You don’t have a car !?!?

apologetics and no apologies for mobilité douce

Yes. Really. We really don’t have a car. Yes, we could afford one. Yes, it’s a choice. Yes, we are very happy without one. No, we don’t feel like we need one. 

I have this conversation much too often.  I wish it surprised me more.

I dream of bikes and electric cargo bikes really replacing cars in urban and suburban environments. Yes, in the US where all the infrastructure is built for cars instead of people, this may not be realistic. Yet. 

We have chosen a life where we don’t need a car. Yes, we both have driving licenses. Actually, several. Yes, we occasionally rent cars from the local car-share scheme (mobility) or even traditional car rental agencies when we need to move things that can’t be transported on a bike. But we have no desire to own a car. And (yes, I am very conscious of this) we have the luxury to have built a life for our family where we can function perfectly well (I’d argue better!) without a car. We are very lucky and glad to be able to make this choice to live in line with our values. 

Sure, there are some sacrifices to be made. We might go more/different/further places if we had a car. But I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. Maybe when my kids are older it will feel like a need. I hope not. 

For now, we love walking to get our groceries, be it at the supermarket or the weekly market in town, love having most of our groceries delivered by a small, local company that partners with small, local producers delivers only using electric cargo bikes, or strolling into the heart of town to get something at one of the exorbitantly priced Swiss restaurants. 

We love biking to the next town for our weekly Mom & E yoga dates. We love biking to the pediatrician. We love biking to the public pool by the lake or to the beach or walking to the park. We love taking the bus and the train on adventures, and I don’t mind it for doctor’s appointments, though I realize my flexible schedule and location with excellent public transit allows me this luxury. 

Yes, it’s sometimes sweaty. Or raining.  Yes, my e-bike cost as much (more?) than my first car when I was 16. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.