Our mechanic called today to read our van its last rites. I’m not really in any kind of financial position this week to buy a new car, or even a new-to-me car. I’m just getting out of debt, and starting to put aside an emergency fund. It has an impressive $500 in it. I am impressed by this figure. The car selling people will not be.
So we are, for the moment, a car free family. In the few hours since I found out about this, we’ve been offered two long-term loaner vehicles from friends, and discovered that Zipcar parks some vehicles right down the street from our house. We live in an urban neighborhood on a bus route, a few blocks from a bike path. I work at home, and Martin commutes by bike. He drops Rio off at school on his way; her kindergarten is on his campus. It’s all very convenient for a car-free life.
I’m not as enthusiastic as I thought I’d be about this. I love the convenience of having a car. I’ve had one my whole adult life. But it’s strangely relaxing to be out of options. A bit like learning to swim by being thrown into the pool. Starting today I get to figure out how to be car free.
It’s clear to me that I don’t know how to do it well yet. In the couple of months that my van has been very unreliable, I’ve depended a lot on rides from friends or being able to borrow a neighbors car. Those aren’t long-term sustainable choices. I need to learn to use my bus routes, and build up my fitness for biking more. I probably need to invest some of the money I’m saving on car insurance and gas in better winter gear and good shoes. There will be things I just don’t do because the weather is icky and I don’t want to work that hard to go out.
But we’ll be OK. The car has been a luxury for a long time now. It’s one I know I can live without. I’m hoping I’ll find some grace in doing the “green” thing and getting to know my neighborhood better. But I’m also planning to sock away the cash I save so that I can buy a car in a few months if this turns out to be Too Annoying To Live.
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