I lived 18 years without a car, but that was in NYC. I rented cars for day trips and used cabs for groceries.

I live in the country now, so it is a bit unimaginable how I'd live without it, even though I don't drive a lot. I don't even know if there is Uber here. You can always see how it goes, and if you hate it buy a car.

I've never had a car, it just hurts too much to drive. Sometimes I wish I did drive, for convenience sake, but mostly I'm glad I don't have yeat another thing to cause me pain! I've always done public transport and taxis, and have never really felt trapped or confine (but then i guess i never had the alternative to compare it to!). Good luck with your decision - do what you feel is right for nurturing yourself.

My main reason for avoiding driving is the brain fog and my lack of concentration. I'm convinced that it's a matter of time before I hurt someone, myself, or both. I simply don't trust myself behind the wheel, geared as I am to be extremely lost in thought, often to prevent myself from focussing on pain.

Public transport (PT) is quite well sussed out here. Temporarily living in a much smaller place (village, in fact), the PT is less convenient, but we're planning to move to an inner city. There the PT situation would be more comparable to a place like NYC/San Fran.

I end up doing things on bicycle as well, but that's because we have very high urban density. It's doable. I know plenty of places in the States are much more remote, and in general much more spread out. I can understand how a lack of car might end up limiting.

If PT is arranged well enough for you to get where you'd like to go, you could always experiment. :) I've never used something like Uber, so I don't know if using that costs you more or less over a year, when you take gas, insurance and maintenance into account. Sounds like some number crunching, maybe.

I gave up driving a few years back when my physical health was at it's worse but my hubby could still drive then so was not a big deal. But now he is no longer driving. There is pros and cons on both sides. The money we saved on not having a car, repairs, gas, Insurance, Tags, taxes, etc. was a big help and my hubby can take a bus with a lift for his walker most anywhere he needs to go where the only worry I have is with my fur baby. We've always had a car before when our pets needed to go to the vets and now that we don't that is a worry for me as we really don't have the money for the prices of cabs. Local friends are always too busy to help. Otherwise, I'm ok with not driving.

Thanks for your replies, all very useful. Cost of owning another car: close to $3000/year. Not having one would probably isolate me somewhat, something that I'd have to overcome. We do have Uber (I'd have to get a smart phone first--ha!) here.

It could even be better for me in that maybe I'd take public transport or taxi/uber to an evening event, something I don't do now because I don't drive.

The safety factor could be a problem. I do get distracted and tired easily.