
I sold my truck today. I was expecting to be extremely happy, as I’ve been working toward this for a while. In reality, I was a bit sad to see it go, and I’m a little worried about the future.
I first got a car when I was 16. It was a $250 beater – a 1974 AMC Hornet. I went through a lot of cars. Cheap cars and hard use meant I was always buying another car. I’ve (mostly) owned a car for a quarter century. How much did that cost?
In the late 1990s I went without a car for a few weeks. I walked about a mile to get to work. I was offered a job 25 miles away, and bought another cheap car.
In April 2009 I went without a car for a couple of weeks when my old Kia finally died. That’s when I bought the truck. Living in Charlestown wasn’t really conducive to living without a car. Now that I live in town and rarely drive, it was time.
My “trial” started right after leaving Carmax, where I sold the truck. I had to ride on Hurstbourne Parkway for a short distance before heading west (north?) on Taylorsville Rd. These are busy roads and it was dark. I was riding the single-speed and have dyno-lights, plus a blinky. I was also wearing a reflective vest. I had surprisingly few issues.
I stopped at Za’s Pizza on the way home to celebrate. Pizza is a much tastier fuel than gasoline.
I intend to be car-free for the rest of my life. That may change, but it’s unlikely. I’m not anti-car. I’ll still rent one on occasion, once or twice a year, to travel to Michigan and visit family.
That’s a HUGE weight off your shoulders! Now maybe your neck/back/shoulder issues will go the heck away!
Tom, I’m now cleaning coffee out of my keyboard. Thanks!
🙂
Gee… great story. I hope it works out for you.
The best thing about living w/o a car is how well you feel. You arrive at work in good shape and the ride home is exhilarating.
Gerv,
Yep, I’ve been commuting for a while. The truck has barely been used by me in the last year. It was time.
I’m not afraid of being different… and I am different. I’ve been without a TV for a few months now (done that before for years) and I don’t miss it.
My mother told me I’m just “not right”. That’s okay. The rest of the world can adjust. 🙂