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Ugh! Salesman! Ugh! Americans and our cars!
Out of idle curiosity, I looked at a couple of used cars online. This was from a Toyota dealership. I was surprised at how affordable this one car was but it was an 09 with over 130k miles on it. I just got hosed by an 09 with 127k miles on it. Yes, I could afford the down payment but I could also be put in the exact same position in short order. It said you could ask for further info. online, so I did because I wanted to know if there was a warranty. I have not gotten an answer to that question, just sales emails and a sales call.
So, I'm going to be busing for awhile. I can borrow my brother's Corolla if absolutely necessary. When Mom gets back from Canada in Sept., she will buy a car for herself and, since she is retired and lives with me, we can sort-of share said car. This would all be a lot easier if Mom hadn't sold her truck and left town before getting another vehicle. It would also be easier if my brother and sis-in-law didn't need the Corolla because sis-in-law's Jeep is in the shop.
The good thing about all this is that I am in NOLA, not the suburban town I use to live in and commute from. I'm in a location that is convenient to a very good bus stop for my purposes. it is kind of a special bus turn-around. They get there early, wait, and leave at their appointed time. One of the bus lines that goes there let me off .7 of a mile from work. That .7 mile is, literally, a walk in the park. I do work at another location on Wednesdays, so I hope I can borrow bro's Corolla next Wed.
Anyway, I am met with shock and dismay. at my decision to be car free for at least a year (I want to save $. I can't afford a big car payment). So far, the bus has worked out great. "What about the weather?" What about it? I have umbrellas and rain shoes. We don't get blizzards here. Yes, the summer is hot but the bus is air-conditioned and my walking before work is, obviously, in the cooler part of the day. Also, umbrellas are not just for rain. "What about the Fall, when all the high school kids will be riding the NORTA buses?" So? I'll buy ear plugs if need be and will be only riding the bus part-time by then.
Jeez! I get it. I was raised in suburban/rural U.S. Yes, not having a car makes me nervous and I realize my life being doable is predicated on living with someone with a car but we don't really need more than 1 car per household in my family. Mom may buy bro's Corolla, actually.
I do NOT need to be freaked out over transportation any more than I am already, thank you very much. The buses are working for me so far. NOLA may not have a great mass transit system but it does have mass transit and, at least from location, it can get you where you need to go.
Seriously! The bus, .3 of a mile from my house, picks up at 7:20 and gets me in front of the park at 7:30ish. I could get another bus to take me closer but I don't see the point for less than a mile. This bus continues down historic Carrollton past Brocato's gelato and pasteries, a Winn Dixie, the Ochsner Mid-City clinic, various restaurants, etc. The buses have bike racks on the front. I am going to try the ride and bike thing.
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