Why Car Dependency Is Keeping You Poor

[glamphotographer]

The automobile industry wants it that way. When I was in my 20's I loved my car until I realized I wasted my money. I lived in Toronto most of my life, I didn't need a car to get to work, there's plenty of public transit. I could have rented a car for road trips to Ottawa, Montreal, and Niagara Falls. Many US cities design their cities to get around only by car. Drive 800 meters to get a bottle of ketchup, stupid. Notjustbikes is YouTuber and a city planner.

 

[bazokajoe]

Why car dependency is keeping me happy!

1) Total freedom to go where I want, when I want.
2) ability to stay employed.
3) able to get a get groceries (3-4 bags from 3-4 different stores) without having to drag all those bags on a bus.
4) many more reasons to mention, but I'm to lazy to type them all.

 

[glamphotographer]

Why car dependency is keeping me happy!

1) Total freedom to go where I want, when I want.
2) ability to stay employed.
3) able to get a get groceries (3-4 bags from 3-4 different stores) without having to drag all those bags on a bus.
4) many more reasons to mention, but I'm to lazy to type them all.

I see this is you....

BTW, I am more financially independent by not owning a car.

 

[glamphotographer]

I think it depends on where you live. I had a car before and I paid approx. $1000/month in insurance, monthly instalments and parking fees but had only driven the car 2000 miles as I live downtown. I then sold it and realized that I was underwater with the loan. So I had to sell the car and pay $4000 to get rid of it. I felt that was better than spending $1000 every month for the next 5 years. Overall I had the car for 1 year, and ended up paying a total of $18,000 (including the 4000 I paid to close out the loan), and drove the car 2000 miles. It was expensive and a very bad investment. I could have invested the 18,000 somewhere else!

However if you live in the suburbs or in a small town, you would definitely need a car.

They design the suburbs to be car-dependent. $18K saved.

 

[glamphotographer]

Because most cars cost $40,000 now?????

plus insurance, plus gas, plus maintenance, plus parking, plus tickets because sometimes you run into an asshole cop. $$$$$

 

[glamphotographer]

You mean to say they purposefully design it that way?

Yep. I saved so much money not owning a car.

 

[glamphotographer]

Oh I agree. If they improved public transit within suburbia it would be great and you wouldn't need a car. I save so much without a car too!

Markham is getting better, they built a DT core, and there are more buses than ever. I've been up to Markham a few times to see escorts. But still a long way from getting away from car-dependency.

 

[glamphotographer]

This is Rural suburbia. Ugly stroads. People who live there are brainwashed to love this. Sure property taxes are cheaper but the concrete jungle of ash fault and parking lots do not generate revenue for the town or city.

 

[dvous11]

The car industry used to make cars that last.
Now they make them so that consumers make a monthly payment for x-months and move on to another new car.
They want the dependancy to be in the form of a monthly payment.

 

[glamphotographer]

plus insurance, plus gas, plus maintenance, plus parking, plus tickets because sometimes you run into an asshole cop. $$$$$

BTW, the cop is not the asshole, %99 of the time you're the asshole.

 

[silentkisser]

@glamphotographer is 100% right. Cars are expensive. You need fuel, maintenance, parking, insurance etc. New tires every few years for $1,000ish, winter tires....

The ideal place to live would be a 15-minute city. Where you could walk or easily bike to everything you needed, doctors, work, shopping, etc. I've lived in suburbia, and depending on where you live, you can walk to places. But it isn't as easy as living at, say, Yonge & Eglington or in Liberty Village, where everything you could want/need is basically right there...plus you're connected to great transit so you can easily go most places in the city fairly quickly....

 

[bazokajoe]

I see this is you....

BTW, I am more financially independent by not owning a car.

Kinda. I own a truck but never buy an American made car/truck.
BTW I retired at 57 and I am very financially independent.

 

[glamphotographer]

@glamphotographer is 100% right. Cars are expensive. You need fuel, maintenance, parking, insurance etc. New tires every few years for $1,000ish, winter tires....

The ideal place to live would be a 15-minute city. Where you could walk or easily bike to everything you needed, doctors, work, shopping, etc. I've lived in suburbia, and depending on where you live, you can walk to places. But it isn't as easy as living at, say, Yonge & Eglington or in Liberty Village, where everything you could want/need is basically right there...plus you're connected to great transit so you can easily go most places in the city fairly quickly....

Grocery is only 10 walk for me.

 

[bazokajoe]

@glamphotographer is 100% right. Cars are expensive. You need fuel, maintenance, parking, insurance etc. New tires every few years for $1,000ish, winter tires....

The ideal place to live would be a 15-minute city. Where you could walk or easily bike to everything you needed, doctors, work, shopping, etc. I've lived in suburbia, and depending on where you live, you can walk to places. But it isn't as easy as living at, say, Yonge & Eglington or in Liberty Village, where everything you could want/need is basically right there...plus you're connected to great transit so you can easily go most places in the city fairly quickly....

Homes are expensive to and also require maintenance, insurance, fuel to heat etc.
So why not just buy a tent and live in a park?
Your theory makes zero sense.

 

[bazokajoe]

It seems that many people have taken your advice......not that they have much of a choice in the matter.....

It looks like the 21st century is rapidly becoming the "Century of Tents".....we are so proud, aren't we?????

Ahh yes, the joys of living in Toronto. Thankfully I don't and never will.

 

[dvous11]

Homes are expensive to and also require maintenance, insurance, fuel to heat etc.
So why not just buy a tent and live in a park?
Your theory makes zero sense.

I think this whole 15min city is designed for, and only ideal for....poor people.
You know, those who will never be able to afford a nice house on their own slice of property, who like and enjoy the freedom of driving their own vehicle.
People who will "own nothing and be happy" as the evil slogan goes.
Think about it.
Just earning enough money to get by.
No savings, no real ability to travel.
Just live in your tiny box and be able to work/eat all within a very small radius to remain compliant, and most importantly pay your taxes to keep feeding the system.
I would predict most of these types of people would be T4 employees or State supported who will never get financially ahead.
Did you all see the vids coming out of China during their tyrannical lockdowns of giant apartment buildings where they were all screaming for food.
Big element of control here and you're fooling yourself if you don't think the gov wants that.
15min cities are being promoted as convenient.
Just like other things have been promoted "for your safety".
As time moves on, and the population in Canada keeps expanding, there will be more people suited towards this 15min city concept.
It sounds depressing AF to me.

 

[Anbarandy]

I think this whole 15min city is designed for, and only ideal for....poor people.
You know, those who will never be able to afford a nice house on their own slice of property, who like and enjoy the freedom of driving their own vehicle.
People who will "own nothing and be happy" as the evil slogan goes.
Think about it.
Just earning enough money to get by.
No savings, no real ability to travel.
Just live in your tiny box and be able to work/eat all within a very small radius to remain compliant, and most importantly pay your taxes to keep feeding the system.
I would predict most of these types of people would be T4 employees or State supported who will never get financially ahead.
Did you all see the vids coming out of China during their tyrannical lockdowns of giant apartment buildings where they were all screaming for food.
Big element of control here and you're fooling yourself if you don't think the gov wants that.
15min cities are being promoted as convenient.
Just like other things have been promoted "for your safety".
As time moves on, and the population in Canada keeps expanding, there will be more people suited towards this 15min city concept.
It sounds depressing AF to me.

What in the Sam Hill are you going on about now?

 

[glamphotographer]

 

[glamphotographer]

Homes are expensive to and also require maintenance, insurance, fuel to heat etc.
So why not just buy a tent and live in a park?
Your theory makes zero sense.

One less and unnecessary expense owning a car makes %100 sense to me. If I need a car for roads trips I will rent one.

 

[glamphotographer]

It seems that many people have taken your advice......not that they have much of a choice in the matter.....

It looks like the 21st century is rapidly becoming the "Century of Tents".....we are so proud, aren't we?????

Thanks to 12 years of Conservative mayors and premiers.