Over the years, I’ve realized that:

I don’t enjoy driving.

I don’t like sharing the roads with dangerous drivers (especially in my area with frequent accidents).

I don’t like the costs and financial burdens associated with owning a car.

Groceries and appointments seem to be my only reason for needing a car, but I feel like I can find ways around these with proper location and route planning. Right now, I currently live in the suburbs where it’s basically essential to own a car.

I’m looking for a way where I can live a life without the need for a car. It seems that by re-locating to a country with a superior transit system, it could be an option. Is this possible or am I being unrealistic? What am I missing?

How big or important of a factor was this for you when going nomad? How does it impact you?

  • rarsamxBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    City design is paid with taxes, changes to increase walkability are paid with taxes, public transit, which is fundamental for walkability are funded through taxes.

    I live in Montreal. In recent years there have been substantial expenditures to reduce dependency on the car to the point where having a car makes things harder if you move within the city.

    • Created dedicated bike lanes reducing car lanes and sometimes street parking spots.
    • Add paid parking. Not expensive enough to break the bank if you need to use it but enough to make you think twice if you want to spend $6 or take the metro.
    • Making some streets pedestrian in the summer.
    • Creating the REM (metropolitan express network) : which include dedicated bus lanes, suburban light rail, bicycle “highways”, etc.

    All that is expensive but necessary.