Going car-lite

[shootingstar]

For instance, I've heard this rule: "If it's less than 5 miles away, no car." Must use bike, transit, or walk.

It's a good rule of thumb to start.
If you live in SF, then opportunities to go multi-modal are greater by combining bike with transit ..if necessary.

Yes, it's true that a car-free life which becomes more cycling, transit and walking-oriented, means:

*less frantic, because you develop a way to combine activities/errands through 1 trip
*spending less money --I can't buy too much or I had better be prepared to make multiple bike trips to carry all that weight/bulk.
*aim to save a certain amount of $$$ monthly by not driving. Damn well, bet: I was able to buy a home on my own and eventually pay off that mortgage. If I had a car, it would have taken a few more yrs. to pay off home.
*oh yea, being healthy. Shouldn't I be mentioning this first?

But I don't go on those goals. The weather determines my mode of transport -every day. Right now, I've been walking to and from work. So that's about 50 min. daily round trip. Yes, I could take transit, but that means waiting around in the cold..

I've been car-free for last 30 yrs. of my life, cycling last 18 yrs. so far. I'll be 52 next month. I actually have not known the price of gas for several decades.... seriously.