I came to driving relatively late in life. I did not get my license until I was in my thirties. That was also when I bought my first car. I was starting to do work outside of Burlington and driving was the only way to get where I had to go. In the past 30 years I have owned a series of cars, all of them second hand. I have had my share of driving adventures, and for a while I even used a car to transport my bike so I could ride outside of the city.

In the second week of May, I donated my car to Good News Garage. This move was made possible by a couple of factors. I no longer have small children to drive around, and I am not doing as much work as I used to out of town. If I do need a car, I can either rent one, or access Car Share. For rentals I use Majestic, right here in town. When I rent a car overnight they let me leave my bike in their garage, so when I return the car I can ride home by bike.

There are a number of reasons that I decided to let my car go. Saving money was an important part of my decision. Gas, registration, repairs, inspection, tires, insurance, and fees for parking all add up. I am glad to be polluting less and not adding to traffic congestion. When I donated the car, it was as if a great weight was lifted from my shoulders. Owning a car is a big responsibility and a constant worry. Now, all that is gone.

Even before I made the big move, I had been using my bike, my feet, and buses for 95% of my transportation needs. In some ways getting rid of the car was simply the logical outcome of my current transportation system, and it did not feel like a big deal. While I have a great affection for my bikes, I did not feel any particular attachment to my car. I was happy to let it go.