dictates your lifestyle choices. I know it because I have lived
both the lives now. When I had a car, I did a lot of random things, justifying
that I can do it since I have a car. The day I absolutely need one, I will go
ahead and buy it. Until then, I look forward to all the new life experiences
borne out of not having a car.
sunshine
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