Have you tried using public transit for grocery shopping? Where?
Oklahoma City has 20 bus routes, which seem to run every 30 to 60 mins. Unless you're lucky enough to live right on a bus route that goes to those supermarkets, or happens to line up perfectly with a transfer to another bus that does, it's going to take forever to get to the supermarket via public transit.
I've done it (in a different, but seemingly similar city). You leave early to make sure you're not going to miss the bus, and then you wait. If you're lucky, your first bus isn't late and the second bus isn't early... If it's just one bus, you trip is hopefully only like 10-15 minutes (you've already spent at least that walking and waiting), and then you're there! You probably want to shop for about 45 minutes -- even if your bus comes every half hour, making it back to the bus stop in 20 minutes ( remember, buses can come early or late!) is probably not going to happen, especially given that this whole venture isn't something you're doing every day, and you've got to stock up! But not too much, because you've got to carry it back with you. Speaking of, easy-to-carry packages of toilet paper or paper towels are typically astronomically more expensive than the giant packs, wtf. So, you get back to the bus stop laden down with stuff, everything goes pretty well on the trip back, and it only took, let's say, an hour and a half! Yay. You're never buying ice cream again.
But, you didn't get enough for your family for the whole week. You do it all again two days later -- you could have waited a couple more days, but the restricted weekend hours don't work out, or maybe you only have two days a week where that 7pm-latest-bus-run isn't too late (assuming you're comfortable trusting the last bus to get you home). You head out again, but this time, your first bus is very late. Or your second bus never shows. Or you miss your bus home, the last bus of the night, and now you have to call a friend or Uber.
This is all if you're lucky enough to live anywhere where trying this even makes sense. This is assuming your schedule isn't entirely incompatible with the bus schedule, and you can afford to be gone for however long the ordeal takes (my grandmother is a retired nurse living with her friend, who has Parkinson's; my grandmother tries not to leave for more than about an hour without someone else to watch her friend).
The price of public transport is not the $ for the ride; that could often be accounted for simply by the price difference between convenience store milk and Walmart milk.
In many cities, public transportation is used nearly exclusively by 1) lucky people who live right on the most reliable routes, 2) unlucky people who have very little else to do with their time.
The other day, I missed a bus in downtown Seattle. I could wait 5 minutes for the next bus (different route) coming by that stop, but have to walk an extra block at the end, or wait 10 minutes for the next bus of the route I missed. I said fuck it, didn't take any bus, and instead grabbed a delicious lunch at a hole-in-the-wall place a block away. This is not an accurate representation of public transportation in most cities.
I have found that shopping by bike is quite easy and much more practical. I have a trailer on my bike that can carry twice the amount I can carry by hand and it moves much faster than walking with no waiting time for the bus. Also cars drive much more carefully around me because they think my trailer is carrying kids.
That's actually what I ended up doing most often (albeit w/o a trailer)! I was living somewhere where it wasn't too dangerous to bike to the grocery store. I've also lived places where it would be an extra two miles to get around something like a narrow main road. Still faster than the bus though...
US have very few proper dense cities, like NYC or Chicago, where you can actually walk for grocery shopping. (I live in Brooklyn, NY, do all my grocery shopping by walking, and don't own a car because I don't need it.)
Sprawl and cars are mutually reinforcing. In a sprawl (even it's formally a city), where walking is impractical, and public transportation is expensive to run, all grocery customers drive, so a store attracts customers from miles around, and has to be huge.
Oh, I definitely agree, though I think the problem might even be worse than just sprawl. A lot of Americans really think cars are awesome. Not just enjoyable to drive, but the best primarily form of transportation, no matter the public transit options.
This blows my mind. How many times have I watched co-workers waiting because they decided to carpool in b/c of bad parking, but their ride isn't really yet? How many times have plans had to be rearranged because somebody left their car somewhere, or someone's car is in the shop?
Not to mention the time wasted commuting, nor, way more importantly, how many people die in car accidents.
Hopefully, technology and new transportation models will help break us out of this.
Interesting perspective as someone who grew up in the suburbs where you drive everywhere. I still live at home and working on a startup. I've been dreaming once I'm better financially of moving to Austin, Texas. My family is kinda against that though, as they hate cities and view them as the source of all the crime, which seems true but more people together in one area probably increases the stats too.
But I like the idea of being able to walk and explore the city! Here in the suburbs, you can just walk in circles without actually going anywhere. Not sure if Austin would be a good city or not to go carless. I guess depends on which part of the city. I know Amazon and also other apps now that deliver groceries in more popular cities too. I think though you are supposed to tip, and they charge a delivery fee too but convenience I guess. So all the apps and services is probably easier than it was a decade ago. I figured I'd probably walk to the nearest grocery for some things, order other things. Then there's Uber and Lyft... Uber never has cars where I am, Lyft doesn't seem to say as it looks like maybe but unsure when I hit the next screen. I have been wanting to go on a solo trip someday anyways so great apps when traveling but don't think they are useful here at home as doubt enough people want that here. But would be useful for a ride to the airport over an hour away so wouldn't have to bother someone for a ride early in the morning.
Not sure if I'd always want to live in a big city, but something different to try and feel like I'd probably be happier and healthier even. I love walking but walking the same thing over and over is boring.
I've been reading a lot of people are leaving the midwest and northern states for places like Florida and Texas. Warmer weather and lower taxes. Not sure why anyone would want to live where I'm from unless they have family, other commitments or funds that making moving hard. I know if you want to work at a factory, tons of jobs like that here. I know they say places like Ohio are suffering a huge brain drain. People who are young end up going to college or being offered a job somewhere else and never comes back home. I guess that's why it's called the rust belt. Not sure why anyone would want to voluntarily live here, it's like a punishment to live here. I don't see the appeal of why anyone would actually want to live here or even vacation here. Sure there's some interesting stuff but spread out so maybe if you were retired exploring the country in a RV, but if you only have a week of vacation and a limited budget flying to Orlando or Miami is more appealing to me. Maybe I'm a bit bias though since my mind has been set lately on heading south.
Have you tried using public transit for grocery shopping? Where?
Oklahoma City has 20 bus routes, which seem to run every 30 to 60 mins. Unless you're lucky enough to live right on a bus route that goes to those supermarkets, or happens to line up perfectly with a transfer to another bus that does, it's going to take forever to get to the supermarket via public transit.
I've done it (in a different, but seemingly similar city). You leave early to make sure you're not going to miss the bus, and then you wait. If you're lucky, your first bus isn't late and the second bus isn't early... If it's just one bus, you trip is hopefully only like 10-15 minutes (you've already spent at least that walking and waiting), and then you're there! You probably want to shop for about 45 minutes -- even if your bus comes every half hour, making it back to the bus stop in 20 minutes ( remember, buses can come early or late!) is probably not going to happen, especially given that this whole venture isn't something you're doing every day, and you've got to stock up! But not too much, because you've got to carry it back with you. Speaking of, easy-to-carry packages of toilet paper or paper towels are typically astronomically more expensive than the giant packs, wtf. So, you get back to the bus stop laden down with stuff, everything goes pretty well on the trip back, and it only took, let's say, an hour and a half! Yay. You're never buying ice cream again.
But, you didn't get enough for your family for the whole week. You do it all again two days later -- you could have waited a couple more days, but the restricted weekend hours don't work out, or maybe you only have two days a week where that 7pm-latest-bus-run isn't too late (assuming you're comfortable trusting the last bus to get you home). You head out again, but this time, your first bus is very late. Or your second bus never shows. Or you miss your bus home, the last bus of the night, and now you have to call a friend or Uber.
This is all if you're lucky enough to live anywhere where trying this even makes sense. This is assuming your schedule isn't entirely incompatible with the bus schedule, and you can afford to be gone for however long the ordeal takes (my grandmother is a retired nurse living with her friend, who has Parkinson's; my grandmother tries not to leave for more than about an hour without someone else to watch her friend).
The price of public transport is not the $ for the ride; that could often be accounted for simply by the price difference between convenience store milk and Walmart milk.
In many cities, public transportation is used nearly exclusively by 1) lucky people who live right on the most reliable routes, 2) unlucky people who have very little else to do with their time.
The other day, I missed a bus in downtown Seattle. I could wait 5 minutes for the next bus (different route) coming by that stop, but have to walk an extra block at the end, or wait 10 minutes for the next bus of the route I missed. I said fuck it, didn't take any bus, and instead grabbed a delicious lunch at a hole-in-the-wall place a block away. This is not an accurate representation of public transportation in most cities.