No Car, No Problem

People often ask me how I manage without driving and whether it limits where I can go. Honestly, it doesn't bother me much. I get to where I need to go in various ways.

Growing up, my dad once told me that if I started driving, I'd kill someone. That stuck with me, and though I can technically drive, my anxiety levels go through the roof when I do. His voice in my head is enough to make me reach for a Valium. I’ve only driven a handful of times, mostly to help Terry get home from procedures. Most recently, pulling out of the hospital, someone almost hit us. I freaked, slammed on the brakes, and reversed quickly. It would have been their fault, but still, not cool for my mental state.

The first time I drove, though, I had no fear. It was the infamous ride to New York with Andrew Wilder in his not-so-legally-acquired vehicle. I was fine, but then again, that ride was on interstates with little traffic and fewer lane changes. It was also peppered with pit stops to satisfy certain urges. Growing up in small towns, driving was essential to get anywhere quickly. By the time I was old enough to drive, I didn't need to because I could catch rides with others.

1991 LeBaron Convertible, like the one I drove

When I moved to Atlanta and New York, I relied on public transportation. New York is way more pedestrian-friendly than Atlanta. It’s no sweat to walk from Times Square to the Village if you don’t want to take the train. The only challenge is watching out for drivers in NYC who don’t care about traffic lights. In Kentucky, I depended on my best friend Ernie to get around, though I could walk to the grocery store and my awful job. In Vegas, I bought rollerskates to navigate around. The only struggle was tourists who stopped short in front of you.

The trains go all over NYC & beyond

By 1997, I settled in Atlanta. Terry and I lived in the heart of the city, making it easy to walk or take the train. When he bought his first car in 1999, we became more mobile, though I preferred walking, biking, and public transit. We later moved to a less accessible area, and I started biking more. At one point, I had to rely on Terry to drive me to the airport to catch the train. Thankfully, MARTA expanded bus routes into our county, picking up right in front of our subdivision.

After years of walking to the bus stop and work, scooters began to pop up around town. Renting them for a while, I eventually bought my own—a Swagtron Swagger Elite 5. It was great for getting around without walking or biking, though the battery life wasn’t as advertised. One time, the battery died while I was training at Hobnob in Midtown. I learned my lesson: always have a plan to charge up. After breaking my arm on the scooter, I took a break from using it.

When I started working at the airport, I considered using the scooter to get to and from the bus. After figuring out the logistics and getting my manager's permission, I’ve used it ever since. It, along with my Swagtron SwagCycle Pro eBike, has been handy for quick trips to the gas station and Aldi, but never too far.

The farthest I go from my house on my own accord is Six Flags Over Georgia, thanks to MARTA having bus access to the park. Does it bother me not driving? Not at all. I don't worry about insurance, car repairs, or even gas.