We bought a car. No, not the Mini, ANOTHER car. Turns out a car that won't run in the rain isn't a good investment in the Boston area. No, we haven't sold or returned the Mini yet either. I kind of expected my husband to be more solid about returning the car to the guy who sold it to us, but he hasn't been. Neither of us has the umph to sue him, and would it really help in the long run, even if we won? A court order to pay us wouldn't really guarantee that he'd pay us, would it?
Anyway, I realized that I REALLY wanted a car.
Recently I visited a blog called "Simple, Green, Frugal" where one of the writers mentioned she was enjoying being without a car for a while, but wasn't sure it would last. I sympathized with her. It's wonderful to live somewhere you don't NEED NEED NEED a car. When I posted that I recently decided to buy a car again I did so to show encouragement, not to convince her living without a car isn't an option. Sometimes convenience wins out over simple, green, or frugal.
But I've been feeling more and more defensive about my decision. The commenter who posted right after me said "I would NEVER go back to two cars in a family" and my non-driving friends, although non-judgmental, have mentioned they wouldn't buy a car based on transportation time. They've adapted to the long travel times. And I KNOW in my heart of hearts that I'm not doing what I feel is best for the environment.
But, despite feeling a bit guilty about the oil consumption, I feel so much happier knowing I can go wherever I want at the drop of a hat. Sure, parking is still a consideration, so I might choose not to go, or I might take the bus or the T, but I'm no longer feeling confined.
Perhaps someday I'll be able to live without a car, and that feeling will make me feel free. Right now being carless brings the opposite emotion. Until my mindset changes, I'm going to try not to feel too guilty for enjoying my new little Yaris.
2 comments:
Congrats on the new car! I've seen a few of the Yaris'es around town and they're cute (and, I'm guessing, pretty fuel efficent). I think I'd be happy with a SmartCar if I didn't have to pick up kids. (plus having the big stuff-hauler for the occasional shopping trip...>:) ).
I went through college with no car, relying on my (now) husband, the campus shuttle, and the bus system. Yes I could get about anywhere but it would take 4x as long, and I couldn't bring anything back. And DH and I have had to carpool when one car or the other is in the shop (mine for like 3 weeks for hail damage a few years ago). I'd never willingly give up owning my own car again.
And don't worry about other people's reactions. Chances are, they're not criticizing your decision so much as defending their own.
That's exactly why I didn't go with a smartcar (hoping for kids, and the occasional need for a little more space).
I wouldn't say never to giving up my car again, living in just the right place makes a huge difference. I'd love to live in the heart of the city and not drive...but also have a large backyard and extra bedrooms... HAH, there's a dream for you. In other words, I can't seem to have it all, what else is new? :)
But I'll take what I've got. It's a great little car, we've got a wonderful house. All in all, I'm pretty happy.
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