They seem to have made use of an old Burley stroller/bike trailer for running errands. It seems they have devised sort a game they call the "Burley Scale," which is to see how many places they can use this stroller to help with their daily errands...
I said then that I doubt I could live this way, and still say it. Oh well, to each his/her own I say...
carlisimo says:
09:16 AM, 04/14/06
A replacement car and insurance for a full family is a significant expenditure for a lot of families. Most have to do it, but if you can survive without it then why not? The inconvenience might not be as life-affecting as the financial hit.
If they need or want a car they'll get one. If they don't need or want a car, it'd be stupid for people to feel indignant about it.
ahightower says:
09:44 AM, 04/14/06
Carl,
I agree. In the same respect, it'd be stupid for people to feel indignant when the car that some people do need or want is a big honkin' SUV. Don't get me wrong, I don't care whether or what people drive, but this "to each his own" theme never seems to apply in auto journalism circles these days when what "he" wants is an SUV.
Sorry to rant. Edmunds is far better than most auto magaizines when it comes to ragging on truck and SUV drivers.
AH
rsholland says:
09:55 AM, 04/14/06
I don't feel "indignant," nor was I trying to imply that. I simply said that I don't think I could live that way.
I just found the story interesting, in that they (like the rest of us), have lived their entire lives in a car-oriented society, and now have forsaken it. I say more power to them if they can do it.
People who hang out here at Edmunds, and other car sites, usually have a love affair with cars. I'm that way, which is why I couldn't give mine up.
carlisimo says:
11:02 AM, 04/14/06
ahightower, I more or less agree but I understand where the SUV argument starts. It's a case of "your freedom ends where mine begins," i.e. freedom that negatively affects others is not desireable. The existence or effect of negative effects are totally up for discussion (and this isn't the place for it), but the point is a lot of people don't see the two situations the same way.
ahightower says:
02:26 PM, 04/14/06
Bob, I meant no disrespect. Your entry is thoroughly unbiased, I agree it is interesting to see people get along with an automobile. If I lived a few blocks away from everything I needed, I'd be tempted to try it out and just rent a vehicle for the occasional weekend trip. But I also tend to wander off on driving trips for no reason at all, just to see the scenery, so it might be nice to keep at least one sporty-ish car handy just for fun, and ditch the Suburban.
rsholland says:
04:06 PM, 04/14/06
No problem. :)
steve_ says:
10:50 PM, 04/15/06
I'm in the Qwest coverage area so I did my own walkshed. My Burley Score is a big fat zero. :-(
The Seattleite bloggers have a score of 248.
On the plus side, economically anyway, my wife and I have managed to share one car off and on for half of our 26 years together. We've had six cars in that time frame, including two cheap clunkers that lasted a year each. Our cost per mile for operating a car has been well below the IRS rates over the years. That has let us splurge in other areas.