How I did it: This happened of its own accord (pun intended) in my life. As little as three years ago, I owned and/or operated five different kind of transportation: a motorcycle, a pickup, two cargo vans, and a Jeep. It was like operating a valet station anytime I wanted to go somewhere. It was beyond ludicrous, and thanks to the economy and the overwhelming desire for something different, I've shaped up. It was miserable at first, and I cried when I lost my beloved Orangina. But it's opened my mind, and life, up to something better.

My larger question now that I'm moving to Ithaca is if we will have a car in my two-person family unit. Cornell subsidizes $60 of the $200 for an Ithaca Carshare membership, which features a Nissan Versa permanently parked three blocks from our place. At $5 an hour and .20 cents a mile, it's a no-brainer.

After my time in Florida, I'm thrilled to be going somewhere I don't need a car. I've had it with road rage, discourteous drivers, congestion-based hostility, and any other vile condition you can think of association with having your ass stuck behind the wheel, going nowhere.

Lessons & tips: Live somewhere that offers a car sharing service. Zipcar serves cities from Phoenix to Milwaukee. They even offer an iPhone app to help you locate the vehicle (and they have oodles, from BMW sedans to pickups) closest to you.

Resources: Ithaca Carshare and TCAT are turning out to be a great help. The key to this goal is living somewhere you can be happy doing this.

Jun 13, 11:11AM PDT | 0 comments | 2 cheers