A big reason I originally went without a car was financial. There were long periods when I simply couldn't afford one, so bicycles and public transportation became my way of getting around. But after doing that for so many years, I started looking at car ownership differently.
I'm not against cars. I've owned them before, and I still recognize how useful they can be. There are definitely times when having a vehicle would make life easier, and I occasionally rent one when I need to. But even when I could afford to buy an inexpensive car, I've found myself questioning whether the ongoing expenses would be worth it for how often I'd actually use one.
Living without a car hasn't always been easy, especially in Southern California, where so much is built around driving. I've dealt with long distances, missed buses, bicycle breakdowns, bad weather, and plenty of other challenges. But I've also learned that you don't necessarily need an expensive bicycle or specialized equipment to start getting around by bike.