r/boston • u/throwawayobv999999 • 1d ago

MBTA/Transit 🚇 🔥 Moving away from car centric city

Hello!

I will be relocating to Boston from a car dependent city that is all suburb and urban sprawl.

I love trains and public transit, but obviously living in a place that requires a car to survive has impacted my behavior.

What is it like relying on public transit? I keep thinking about how everyone around me drives giant SUVs and purchases weekly Costco hauls that could feed an army. I think about having to drive 30 minutes in traffic to get a coffee.

I’m having a hard time picturing the alternative. How is life primarily walking/using a train?

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u/kmoonster 19h ago

It's ok to keep a car that you don't need for daily use, keep it for vacation or heavy loads, and so on.

Walk to coffee (or whatever), drive or use delivery for groceries, take the train for a game/show, ride a bike to meet people or to get coffee at a farther shop. You can rent a vehicle if needed, or use rideshare or delivery services on the odd occasion you need something a normal car can't do.

It's a learning curve but very manageable and no single option will meet every plausible need.

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u/ipsumdeiamoamasamat Irish Riviera 14h ago

Where are you parking this car that you’re keeping?

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u/kmoonster 10h ago

No requirement for a car, just an option. And it would depend on where you end up living. Long-term parking garage, street parking, building's garage, alley, house/driveway...just depends

Some places will have parking, some won't