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giscard78 t1_jeewyyv wrote

My bike is a bigger reason my car is mostly a lawn ornament but metrorail/metrobus do replace at least a few car trips per week.

77

ladakn99 t1_jef1okv wrote

I probably wouldn't be living in the area if it wasn't for metro.

395

MidnightSlinks t1_jef2kpu wrote

For me, it's not so much that I'm driving less but that I'm going to things that I just wouldn't do if driving (and then paying for parking!) were the only option. Especially now that I'm WFH, there's no way I'd go to evening events downtown without the bus/train. I'd probably go to the Nats once per year vs 10-15. We'd also need to be a two car household instead of one.

So it's a mix of saving money and opening up the city for me. Plus spending more money in ways that stay in the community vs sending it out to multinational companies via higher oil/gas consumption and buying more cars.

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DCJoe1970 t1_jef2rcp wrote

I drive once a week to the office.

1

greetedworm t1_jef2y8v wrote

I didn't even bring my car when I moved to the area, I can't even imagine what it would be like without the metro.

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AnxiousBeanSprout t1_jef446z wrote

I don't own a car. If not for the Metro (and MetroBus), I'd be driving almost daily. Even more likely, I wouldn't be living in DC as decent public transportation was toward the top of my list when deciding to move to a new city.

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Malnurtured_Snay t1_jef5781 wrote

I bought a car a year and a half ago for a job I left eight months later ... but I work full-time from home, I live two blocks from a Safeway and shopping including two CVSs, multiple restaurants, and worst of all: an amazing bookstore, and a wonderful library with weekly booksales.

Unfortunately, since the car market has seemingly collapsed, I'm upside down on my car. I drive maybe once or twice a week. And I complain, but I have a good rate on insurance, have good gas mileage, and I love driving a 6-speed. (Plus it's easier to visit friends in Baltimore and family on the Eastern Shore).

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Docile_Doggo t1_jef5dfe wrote

Replying to greetedworm (#2,534,497)

Same. I sold my car right before moving here. I didn’t really have a choice because I needed the money, but it would have been a good decision regardless. I save so much money not owning a vehicle and having my employer pay for my Metro commute

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breadstickvevo t1_jef72yo wrote

I used to drive to work every day but I got the unlimited metro pass and no longer drive at all. Takes longer but I can read, text people, and do stuff instead of focusing on not crashing

4

JamesKBoyd t1_jef78pv wrote

I use metro literally every single day. On the other hand, my car sometimes goes weeks at a time without seeing any use.

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Snow_source t1_jef81cm wrote

Not that much more. The city is walkable and I work from home. I can walk or E-Bike pretty much anywhere I need to be.

I mostly drive to visit friends in VA or pick up specialty groceries in MD.

5

SuperBethesda OP t1_jef84wl wrote

Replying to DCJoe1970 (#2,534,432)

I have the option of reserved parking space at my office, but I opted for riding the Metro instead. It takes about the same amount of time, but I can sit back and read a book whilst the train whisks me to the office instead of dealing with traffic.

6

kindergartenchampion t1_jef9lfk wrote

I’m a top 1% capital bikeshare user and carless. That and metro make cars unnecessary for my life and I couldn’t be happier about it

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dmvpcbuilder t1_jefair5 wrote

Bro this is def WMATA burner account 😭😭

13

frigidcucumber t1_jefbnv9 wrote

Bro every now and again I have to jump my car bcuz I hardly drive it and the battery, for lack of a better phrase, just conks out

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metrazol t1_jefebd3 wrote

I was driving 30 some odd miles every day. Now I drive/walk/bike a mile to the Metro. I cannot remember the last time I got gas. It's great!

Biggest complaint is walking is uphill both ways, so the band where the weather is good is very slim. Bike is quick but the drivers between home and the Metro are nuts.

3

orion2145 t1_jefhgd1 wrote

We had two cars. Downsized to one. It gets out maybe once a week. But super useful for trips outside of DC which are something like a monthly type thing.

7

Wheresmycardigan t1_jefiuvc wrote

I drive 4-5 days a week because of Metro.

Pre-pandemic I had a bus - metro commute and since the time schedules haven't been back to normal. I begrudgingly made the switch to the car commute, then realized it was a blessing in disguise. It reallyyyyy sucks if you miss the bus and next one is in 20 minutes then it's just a domino effect to catching a train. It takes me 20 min to drive or 45min public transportation hitting transfers door to door.

My company gives us either $150/month for public transportation or free parking spot in the garage so it was a no brainer to be like "jk can I switch plz"). It's not even a cost thing bc I used to get $90/month unlimited pass and pocket the rest of my transport benefit...

As service slowly rebounds, I am starting to do a hybrid but damn is it rough to convert back after having the conveniences. I comically got motion sickness when I took metro for first time in months.

In my non work commute, my day to day, I usually walk or ebike bc things I need are within walking/biking distance.

I'm actually planning to move and broadening my geographical search to neighborhoods that aren't directly on top metro line but within a mile and served by bus.

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Super_lobbyist t1_jefjmxx wrote

The bus is a bigger reason why I only use my car a few times a months. I wouldn’t have a car if my parents didn’t live in a non-transit accessible part of central PA

6

dry_zooplankton t1_jefl61k wrote

Replying to giscard78 (#2,532,423)

Yep! The specter of parking and traffic will get me to bike pretty much anywhere, in nearly any condition. My car is used exclusively for shopping trips where I’m buying more than I can carry & trips far outside of the city.

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Margie_Star t1_jeflihw wrote

For me it’s the capital bike share. If it’s above 40 I bike. I love it. I wish I felt safer but the bikes themselves and their ecosystem are great. All else is metro which mostly takes me to work. I haven’t explored far out yet (been here 5 months now).

5

rlbond86 t1_jeflyxz wrote

I drive twice a week, once to my kid's swim lesson and once to Lidl or Costco.

3

UnoStronzo t1_jefm6n2 wrote

Ever since the silver line extension, I drive only a couple of times a month and love it!

2

Electromasta t1_jefmc78 wrote

I like the metro, but only 1-2 a week. If I need to get somewhere quick or nowhere near a metro (like shenandoah or great falls) then I drive.

1

WarbossTodd t1_jefo4u4 wrote

I live out in the ‘burbs. The Metro saves me a ton of driving in every day. I don’t have one of those fancy WFH jobs.

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stos313 t1_jefo8ia wrote

Same. I take the metro every day to work. Car is just for the weekend basically

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Tahh t1_jefocmq wrote

someday i will convince my family to move downtown and the first thing i will do is turn my car into scraps

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foxy-coxy t1_jefod38 wrote

I drive maybe once or twice a month. If it weren't for the metro i would probably drive a couple times a day. The metro is a big part of the reason i moved here.

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GunnerGregory t1_jefom4v wrote

Agreed.

My late wife and I bought our last house specifically because it was walking distance to a Green Line metro station while still being a short drive to her workplace.

I used to only drive to Home Depot / Lowes and maybe the grocery store, and 99% of those trips were on the weekend.

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FoxOnCapHill t1_jefowxf wrote

Living in a walkable neighborhood is the reason my car stays in a garage.

Metro is the reason I own one in the first place.

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celj1234 t1_jefp4rw wrote

Live in the city but I never use metro. Uber, walking and my whip is how I get around. Metro just isn’t worth the hassle.

−3

k032 t1_jefrd9s wrote

I might be able to get by a bit, but I'd still need a car to get to work out in Tysons one day a week.

I'm planning to move to Baltimore soon though, and probably will still do MARC + Metro for that one day I have to go into the office a week.

3

pizzajona t1_jefrf6n wrote

I only drive for groceries and maybe going out of the city once a month

1

jon20001 t1_jefrqar wrote

Thanks to Metro, Uber, and Free2Move, I have not owned a car since I moved from upper NW to Gallery Place 20 years ago. So unnecessary to drive if you plan ahead.

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joe_sausage t1_jefsjh3 wrote

Opposite. Live a 15 minute walk to a metro stop but hardly use it because it doesn’t go to the places I need and it takes 2-3x longer than driving.

5

TurbulentSuccess3519 t1_jefsxny wrote

I personally keep my car out of the city with family, but since i’ve lived here I have only ever needed it about 6 or 7 times. Just to move/pickup furniture or travel somewhere that requires a little bit more distance than the metro can take me. The public transportation here is honestly working out super well for me!

3

Brickleberried t1_jeft6yx wrote

I don't know. I'd have to learn the bus schedule and then see if that was convenient for me to go to work.

0

N0T-It t1_jeftn18 wrote

I do a combo of metro, walking, Uber, and driving depending on where I have to go. Right now, I drive maybe 2-3 days each month- it comes out to about 3k miles a year. Without metro, it would probably be 2-3 days each week.

3

LeoMarius t1_jeftsya wrote

I wouldn't live in this area. The traffic would be appalling.

3

LilJonPaulSartre t1_jefu3lw wrote

Sold my car and bought a very old "fun car" since reliability wouldn't be a concern. I probably drive once or twice every couple of weeks. Access to things, including other cities, without a car is one of the main reasons we live here.

5

kindergartenchampion t1_jefv0hf wrote

Replying to pizzajona (#2,542,163)

I'm absolutely paranoid about my bike/wheels getting stolen. The convenience of being able to dock and forget about bikes is worth the extra few minutes of walking to/from stations and the annual fee. I also bike recreationally and use my (fairly nice) bike for that

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RemoteClancy t1_jefwvhp wrote

Replying to AnxiousBeanSprout (#2,534,890)

I moved to DC in 1997 straight after college and left to go back "home" in 2020. . . which is also when I bought my first car. We did start using car share a bit after we had kids, but there's no way we could/would have continue(d) to live in the area without Metro.

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Monsterman442 t1_jefxgd7 wrote

When I stay in dc i park my car in a garage and don’t use it til I’m leaving.

3

DC-COVID-TRASH t1_jefxqxx wrote

I wouldn't live in a city without a metro or equivalent

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gamergeek17 t1_jefywsu wrote

I’d go from driving 2 days a week for work to 5. I only drive those 2 days because I have to go from DC out to Maryland and it’s not convenient at all to metro/bus to that area. I’d prefer to not drive at all and just metro/walk.

2

ProPhysioDC t1_jefzr0l wrote

Replying to greetedworm (#2,534,497)

Same: We got rid of our cars knowing they’d be broken into, parking would be a hassle, and we’d save tons of $

Groceries delivered + Uber + Scooter for me + wife does 100% remote work based out of NYC

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OneMadChihuahua t1_jefzu59 wrote

I haven't lived yet in a city with a metro. How are you grocery shopping? Do you just have it delivered?

1

jaco1001 t1_jeg05rl wrote

ive lived here for a decade and happily never felt the need to own a car. hell, you can take the train to harper's ferry.

2

checkmategaytheists t1_jeg12oi wrote

Replying to ladakn99 (#2,534,042)

This is honestly true. I moved here very much in an attempt to reduce my car usage and live somewhere where I could get my basic needs met without a car - work, gym, grocery shopping, all things I can do without driving.

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9throwaway2 t1_jeg1os0 wrote

Replying to pizzajona (#2,542,163)

as both a person with a commuter bike and bikeshare, different uses.

My commuter is good for when I have a safe place to store it (my office). But if I'm going out on the weekend or evenings, I will almost always use a bikeshare. No worries about theft, plus if it gets late and I need to call a taxi home, I don't have to come back for the bike. Drivers also give bikeshare users more room!

The thing about bikes is that they are so cheap compared to cars. You usually can easily afford a bike and bike rental!

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SuperBethesda OP t1_jeg1t8w wrote

Replying to OneMadChihuahua (#2,544,795)

There are 5 main groceries (Harris Teeter, 2 Trader Joe’s, Giant, and Safeway) in downtown Bethesda, and I live a few blocks from some of them. I get produce from the weekly Farmers Market as well. We’re a household of 2, and with all the restaurant options in the neighborhood we eat out a lot, so not much to carry between groceries and home.

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x01660 t1_jeg33vq wrote

Honestly? Not that much more... I ride a motorcycle, and my job requires me to make frequent, random visits to client sites (MSP). A car would be annoying but doable, and metro doesn't go where I need it.

In addition, since I spend the majority of my time in the city (I live in the district proper), I try to get out on the weekend. Easy to ride (or drive my fiance's car) out 40 minutes to Chesapeake Beach or Annapolis then it is to take public transportation. Same for the monthly Costco trip.

I mostly take Metro to go to the airport, or to get back home after walking to the Mall/museums on a Saturday. But it's too slow (at least compared to my motorcycle), and doesn't go where I need it, when I need it.

2

quelcris13 t1_jeg5hps wrote

Same. I thought about selling my car for a long time and debating just staying in DC but I’ll have to move back to car city LA in a few years. Plus I got a car during covid with a 0% interest rate. The extra costs of parking and insurance are tough and with inflation it’s hard to make the payments. But I got 3 more years and then it’s all mine and by then I’ll probably be back in California

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UmbralRaptor t1_jeg6q0l wrote

Assuming we mean metrorail, maybe 1/month. Buses, however...

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newreddituser666 t1_jeg8s26 wrote

Metro is too much of a hassle. I live in DC and prefer to drive. Haven’t used the Metro in about 5 years.

0

bageloclock t1_jeg9hq5 wrote

We’re in Brookland so we grocery shop in Hyattsville typically. I drive my car for about 30 minutes total every Sunday to do so. Not as impressive as you OP but I love that I’m only in it for 2ish hours a month now.

Everything else is metro (special shout-out H8 bus) all the way!

3

Strawbrawry t1_jeg9lvv wrote

Aside from driving to visit my partners family in NOVA twice a month, I never drive. I'd take the metro but the trip is unjustifiable for the time I spend out there. Been like this for about 4 years now

1

Excellent-Ad-1606 t1_jegbole wrote

I got rid of my car bc of the metro, it’s just a black hole of money otherwise. Plus I sleep better knowing I don’t gotta move for street sweeping.

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ucnedi t1_jegd0pr wrote

I’m a DC native and although I grew up with my parents both owning cars and then moving away and living in densly populated cities, I stand by my point to live car-free for the rest of my life. I hate driving and I don’t see the point in having one when I can just metro/bike/scooter everywhere with an ocassional uber ride. No regrets!

I bike to work everyday. I use Metro (mainly bus) to run errands/visit places and people. Scooter if I am in a rush/running errands (if I don’t feel like biking) and will Uber ocassionaly. Not super often.

I don’t regret it. I would not be able to afford a car if I had one anyway.

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Midnight_Morning t1_jegeoxj wrote

I still drive. From where I live, it would take me an hour with multiple transfers to get to work for my mandatory in office day. By car? 15-20 minutes with a straight shot to the office. By bike is 30 minutes.

2

kindergartenchampion t1_jegfte9 wrote

Replying to Pangolin_4 (#2,545,553)

In the app go to the sidebar then "view profile." In the account settings section it should say the number of stations visited and which % of riders you're in. I'm not sure how they calculate it but it seems like it's by total stations visited rather than total distance or amount of rides, so it could be more accurate

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alagrancosa t1_jeggi9m wrote

Between metro and my bike I haven’t driven in 2 weeks. Work day starts the moment I walk in the door, ends the moment I leave, been since august and I have never been happier nor healthier with all the reading and riding I’ve been doing in the time I used to spend fighting traffic. Door-to-door it is actually faster because I don’t have to park and walk to my office.

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k032 t1_jeggrnj wrote

Replying to Wheresmycardigan (#2,548,337)

Yup, 2 hours. For the cheaper COL and some other things going on in my life, it's manageable. It could be more like 1h 15min if I left real early and drove.....but I rather ride transit and least do something and have it take an extra hour.

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polkadotcupcake t1_jegh1o5 wrote

I'll take the flip side of this - metro is not a convenient option from my location in the 'burbs. I use it a single digit number of times per year, mostly when I have friends in town and I'm playing tourist in the city with them all day. I hate driving in this area more than words can describe, but I do it every day out of necessity. If metro were an option for my daily commute, I would use it.

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mjornir t1_jegl2cq wrote

I used to drive every day in my home town-now I drive once a week if that. Mostly just to not get the street sweeper tickets. So 6 times a week

1

BansheeLoveTriangle t1_jego8aa wrote

I need a car for work (potential for having to go into work after metro hours) - with silver line expansion I can start taking the metro and I think I might monday - because traffic has gotten even worse. I maybe drive on the weeknight/weekend maybe once or twice a quarter

2

Lalalama t1_jegpg4w wrote

Replying to ladakn99 (#2,534,042)

Yeah I wanted to grab coffee at Union Market today from the upper NW. Took my car since it was a little windy. Big mistake. Ended up driving to the area, hit traffic and just went home hitting more traffic. Ended up being more than an hour back and forth. Next time I’ll metro lol.

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Moarwatermelons t1_jegpkbp wrote

My battery keeps on dying because I only start her up MAYBE once a week or more

1

jigga19 t1_jegsehh wrote

“How much more would you be driving if you needed to drive somewhere but didn’t have an alternative mode of transportation?”

“I guess I would drive more frequently.”

“Thant makes sense. More. Gotcha.”

3

damnatio_memoriae t1_jegsfbf wrote

i never drive but tbh i don't even use metro either. i walk or bike everywhere i need to go but that's only because the nearest metro stations to me are all farther away than most of the places i need or want to go. if metro had more extensive coverage of the city and ran more frequently i would use it regularly. fuck cars though.

1

stacineux t1_jegwc2g wrote

I moved to DC so I would never have to drive again.

1

kodex1717 t1_jegxajq wrote

I would love to get to the point where I don't use my car for days at a time. I am in the PG suburbs. So, there is enough density to bike places, but the bike infrastructure is just not there for a lot of trips. Most of the roads along the Route 1 Corridor are more like freeways, and a lot of people do try to bike/walk but I'm not that brave.

1

ichosetobehere t1_jegxvjx wrote

Imagine if we had a relatively half way decent metro system

1

Penn_Blink t1_jegzd9d wrote

Zero. I gave up on Metro about 5 years ago after riding it for +30 years. Haven't looked back, don't miss it one bit (at least not its current state– it was fantastic in the 80–90s).

3

One-Arachnid-2119 t1_jegzzo7 wrote

I'm going to be moving to DC next month. I've lived in the area for 20+ years, but have always commuted in. I'm planning on giving/lending my car to my sister and using the metro, uber/lyfts, and zip cars when I absolutely need a car. Looking forward to not having a car, really!

1

Temporary_Secret9284 t1_jeh0h0t wrote

I should probably use the Metro more. I tend to rely on Uber while my car stays parked.

1

ClassicStorm t1_jeh12i0 wrote

Metro is a big reason I work from home and my car stays in the garage. I was once caught on a train between archives and Chinatown that caught fire. Haven't really been a fan since.

1

jumptoc t1_jeh160z wrote

I live in Ashburn, and use the Silver to get to work...can walk from my house to grocery and restaurants, so my car happily sits at home most of the time. Love the Metro!

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fabekong0 t1_jeh2b7j wrote

No car here. All because of Metro.

1