Even in the 15-Minute City, Folks Probably Don't Want to Give Up Owning Cars

"Census data on car-free households suggests the number of U.S. households with no vehicles has been relatively stable, fluctuating 8% to 8.6% from 2018 to 2022. Most of those households are below the poverty line." - USA Today, July 24, 2024

On the one hand, those who can choose their lifestyles are opting for some version of the 15-Minute City. That is the urban planning concept facilitating access to all necessary services will be within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or public transportation. 

On the other hand, most don't anticipate a kind of Lifestyle Paradise if they can opt out of car ownership. Yes, they don't want to have to get into the car for everything. But they also want the option of having the car for faster access to whatever or choices beyond that access. That is, they prefer to own a car despite the initial high cost of the car purchase and the ongoing ones of gasoline (or e-batteries), insurance, maintenance and repairs. 

Nerd Wallet reports:

"When you take into account loan interest, depreciation, fuel, insurance, maintenance and fees, the cost of owning a car makes a big leap. For new vehicles driven 15,000 miles a year, average car ownership costs were $12,182 a year, or $1,015 a month, in 2023, according to AAA."

That's a big monthly fixed expense. With used cars it will be less but still can hold owners hostage to a major expense that will not go away, as long as the car is part of the lifestyle. Maybe folks are ruling out buying a house as the American Dream but they usually still feel entitled to having their own car. It remains a symbol of freedom. 

There are exceptions, of course. Those range from growing up in the New York City Metro area to being a student. I had both attributes until I was about 30. I never owned a car until I had to have one for a non-academic full-time position. I resented every aspect of that. 

My years as a doctoral student tooling around a university town on the Honda 90 cc had been days of heaven. Without a car I could afford life's little luxuries like European and domestic travel, decent wine and three years of indulgent psychoanalysis. About the latter, what a great time I had talking non-stop about myself.

A 40-plus-years career in communications, both with the Fortune 50 and operating my own shop, mandated a car. But the good times were rolling in content-creation and I didn't "feel" the expense, only the agita of the inconvenience of "bringing in the car" for service.

That was then. In much of my industry the good times ended, as they did for myriad knowledge workers in tech, management consulting, junior positions in law, public relations, graphic design, human resources, film production, marketing and more.

With that drop in demand and compensation, I "felt" the expense. Finally the magical thinking that my niche would recover ended. I shifted over to two other lines of work. The magical thinking ended also that I would ever earn what I did during my peak career days. 

Recently a journalist interested in interviewing me about that change asked if I would disclose and document what I have been grossing in the past several years. I essentially answered "That would hurt my current businesses. The big money is over. You are judged on how much you earn."

And, because of a confluence of factors I have re-thought car ownership. Two accidents in less than five years - the one on April 27, 2024 resulting in personal injuries and total loss of the car - made the insurance issue a major one. If I could get insurance, it would be high. And given my age, would I be able to hold on to ongoing insurance coverage, even at any monthly nut? 

Since then I have been conducting an experiment in this relatively small city Sierra Vista, Arizona. I was on my way relocating from the east when I had my car accident. 

I keep asking: Can I get by with an e-bike? 

So far so good. I started out with a traditional adult trike. In less than two months I lost 10 pounds, a wanted outcome but the amount of peddling and time involved were not sustainable. Through M&M Cycling in Sierra Vista, I had the trike retrofitted into an e-bike. The total package, from manual to e- ran about $3k. Personal-property insurance with State Farm for the e-bike, is a bit over $200 per year. Membership in AAA for four tows annually is about $90 a year. 

The financial situation is bliss, as opposed to car ownership. I am plowing money into building my two new enterprises. I am planning to rent an economy car at Enterprise for weekenders now and then. I am still socking money into the Roth IRA.

But I struggle to not be on the defensive about not having a car. There is a learning curve. After the shock of the serious accident wore off I have gotten adept at how I frame the issue. Currently I say: "For several reasons I have stopped driving." As I perceive it, that kind of positioning is a best practice I recommend to other carless. 

Still I wonder: What would my former affluent clients and colleagues think of me now? The ego-deflating answer is likely: They probably are not thinking about me at all. A white-collar recession is going on and no one knows after the dust settles how their earning power will be.

This morning I ponied up the money for a workshop on a spiritual topic. When I owned a car, I couldn't "treat" myself to those kinds on non-necessities.

Will I stick with being car-free? I don't know.

In business and life you usually have only one shot at whatever. Up the odds of success with Jane Genova. I am an intuitive coach, tarot reader and content-creator. Complimentary consultation (please text/phone 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com)