Fourth day of green watching. My recent car trips, driving my daughter around, have brought home a new reality. I no longer enjoy being in my car. How else can I explain my rush to get home? Speeding way past the 65mph limit on the freeway, whenever I could. And getting in touch with the unpleasantness of being boxed in, and at the mercy of traffic. Not being able to do much else, other than tune in to NPR. And then, what do you do, when the program sucks?
Nearly a year ago, I wrote emphatically:
The truth is, I looooove my car. What is there not to like? The immediacy, the convenience, the privacy, the spaciousness, the experience of moving around in my little cocoon. I can get on the phone while I drive, listen to NPR, spread my stuff on the passenger seat. I don’t have to worry about the other cars so much, I am not as invisible as on a bike. I can cram a lot more activities in the day. I am free to go wherever, freeway if I please, don’t have to plan. No need for a disgraceful helmet. I can wear a dress without having to worry about it flying off. I had never thought about all the advantages, until now. Ask my sixteen year old daughter, car = freedom. Not what the green people want to hear, but the truth nevertheless.
I can’t help but notice the change. As convenient as my car is, let’s face it, it pales in comparison to the pleasure I get from riding my bike, or working on my laptop when taking the train. If only, we had a better transportation infrastructure! More trains and buses, more frequently, and cheaper. And environments, designed to enhance riders’ experiences.
La Marguerite 
Are there people who still drive? In cars?? 😉
But seriously now: I totally agree. I would add to your wish list: more local facilities for things like shopping and relaxation, a telecommuting option for every knowledge worker, and a coworking facility in every street, so you don’t have to work in isolation at home.
you’ve got to get a Hot Shot. No more heating water up inefficiently in the microwave. Quicker too!
hot shot link
My wife is a big tea fan and she loves it. I use it for a quick bowl of oatmeal.
I ran the Kill-a-Watt meter on it and compared it to the microwave. It was no contest. The Hot Shot used much less electricity.
Steve from Groovy Green
You know – I got rid of my car. It’s cheaper to rent a car for a week a month than to own one — I use quicken so was able to tally up all lease payments, insurance, pay off, gas, maintenance, tires, brakes, oil changes, parking, tolls, tickets — everything — and that’s why I decided to sell it.
I’m thinking of getting rid of my microwave, too. I hardly ever use it and really need the storage space on top of the refrigerator.
I am guilty of using a toaster oven though — I have a crappy stove with NO broiler. Seriously – a gas stove without a broiler? Did you ever know such a thing existed? And my landlord won’t even really consider getting another — even though I saw some at Urban Ore that would fit and have burners, oven and broiler (sigh).
Jenn : you make me think of something I read ( but I don’t remember where exactly ). Ownership of cars is a problem since they spend soo much time in their parking spot, like 90 percent…
If all of us were just renting them, we would have fewer cars, no more parking problems… and much more money in our wallets.
I think it is Paris that is planning to do a rent a car system, as they did with their rent a bike system, the famous Velib’…
There are a few cities in the UK that run ‘car clubs’. You get to be able to rent a car for as long as you like (minimum one hour, more than 8 hours and it’s cheaper to rent) – ideal for shopping or visiting friends away from public transport links. At Changeworks we used them as an alternative to pool cars – much cheaper, and it was a perk of working there that you got free membership to the car club. It works! I’m sure the same model could work in US cities too!
http://www.citycarclub.co.uk/
Steve B, thank you so much for visiting. Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure I will follow through. I am on a no buying kick. Really have a hard time.
Also, I realize I kind of dropped out of Groovy Green blogging. I have to pay a visit soon.
Jenn, congrats for ditching the car! That takes guts, . . . If that makes you any better, our very fancy stove also flunked out on us in the broiler area. And I use our old toaster with a broken handle for serious broiling!
And I do love our microwave . . .
Edouard, let me know when the autolib program gets going. That’s exciting. Again, that goes back to infrastructure, and making it easy on the citizens.
Simon, here in the US there are a few places where you can rent Zip cars, but it is very sparse. In order for this to truly work, you want the Velib system, with many pickup and dropoff points throughout cities.
Meryn, here in the Bay Area, there are several such coworking facilities of the kind that you describe. Lots of programmers use those. There are also some where moms can work and also drop in with their children, with on site child care. Very cool.
It is easier for me to live without a car after I read Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book.
I don’t know about that book, but you have a nice blog. Great window into life in Indonesia!