Raise the Hammer

Hey, John. You are making really baseless assumptions saying that the people who are harping the most about motorists are those who just can't afford a car, and that the harping is more about envy than environmentalism. Our annual household income is in excess of $120,000. We could easily afford a car, but we choose not to. It really is about making wise lifestyle choices. First off, when we went looking fo a home, our criteria included living somewhere where basic ameneties were within walking distance, and public transit was easily accessible. Coincidently, the housing in our area is drastically undervalued, and we purchased our beautiful century home at half the price of a house in the burbs. While we had initial trepidations about living in the downtown area (most media make it sound like it's a crime-ridden wasteland), four years after the move, we actually find our neighbourhood quieter and much more friendly that those of past suburban experiences. As an added bonus, we are saving huge chunks of cash by not making ourselves slaves to the automobile. It's incredible how a car can suck up so much cash every month - and most people allow it to drain their cash like they have no option. Well, you do. And John, because of the choice we made when buying our house, the doctor is around the corner, and the grocery store is up the street. And, my carbon footprint on this planet is much smaller than it used to be. And my wallet is thicker.

You have an extremely limited view of the world, John. Your obvious vindictive bias nearly caused me to laugh off your post, but I thought otherwise, because many buy into the false assumptions propogated in messages similar to yours. So instead, I share my story and encourage others to consider living downtown without a car is a viable option. Car-free living truly is care-free living.