FAQs living and biking in LA without a car
For some this knowledge may prove life in LA without a car ain't bad. While for others this may prove my stupidity as a hipster. No matter what camp you're in, keep reading, it may help us both stay safe.
You don't have a car... um, how's that? (judging the f*ck outta me)
Overall it's the best decision I've made in LA. Seriously. I don't have to pay car insurance. I lease my parking spot to folks and put that money towards rent. I bike, ride the train and Uber/Lyft. Whenever I bike it's a stress-reliever, in that I pump feel-good endorphins. Additionally, it's exercise I don't have to schedule. I never fret about navigating through traffic or where to park once I arrive somewhere. It’s a worry-free commute, always.
Do you miss your car?
The only time I miss having a car is when I face the urge to go to Target. It's a bit of a hassle to shop at Target now since it's about a 30 minute drive from home; and returning home I have to load my shopping bags into an Uber/Lyft trunk or backseat. I find it much easier to avoid Target altogether these days. And I continue to save a bazillion dollars because of it. You really just have to stay your ass away from Target, people.
Do you have a license?
Yes, silly.
Did you ever have a car? (which is actually heard as "Could you ever afford a car?")
Yes. I owned a car for much of my driving life.
Did you get a DUI? (in that I know you can tell me what's really up voice)
Never.
Well what's the hardest part?
Honestly answering questions from people who no matter what I say, think it's not a practical or logical descision (full disclosure: I'm single, no wife/kids) is the 'hardest' part.
LA's not a bike city... Isn't it dangerous to bike?
Yes it's dangerous to bike in LA—statistically speaking—deadly. And not just for cyclists, also motorists and pedestrians. According to the City of Los Angeles' Vision Zero Action Plan 2017 findings, every 40 hours a person is killed in a traffic collision here in LA. Half of those fatal collisions involve someone walking or biking. And while new protected bike paths and lanes like along the Expo train line expansion and Venice Boulevard/Mar Vista area make our streets safer, some transportation watchdogs do not think it's enough. For the past two consecutive years the LA Department of Transportation reported huge drops in the total number of bike path and lane additions around the city. I'm curious to see what the LADOT reports this current year.
Given these stats I consider myself lucky to have only been involved in one minor collision so far (a true act of "carma"). Because each day on my bike I narrowly escape ride share drop-offs in my lane, right turns from the lane to my left, and swinging driver doors. You adapt and acquire a sense of knowing when drivers notice you or are frankly careless.
Tangent: A few thoughtful lane designs and gestures from motorists that make me feel safer below.
This puts cyclists up front to increase their visibility on the road.
Before exiting her vehicle, this driver poked her head out of the window to spot on-coming bike traffic.
What about your social life?
I still run this town and never skip leg day (the best part). Real talk.
There's something you're hiding from me? Well, what about dating?
It's LA so dating here is like the homey says "I wouldn't even call it dating" or like a fling once said "very attractive, no soul" (ouch). I guess owning a car does not matter as much as not being a f*ckboy or some equivalent? But for certain the whole bike shtick puts you in less common LA scenarios and grants you a new type of exposure. For example, meeting someone in passing can easily happen. Plus, I'm discovering pretty girls love bikes (and trap music). So then perhaps it's really more like a classmate said, "It's the wild, Wild West."
What will you do if something terrible happens like a terror attack or Apocalypse?
Let's all pray no such thing happens. Still I'll take my chances on a bike path rather than stuck on a freeway.
Final thought (haha): More than 280,000 households in LA are completely car-free according to the US Census and I'm one of the flock advocating for safer bike ways, better public transportation and cleaner air.