Folks without cars, how do you do it?

We have metro lift here in Houston that I will use quite a bit. There is also a lady that does rides for $20.00 an hour. I can get a lot done in an hour by planning. Kroger has pick up services that are free for the most part. I plan on giving my car to my grand daughter who will also take me shopping or pick up groceries for me. My daughter works at the CVS down the street from me and drops things off now for me . Between all of them I will be okay.
 

sehr alt said:
I've been thinking about getting one of those electric scooters. But then I think some more and talk myself out of it. I can just see the news story: aging man wrecks his scooter and is badly injured. I'm sehr alt, by my chosen screen name and because it's also true !
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Like you, I'd be afraid to ride one of those scooters, especially in the street. Probably couldn't balance myself anyway.
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DaveA said:
I had quite an experience yesterday. I met an old buddy from work for lunch and a chat. It's about 16 miles from my home. After lunch i started for home over some back roads and hadn't gone more than 3 or 4 miles when the rt. front ball joint let go while I was doing about 40 mph. Lost the steering and skidding along with that rt front throwing up sparks.

Car came to rest on the pavement but out in the middle of nowhere. There were some scattered houses along the road and a couple of guys came out to see what had happened. One went back and brought out some orange cones to lead cars around mine and they waited around with me 'til the wrecker I'd called showed up. Took him about half an hour to get to me. He had quite a job getting the car up on the wrecker with only 3 wheels and he used a wooden skid to hold up the 4th corner.

Brought the car back to my local repair shop and they're putting it back together today. Quite a thrill but one I hope not to repeat. To make maters worse, I only had a light sweater on and it was a chilly , windy day while I stood there waiting. Glad it didn't happen on a busy heavily traveled road.

At 86 I could do without these kinds of problems.
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Wow! You were blessed that things happened the way they did. Glad you or no one else was injured Dave!
 

Friends of ours were able to live without owning a car for several years. The money they saved on car ownership was spent instead on taking trips all over the world. They loved to travel and have no regrets whatsoever regarding giving up their car. They also live in the downtown area of our city close to amenities, and when needed to to somewhere locally they either walked, took a bus or occasionally were given a ride by a friend. When it is was necessary to travel out of town (to visit family during the holidays etc) they rented a car. About a year ago when they started to have more serious health issues they then decided to buy another car to make it easier to get around to medical appointments etc.

Within the next few years we will seriously need to consider giving up driving and/or car ownership so will plan ahead with that in mind. Moving to be closer to family and amenities in addition to shopping more online for groceries, clothes etc. will be on the list to help with that transition. Hopefully we'll still be able to enjoy the occasional day trip here and there to do some sightseeing, shopping and visiting friends.
 
Live about 35 miles from Dallas.
We have a senior's bus that will take you to Dallas
and pick you up. You have to give them two weeks or more
notice so they can get enough passengers to make it
viable.
(We have to go to Dallas to see physicians as those that
practice in this small town of 16K are just that: practicing.)

One individual rode the seniors bus to, a hospital in Dallas
for tests, he had to give the driver an absolute pickup time.
The driver's wait time is approx. 15 seconds.

He had a three hour layover, missed the ride home, had no idea on what to do. He states the bus never showed up.

He made it back home, in time....
He's relating his plight to a bunch of old geezers like me.
One man said, "You were in a hospital-right?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you go to their emergency room and tell them you had an emergency?"
The group thought it funny, the stranded man did not. .
 
sehr alt said:
I've been thinking about getting one of those electric scooters. But then I think some more and talk myself out of it. I can just see the news story: aging man wrecks his scooter and is badly injured. I'm sehr alt, by my chosen screen name and because it's also true !
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I would recommend continuing to think about it.
Some of your questions should include:
- Are you very experienced riding a two wheeler and how is your sense of balance. Mine started to decline when I was about 75.
- Do you have a good safe place to keep it. Thieves can snatch a light weight bike in a matter of seconds.
- Are you going to ride it in fast moving traffic. People get very frustrated trying to get around Mopeds and they will take chance with your life. I would not want to be on anything with less than a 150CC engine even in the city.
- Maintenance support for two wheelers can be problematic. I had a 250CC Vespa for 10 years and watched local dealerships close. I wound up doing all of the maintenance/repair work myself, and they are not easy to work on. Odd Chinese made brands have even less support including parts availability.
- Do you have "Nerves of Steel"? If you are easily rattled, then at least get a bigger bike.
 
After spending 40+ years driving commercials , when I retired 8 years ago I sold the car and I've not driven since . Indeed my license expired when I turned 70 and I never renewed it . Totally happy now with out driving . (y)😎
 
fmdog44 said:
Taking my wheels from me is one step away from the guillotine.
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That was exactly how my father felt. The day the doctor discussed unhooking him from everything that was keeping him alive or having a feeding tube, he wrote on a paper to me, "can I drive a car?" I shook my head no. He agreed to no feeding tube and they stopped all medications. No car made the difference to him. I found in his papers a list of every car he ever owned.
 
I’ve never owned a car. I shop a couple times a week - the supermarket is five minutes away. And how much does one person need? I mainly buy veg and fruit. The heaviest thing would be cartons of milk, I rarely buy any packaged food, only the odd tin of tomatoes or beans. I think most people buy far more food than they need, and they don’t manage their cooking effectively. Today I roasted a pan of veg, added a tin of tomatoes, and from that I made a big batch of pasta sauce. If I do a “big shop”, I have a two wheel shopping trolley that makes the job easy. I’ve always made sure I lived close to amenities, and if I need to go further afield I use public transport.
 
Once our weather turned nice, I feel free as a bird. I drive my mobility chair all over town and can do all my errands. No, I cannot shop at Walmart or Aldi's with it as it is too far for me to go. But I go to Tops and they have a good produce section, meat is a bit pricey but they have sales and the only other area I shop is for dairy. I am preparing myself for the day my boyfriend is not able to take me to every place I need or want to go. I still have not tested the transit bus system yet, but plan to do as soon as this quarantine thing is over. I could never afford a car and after living without one for two years, I honestly do not want one.
 
Cars were always a major factor in my life. My dad bought me my first car when I was in 9th grade and I had my learners permit, couldn't drive it to Jr. high school though because it was against the rules. Senior high school was different. If you wanted to get girls you had to have wheels, wherever I lived I had wheels, NYC, LI, upstate NY and even down here in Florida I will always have wheels. I feel too vulnerable without wheels. I wouldn't know what to do. A lot of New Yorkers in The Big Apple rely on the subway or buses, even taxi's and nowadays Uber & Lyft. The problem with that is transit strikes, LIRR, Metro North, NJ Transit and PATH too and other railroad related issues. Sandy was one of them, now just yesterday because of Iasias the LIRR suspended it's service on the entire line. They suspended service when everybody that lived on the Sandbar was at work. Same with 9/11 everybody that didn't drive to work had to walk across bridges to get home.
 
Never driven.I blame my dad as there wasn’t a family car when I turned 17!Then University came...so it’s been public transport all the way for me.Never been a problem and as the years have gone by it’s frequency has increased...there are normally (not at the moment)14 buses an hour into town and the last bus and trains operate quite late.And if I do need a taxi after a late finishing event it is not too expensive.And i occasionally have a shopping delivery to keep the freezer stocked.But that’s onply 3-4 times a year.Otherwise I just nip into town or Newport for essentials such as a loaf.
 
Over the 15 years I've developed it into a science. I only go out maybe 1 or 2 times a month. I order food from Amazon (non-perishable stuff), along with large paper products such as toilet paper. Until recently, my EBT income each month was $16. That made for an easy trip. Recently, I've received much more. I can order all that food from Amazon as well. If I want milk, etc, I usually take a taxi (ride share). It's $7 each way. I usually give the driver a $3 tip. It's well worth the trouble. Things are a bit tougher now because I have a torn meniscus and need a knee replacement.
 
So far, no problems driving @60 yrs young. I don't do a lot of driving at night. I do my errands, may have a lunch or dinner out with a friend or family member...other than that home. If hubby and I are out and about, he drives my vehicle.
 
Age 69 and still driving, although not as much as pre-lockdown, LOL. Three yrs ago I splurged on my last auto, getting the one I REALLY wanted rather than settling for something thrifty or sensible. I love to drive, always have; due to spouse's declining eyesight I do 99% of the driving anyway.

We were looking at moving to a senior facility - better earlier than too late, we thought - but were taking our time about visiting various places. Saw about half a dozen, none were quite right. Then the pandemic began so that plan went out the window. We're happy to stay at home....wouldn't be so happy in a 500 sq. ft. apt for two people with hobbies!

Live in a major metropolitan area and when we can't drive any longer, will use taxis, Uber/Lyft, or hire a personal assistant on a part-time basis. Plus most senior facilities offer limited transportation services, such as visits to doctors and shopping trips, by reservation.

Having options is important as one ages. We did a lot of planning in our 40s and 50s and were lucky, too. Things worked out okay - well, at least so far :)
 


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