N1cky

They do an Occassional Driving Plan with no monthly membership, just a $60 annual fee.

Michael

Mine is 98. I live in the heart of downtown San Jose and since the downtown is only about 1 square mile with probably 200 bars and/or restaurants and a Safeway, post office, ups, library, shopping, theaters, and San Jose State University within a block of where I live, that seems to be about right.

caleyjag

The problem is most people who get off the plane from the UK won't initially qualify for a credit card. Been there, done that and had to pay through the nose every time I wanted to go for a trip.

It's not necessarily economic compared to car ownership, if you buy a cheap but reliable banger.

Giantaxe

And similarly, folks just off the plane typically pay through the nose for car insurance.

...which is usually a contradiction in terms.

Bob

That's good to know...but I think the folks that I know using it wouldn't qualify as they do use it for their monthly bulk grocery shop etc

Though this would be great for the long holiday weekends away thing

N1cky

I couldn't find out how many times you can use it but the membership plans hourly/daily rate isn't that much less than the occassional plan so there must be a limit

retzie

I'm surprised Chicago isn't on the list (especially given some of the ones that are). Although I have a car, I basically don't drive it (unless I'm feeling guilty and take it out for a spin). Admittedly, I did set myself up to live near the El and several bus lines, but location is going to play a role in any city.

To me, a very very very important point to consider is whether a transit system runs 24 hours. I'm not sure about other cities, but this is what most struck me about NYC and Chicago (and not SF). Add in the supreme accessibility of airports and I have nothing but praise for the CTA. All with unlimited access for a princely $86 a month! Compared to NYC, it also has: much lower incidence of random construction works to trap you in the wee hours/on weekends; and (here is the big one) the train operators will re-open the doors for you if you are running toward their train!

As for other accessibility, I managed to have my commute include the path-of-most-good-grocery stores, so even though they aren't strictly close to my house, they are very accessible. Not to mention my own personal number one walkability-factor: bars! Most important thing to be walkable, as far as I'm concerned

Clearly a lot of this comes down to lifestyle!

Giantaxe

BART doesn't run for 4 hours or so overnight, but a bunch of bus services do, including across the Bay Bridge:

http://transit.511.org/accessible/pr...allnighter.pdf

I would have put Chicago up there too, even though the El is kind of a dysfunctional subway system in some ways. Plus it's badly in need of investment $$$. Great for getting to/from both airports though.

jackattack

My neighborhood gets a walk score of....3. Ouch.
Yup, that's about right. Very car dependent.

The only thing that is walkable is trails (perfect for walking the dog) and a winery (perfect for sending the in-laws to tastings for a few hours to get them out of the house.)

Gillymonkey

We are currently in San Diego without a car and so far it's been fine. Albeit, we did pick the neighbourhood we live in for it's transport links to my husband's work. Ideally we do want to get a car but realistically can't afford it until my EAD comes through and I get a job so we are bussing it for the moment.

southerncomfort

Walk score of 69 from my somewhat walkable San Diego neighborhood.
We couldn't afford to run two cars so I bought a scooter (not a moped). It is fantastic for getting around SD (so long as you don't mind surface streets).

MarylandNed

The UK is much smaller and more densely populated to it's more cost effective to provide transportation from A to B. The US is large and not as densely populated so air and car travel are simply more convenient on certain routes. However, you can still escape any US city that has air, rail or bus links without the need for a car. Certainly not "impossible".

Here in the north east of the US (where it's relatively densely populated in US terms), it's pretty easy to travel between cities like Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston by air, train or bus. Escaping Boston to get to places like Cape Cod, Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard is possible without a car.

Sally Redux

That's not the whole story. LA used to have better public transport, but it was killed off by automotive interest groups.

Giantaxe

aka the gas and tire companies. Same in the SF Bay Area.

Bob

True, but it's not very cost effect, convenient or easy either. Plus once you've gotten to the other destination, you're kind of plucked for the most part.

Even in Boston, unless you're near the T or a commuter rail, it's not that easy to get to to make use of it.