Any other "car-free" / "car-lite" individuals living in DFW? Do you have any tips and tricks on how to live here without a car?

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ty944@reddit

This is probably not what you want to hear but dude just get a vehicle. I have a buddy like you (no offense) and it is such a pain in the ass to get him places. In the end his wife has to drive him around to all of our gatherings and frankly it’s annoying.

Anyway, rant over. It sounds like you already have a system not sure how else it can be improved unless we know where exactly you frequent and need rides to and from.

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

Does he not use Uber?

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xoxo_angelica@reddit

So I have a friend like this too and then it becomes a whole thing of him having to budget his time and resources to ride at times or to and from places that won’t be “expensive” and making us feel like we have to do things closer to where he lives and on his terms or he doesn’t want to come at all.

It can and will affect other people somehow. Always does.

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ty944@reddit

Yes this exactly!! He understandably never wants to go anywhere that ends up far, out of consideration for his wife, but that just means he rarely comes out.

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xoxo_angelica@reddit

Yep unless someone responds to his passive aggressive attempts to get a ride, no matter how inconvenient and ridiculous it would be. Mostly he just wants people to come to his house or go somewhere in his neighborhood 🙄

These kind of people never realize they’re affecting other ppl unfortunately. I have to just roll my eyes.

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ty944@reddit

That just makes going out that much more expensive and means he won’t come out as much. Plus I mean what are the rates from McKinney to Uptown Dallas?

There’s just no point unless he’s getting a ride from the wife. As much as we love her we don’t always want to go out drinking with her too anyway, especially if it’s just the boys.

Your options will honestly just stay limited if you go without a car here. With the family support thing you mentioned, that burden on others alone should reveal that you should seriously consider getting a car and being self sufficient.

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noncongruent@reddit

I tend to not want to associate with people who mainly seem to want me to be their personal ride share provider. Helping out someone who can't afford a car or who can't drive for legitimate reasons is one thing, but people who can afford a car but want to freeload? Not so much.

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GeekyTexan@reddit

This is probably not what you want to hear but dude just get a vehicle

That's the right answer. But it would require OP to get a job, which is what he's trying to avoid.

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

Wait did he say he doesn’t have a job?

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user1129user@reddit

Sounds like he doesn’t know how to use public transportation and even then a real friend would call their other friend’s situation “annoying” considering it indirectly affects you.

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GunganGundam@reddit

Nah you’re a bad friend if youre not calling your friends BS out

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arlenroy@reddit

Yeah, not exactly sure what the question is. I am the first person to offer support or help in any way, but I'm not sure what I can do in this situation? If you live 30 minutes walk time from the closest station, that limits your choices, opposed to living in downtown Dallas, where in 30 minutes you could walk to multiple stations. I know people beat the drum of making Dallas more reliant on public transportation, I am all for anything to assist society, but Dallas just wasn't designed for public transportation. If OP needs to get out farther, in less time, besides moving the only option is vehicle purchase.

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Corgisarethebest123@reddit

Get a car.

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

I cannot afford a car and I'm too scared to drive.

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noncongruent@reddit

If you're budgeting/spending $500 on rideshare, transit, instacart delivery fees, etc, i.e. all the things needed in order to not have a car, then you have enough to own a car. Not a new car, for sure, not even a nicer used car, but a car is definitely within your reach.

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

Look, I’m all for trying to imagine other outcomes but you need to be ok with others finding this difficult. You’re quite far from a DART station and DFW is just simply a car-dependent place at the moment if you don’t happen to live in a part of town where you can walk to get most of your day to day needs met. I’m not saying there aren’t neighborhoods that are walkable, but getting around broader DFW regularly without a car is a PITA.

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mefirefoxes@reddit

You’d be surprised what you might be able to afford. Keep your eye out for private party sales and cheaper used options. 36 month financing on a $10,000 compact 2000s Honda/Toyota with 100,000k miles is like $300 a month plus probably $75 on top for insurance. With your limited driving, maintenance will be minimal.

As far as being too scared to drive, DFW drivers can be scary and unpredictable. You don’t HAVE to take the interstates and you can just only drive routes you’re comfortable with. Bike common routes so you’re familiar with the car infrastructure before you drive on them.

Practice your fundamentals like backing in/out of spaces in empty parking lots. Practice maneuvering between lines tightly so you get familiar with the exact size and footprint of your car. Get very familiar with the turn radius and how early you can turn the wheel without hitting the doors.

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Fabulous_Hand2314@reddit

That’s a very discriminatory ableist comment

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

He didn’t mention having a disability that prevented him from driving, made it sound like a pure preference?

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CoastieKid@reddit

How is that ableist by any means?

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Fabulous_Hand2314@reddit

I have epilepsy

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HighsideHero5x@reddit

▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️▫️▪️

Ooooo flashing lights, scarrryy!!!

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Dallas-ModTeam@reddit

Your comment has been removed because it is a violation of Rule #3: Uncivil Behavior

Violations of this rule may result in a ban. Please review the r/Dallas rules on the sidebar before commenting or posting.

Send a message the moderators if you have any questions. Thanks!

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Zestyclose_Use7055@reddit

How is that relevant to the post?

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ChiDaddy123@reddit

No no, you must let them feel special… don’t you know how things work these days?! The needs of the few outweigh the normalcy of the many!

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CoastieKid@reddit

That may apply to you and I am sorry you have epilepsy. OP hasn’t mentioned a medical condition preventing driving though

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holy-dragon-scale@reddit

Bean soup man

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ntmg@reddit

Anyone who dates you is signing up for having to drive you everywhere. What do you offer in return that would make all that effort worth it?

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

But I don't need them to drive me everywhere. I usually take Uber or the train.

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

Frankly, they shouldn’t have to drive you anywhere if you are an able-bodied adult.

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ntmg@reddit

If you are dependent on family now, you are going to switch that dependency to a gf when y’all are in a serious relationship. You help each other out in a relationship, it’s just natural. Most women are going understand this and be a little wary of being put in that position unless you’ve got something to trade to make up for it

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

100%

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gruuvey@reddit

"Nah I'm somewhat dependent on family." -OP

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GeekyTexan@reddit

"I am 30 years old, live with my parents, and don't have a car" isn't going to help you when dating.

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

THIS. Even if you shared a car with a partner one day, would you drive yourself places? Would you rent a car on occasion as needed?

women already have to worry about taking on the lions share of mental and physical domestic work in the best of relationships, and now on top of that they might have to chauffeur you around bc you just don’t want to drive? They’re imagining their potential future and they don’t like what they’re seeing.

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Ixi7311@reddit

Get a vehicle. Or move closer to the station.

Tbh I wasn’t willing to date anyone without a drivers license after my first relationship where I felt like his mom driving a teenager to work and all his activities

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

I don't have a driver's license. And 30 minutes by walking is pretty close. That is usually a 10 minute bike ride.

Normally I'm walking 2-3 hours a day.

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Brave-Statement-8810@reddit

… do you have a job? And do you do this in the summer… here???

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gpetess@reddit

Lived in uptown for 3 years without a car. My office job was located right off of a DART stop so I was a lucky case. Was able to walk to the Cityplace station and take it to Galatyn with just a short walk to work. For everything else like groceries or shopping I had several stores in walking distance. To answer your question I would say if you’re set on being without a car - move to Uptown!

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PresidentBaileyb@reddit

I’ve put under 5000 miles on my vehicle in the 4 and a half years I’ve lived here. I pretty much drive to the doctor, the grocery store, and the rare times I leave the city.

You have to live closer to a station. You just have to. 30 minutes away means it’s an hour minimum to get anywhere and back and that’s ridiculous. It would also help if you actually lived in Dallas so there were more places you can just walk.

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DavidTheBlue@reddit

Wouldn't it be easier and less expensive to rent a car or use rideshare in your situation?

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PresidentBaileyb@reddit

My insurance is super cheap because I drive so little, like ~$350 every six months. It’s a custom plan through Allstate that I actually had to call and talk to someone about. Then registration is less than $100. So between weekly grocery trip, church, and my wasted time waiting for the rideshare I think it’s worth the ~$800 a year to keep it.

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im_ray_0f_sunshine@reddit

Do you have any medical reasons that you can not drive? Life will be so much better and you will feel so free if you have a car.

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DFWRailVideos@reddit

This "freedom" is just manufactured by car industries. You aren't very free if you're stuck in traffic all the time.

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im_ray_0f_sunshine@reddit

Personally, I get to do more things with a car and worry less about transportation. But you have a very valid point here with the traffic in OP’s area!

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EmotionalBother1290@reddit

if you can afford to date, invest in a car instead. All the date money should go towards that.

at least that's what I would do if your situation was mine

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

Well I don't have to worry about dating lol the lack of a car means I don't date.

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EmotionalBother1290@reddit

Oh my bad I thought you were trying to say that you were going on dates and the lack of a car OK I misunderstood

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Afootinafieldofmen@reddit

Don’t listen to the haters, OP. I would prioritize living in a walkable neighborhood - specifically having groceries and transit within closer reach. Bishop Arts, Lakewood and Mockingbird station are the obvious ones, but there are lots of other neighborhoods that fit. I grew up in Casa View which was designed in the 1950’s for one-car families!

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Upstairs_Balance_464@reddit

Move downtown. Not “downtown area”. Actual downtown, where all the DART lines converge. It’s the best place to be car free. I did it for years and it was barely an inconvenience.

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

How much was your rent when living downtown? Right now I pay $900 a month.

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Upstairs_Balance_464@reddit

I think about 1300. I lived at the Continental.

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texaskittyqueen@reddit

Honestly, I feel like DFW is one of those places you really need to have a car, especially for dating. That's one of the reasons I'm trying to move out of here in the next couple of years and go somewhere more walkable with better public transit.

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

The drivers here scare me way more than remaining single forever lol

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texaskittyqueen@reddit

And that is a fair point lmao

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HeadAche2012@reddit

Buy a car

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DavidTheBlue@reddit

How is dating in Dallas without a car?

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

Non-existent.

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tabrizzi@reddit

A 30-year old guy who has lived all his life in Dallas without a car is asking for tips on how to live in Dallas without a car. Me thinks you should be the one giving out tips on how to live car-free in Dallas.

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

Nah I'm somewhat dependent on family.

But usually it is to budget $500 per month in ride-sharing, trains / buses, insta cart.

And I don't have a normal career so I tend to have a lot of downtime doing part-time reselling.

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Machine_Terrible@reddit

I agree so much! The only thing I can think of is to get a good folding bike...definitely don't go cheap, you'd want something very reliable

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PyramidOfMediocrity@reddit

Family support, hmm

Youngest child?

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Positive_freedback@reddit (OP)

Oldest.

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Proof-Main8915@reddit

I am “car lite.” I live in White Rock area and have a car but got really used to living without when I was downtown for 6 years. I use the park and ride often, but I’m thinking about getting a moped to make it more convenient.

Also, depending on the route, DART bus service is actually a bit underrated if it’s just getting to/from a rail station.

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Isamu29@reddit

Get an e motorbike. They are cheap and fast enough to get you in and out of trouble.

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BillyBobJangles@reddit

Live by the train station.

Mockingbird station has nice apartment, lots of food, and a grocery store within a 3 minute walk.

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Boring_Impress@reddit

My best friend doesn't have a car.

His apartment is 100 yards from a DART station. And he works with me, which is 3mi from his apartment too, so he often runs or bikes to work. He works from home most days though.

I think Dallas is harder to accomplish it. My brother didn't use a car when he lived in Chicago, and it was actually easier/faster/cheaper than owning a car. And now he's in Portland or. He didn't have a car there either until he had kids.

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FewCharge365@reddit

Yeah. You won't get dates walking everywhere.

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boricuamotors@reddit

The rules are the same no matter the city, live within 10 minutes of public transport, work within 10 minutes of public transport. Scooter/bike can be taken on train/bus, great. The did this in NYC, I also did this here in Dallas for a few years.

Otherwise get a car.

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cuberandgamer@reddit

Sounds like the best you can do is move to be closer to a station. Might make your life a lot easier. You could also move somewhere more walkable (the classic suggestion is uptown or bishop arts. Both are goodlp

You may want to learn to drive even if you don't want buy a car. That would make things easier for dating. You can still benefit from all the savings of not owning a car, but still share driving responsibilities with your partner. I know people who did this and they have one car households. Both them and their partners drive, but they only pay for one car. It's money saved, and there are people who can appreciate that. They just want to know that you aren't going to be dependent on them for getting around everywhere.

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