This is what does it for me. And a rental just doesnt cut it. My family and I enjoy road trips, even just weekend getaways, and owning a vehicle makes that possible. Also, just regular things like getting kids to rowing practice after school makes all alternatives impractical. There’s no way to get them there on time with public transit and it’s def. too far for an e-bike to get there on time.
A lot of thing are possible or the equivalent in a train oriented society.
For me living near other people and the rich human culture that comes from that is luxury. If you need a car for that you might just have made other choices in life, they are still choices.
Like a decent number of Londoners I own a car. I love my car and I love driving. But I use my car once, maybe twice a month, almost always to leave the city.
I lend it to friends when they need a car too. Many people who don’t own a car use rentals and car clubs for the same things.
So I agree, it’s great to have a car to get out to a lake, beach, or mountain or to transport stuff and people to the countryside, go camping, pick up heavy things, etc.
But that’s a tiny fraction of journeys. My contribution to traffic and pollution is minimal.
I walk or cycle 90% of my journeys within the city and use public transport for almost all of the rest. I regularly take trains to other cities and towns rather than drive.
Do I want a world no cars at all?
Of course not!
Do I want infrastructure, policies, and costs/taxation on car use to reduce the amount of totally unnecessary, selfish car use that makes the city noisier, more dangerous, more polluted, and less pleasant for everyone except the driver, even when there’s a perfectly good walking/cycling/transit alternative for that journey?
Absolutely.
I can get out of London whenever I want on a train.
I personally don't see this as a good or bad thing, just a cultural difference that necessitates a different approach like electric cars over public transportation.
The solution is 'if you want it, pay for it'. It should be immensely more expensive to drive long distances to do everything and even though it isn't, it surely isn't getting any cheaper. If you can afford it and don't care about the effects, then do it, but it I don't think most people realistically can much longer.
I don't see a problem with this. That lifestyle is unsustainable.
Two points: many roads get federal and state funding from the general tax fund meaning we all pay for them whether we drive or not, and the suburbs are going bankrupt because car infrastructure is so expensive. https://youtu.be/7Nw6qyyrTeI
As for your other complaints, why is living in an apartment you own in a city with shared public spaces rather than owning private land such a downgrade?
* No green space, having a shared public park is very different than being surrounded by mature trees, gardens, (and woods depending on where you are).
* $/sq ft is uneconomical to actually do anything in an apartment except live there. Maker spaces are overpriced and a huge pain in the ass to actually use.
* It's not my land so I can't do what I want with it like pant vegetables, install a hot tub, add a fire pit and grill.
* I can make loud noise at all hours of the night. Sure I'll be a good neighbor and not blast the sound system into my yard at 2am but I can watch movies, play video games, or play loud music (or honestly, have sex) whenever I want.
* Ventilation is a million times better which is needed if you like to cook and have a gas range.
* Having the space for a large fridge and chest freezer lets me buy much nicer food because I have a place to store it.
* Being able to have real real gym equipment lowers the barrier to making a habit of exercising. Dragging myself to the gym after work is such a hassle.
* Having extra bedrooms means we can host family who are too old to crash on a couch or take friends in who are between apartments or struggling financially.
* The schools are just nicer, not just from an education perspective but having acres of land for sports, recess, and playground equipment is totally different.
* A lifestyle where you have a car makes you a lot more mobile for weekend trips. I can pack the car and in two hours be on a lake.
I live in a very tiny apartment and I can do almost all of the things you are claiming you want to. I don't want to dox myself, but for much cheaper than a home in the burbs I have pretty much every amenity you described plus 24/7 security which handles visitors and deliveries, plus all the things found in a normal home (including a full gym) and more within one elevator ride. I can't do my laundry in my underwear but putting on sweatpants isn't difficult.
On top of that, everything I want to do or need to do is just a step outside or at most a few minutes on a transit line or a few tens of minutes on a bike ride.
All big box stores deliver and grocery stores too, and I think a tip + delivery fee is a tad cheaper than gas + insurance + maintainance.
Also, you might be surprised regarding schools in US cities...plenty of people go to public schools in cities and get great educations, plus they also experience diversity and when they get old enough they can walk themselves there.
But what's great is we can all choose. What's not so great is that my lifestyle is sustainable and most suburban lifestyles aren't.
> plus they also experience diversity and when they get old enough they can walk themselves there
I was in the minority as a white girl in my suburban elementary school and I walked there starting in 4th grade. I biked then drove myself in high school. All the best schools in my state are in the rich burbs and so if/when I want to have kids I'll be looking to buy my way into that.
I think people have weird ideas about suburban life being just lifeless cookie-cutter rows of identical houses but I loved the diverse community of really cool and interesting families I grew up with.
If you want to talk about growing your own food, livestock, and vocations which require workshops, we are having a completely different discussion.
[citation needed]
Many wonderful cities and regions around the world are perfectly enjoyable with no need for cars. Or are you telling me that people living in central Paris, or London, or New York, or Valencia are suffering a substandard life because they use public transit and walk or bike to their destinations instead?
Even regional travel can be easily done without a car - I recently traveled from Edinburgh, to Glasgow, all the way up to Fort William, then back from Skye all the way back to Edinburgh with no car. At no point did I wish I had one. Why is this so hard for us in the US to accomplish?