The Great Carless Experiment
Since San Francisco is so walkable and transit-friendly, we got rid of our car. Now we are relying on a car-sharing service (Zipcar), grocery delivery (Safeway), and internet shopping (Amazon Prime) to acquire our goods.
So far, here are the pros and cons:
Pro: Having our groceries (dry goods and dairy products) delivered to our door is WAY easier than driving around the city to get them. The driver, Flavio, even hauled them up to our top floor apartment for me.
Cons: Renting a car to go to Costco. I just can’t beat the prices for Pellagrino, Mexican Coke (sweetened with sugar not high-fructose corn syrup), and toilet paper, but I can’t lug cases of water, sugar-water, and toilet paper on the bus.
Pro: We don’t need to choose a designated driver. We’re always taking the bus or a cab.
Con: Those special private car conversations have to find a new home. Road trips have become train rides. Amtrak, BART, and Muni are not the best locations for heart-to-hearts.
Pro: We get exactly the car we want when we want it. When we needed a minivan that fit six for an airport run, we had it thanks to Zipcar. When we want to drive something new, like a Mini Cooper, we can.
Con: The last 40 minutes of every Zipcar trip so far has been stressful. Did I report all the damage? Will I have to pay $50 for this stupid traffic jam? Did I work in enough time to fill the tank?
Pro: It’s cheaper.