Originally Posted by
ITALVEGA_6955
I live in the bay area too, and have been car free for a few years. I know the exact situation you speak of and, for me, it has been frustrating a few times but there are workarounds such as those you've mentioned but I would also add that you can use rideshare (uber, lyft, etc) and have the driver do multiple pickups or stops, it is not always the cheapest way but the situation occurs relatively infrequently and so is still far far more inexpensive than car insurance and maintenance, at least in my situation.
The thing I miss the most about not having a car is quick access to hiking, some mornings I wake up and just want to quickly drive to a hill and have my morning coffee on a little scenic hike, this is obviously more of a challenge now without a car.
Honestly, I think the only time I will really miss a car is on rainy days. Picking up a friend to go to the cheapie matinee at the Grand Lake Theater on a rainy day has been a tradition. Not sure I'd be willing to add the cost of Uber or Gig, etc., to that. I've not used Uber or Lyft before but if short rides are economical, I guess we could combine a Bart ride to MacArthur with a short Uber ride to the theater. There's also a bus but I find the bus much more tedious than Bart. For getting around by myself, I don't foresee any issues though; I even have a terrific bike riding poncho for wet days. My car currently costs me around $550-600/yr total but that would still fund quite a few alternative rides. As for your morning coffee, that just makes me realize some habits will have to change. Not a bad thing, right? Create new enjoyable options. =).