Transportation is the most important thing in my life right now
I have thought and thought and thought some more, and I've decided not only do nearly all my possessions have to go, but I have to live in a place with an excellent public transportation system. Everything else is secondary, because I don't ever want to have to own a car again. My roommate told me today that she got just shy of 3/4 of a tank of gas today for $50. Before I lost my car, I used to be able to run my car up and down the highway every day to and from work (10 miles away) and then anyplace I wanted to go on my days off for $25. I refuse to pay that much for gas.
Plus, I really don't need a car. I hardly ever go anywhere other than to shop or occasionally to a friend's house. Where I live now, the bus stop is 2 miles away, not walking distance by any stretch of the imagination, especially not in the summer. The bus routes are so sparse that getting anywhere takes way too long, and you have to walk way too far to get where you're going afterwards. For example, I wanted to take a free class at the Y. So to get there, I'd have to walk two miles to the bus stop here, one mile from the closest stop to the Y, a mile back afterwards, then two miles back here. Six miles of walking for a free class. Nuh-uh. Yes, I could get a bicycle, but honestly, with my brittle bones, I don't want to ride a bike. I'd be scared to death of falling or getting hit by a car.
So I've decided to take the next few months to get rid of everything I possibly can that isn't essential to life so I can move into a tiny abode of my own, and then to go back to Gainesville. Now you will notice, this was my original plan all along -- except for the getting rid of everything -- so I've come full circle back to what was actually the best plan anyway.
But local transportation isn't the only consideration. Here, it's nearly impossible for me to get to the airport, even though it's not that far away. The Sarasota airport route takes 3 bus changes and nearly 3 hours to travel 30 miles. There is no way to get to the Fort Myers airport, because Charlotte County has no public transportation at all. It costs about $100-200 more to fly into or out of Sarasota. If I want to see my sons, or have them come see me, that's just too damned much trouble. Forget catching a bus. The bus station in Sarasota is way out by the interstate, and there is NO city bus service to take you there.
In Gainesville, the airport is about a 45 minute city bus ride from the city and buses run every 30 minutes. The Greyhound station is about the same. These are things I have to consider. They are important to me.
So how about those times you absolutely need a car? Being a college town, Gainesville has two Zipcar lots. Zipcars can be rented on an hourly or daily basis for reasonable rates. You don't pay extra for gas or insurance, and they have generous mileage limits with reasonable overage rates. With such an awesome public transportation system, I only need a car once in a great while, maybe twice a month. Compare that to paying gas, insurance and maintenance on your own car every month, and the choice is clear.
I don't know why I let myself think I could actually stay in S. Florida and be happy. It has none of what I want and little of what I need. Plus, the diversity in this area is zilch -- pure white -- 97% white. I love the diversity in North Florida. Having grown up in a state that is 40% black, it really made me feel at home.
So I've made a final decision. I'm going back to Gainesville, give it another shot, see if I can make it work. I'm pretty sure I can.
Plus, I really don't need a car. I hardly ever go anywhere other than to shop or occasionally to a friend's house. Where I live now, the bus stop is 2 miles away, not walking distance by any stretch of the imagination, especially not in the summer. The bus routes are so sparse that getting anywhere takes way too long, and you have to walk way too far to get where you're going afterwards. For example, I wanted to take a free class at the Y. So to get there, I'd have to walk two miles to the bus stop here, one mile from the closest stop to the Y, a mile back afterwards, then two miles back here. Six miles of walking for a free class. Nuh-uh. Yes, I could get a bicycle, but honestly, with my brittle bones, I don't want to ride a bike. I'd be scared to death of falling or getting hit by a car.
So I've decided to take the next few months to get rid of everything I possibly can that isn't essential to life so I can move into a tiny abode of my own, and then to go back to Gainesville. Now you will notice, this was my original plan all along -- except for the getting rid of everything -- so I've come full circle back to what was actually the best plan anyway.
But local transportation isn't the only consideration. Here, it's nearly impossible for me to get to the airport, even though it's not that far away. The Sarasota airport route takes 3 bus changes and nearly 3 hours to travel 30 miles. There is no way to get to the Fort Myers airport, because Charlotte County has no public transportation at all. It costs about $100-200 more to fly into or out of Sarasota. If I want to see my sons, or have them come see me, that's just too damned much trouble. Forget catching a bus. The bus station in Sarasota is way out by the interstate, and there is NO city bus service to take you there.
In Gainesville, the airport is about a 45 minute city bus ride from the city and buses run every 30 minutes. The Greyhound station is about the same. These are things I have to consider. They are important to me.
So how about those times you absolutely need a car? Being a college town, Gainesville has two Zipcar lots. Zipcars can be rented on an hourly or daily basis for reasonable rates. You don't pay extra for gas or insurance, and they have generous mileage limits with reasonable overage rates. With such an awesome public transportation system, I only need a car once in a great while, maybe twice a month. Compare that to paying gas, insurance and maintenance on your own car every month, and the choice is clear.
I don't know why I let myself think I could actually stay in S. Florida and be happy. It has none of what I want and little of what I need. Plus, the diversity in this area is zilch -- pure white -- 97% white. I love the diversity in North Florida. Having grown up in a state that is 40% black, it really made me feel at home.
So I've made a final decision. I'm going back to Gainesville, give it another shot, see if I can make it work. I'm pretty sure I can.
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