>>1245265I live in a Chicago which has a great rail and bus network but I bike so I don't need to use it much. Downtown is less than 10 miles away so biking is ez pz. Inside the city biking is usually faster than driving too, considering time wasted in traffic plus looking for parking. If I need to go to the suburbs, multimodal bike+train is a super comfy way to commute. For shopping, I use a backpack and make return trips if I have to since I save a lot of time riding and is a fun excuse to ride more but usually I can fit everything in my bag. I have a bike trailer for serious hauls but if it really comes down to it, I can call an Uber/Lyft or rent a uhaul/Home Depot truck
Owning a car here is senseless honestly. Lots of time wasted circling the block for parking in residential areas while the main roads have stupidly high metered fees and requires a city sticker bought at almost $200 a year on top of registration and taxes. Price of gas is about a dollar more than outside the city which adds up from terrible fuel economy of stop and go traffic. The potholes and winter salt in this city are so bad, suspension components wear down so fast. New bushings, tie rods, and shocks are recommended every 1-3 years.
There's traffic light enforcement cameras at every major intersection and speed traps at almost every park and school. The tickets vary from $50-150 too and some parks have a speed limit of 20mph with the camera activating at 24+mph. It's such a great feeling receiving a $100+ love letter from the city...
The problems get worse in winter too. I remember one winter years ago, there was a backup so bad I spent 4 hours inching in i90 gridlock to travel 12 miles. Then another 15-30 minutes circling the block only to settle for a spot 4 blocks away in 0F.
There's just way too much downsides to driving here. Since I got rid of my car and started biking as main transport, I'm healthier, happier, and have much less financial worry.
