Most urban residents treat cars as mandatory equipment.

For years I accepted the same assumption and planned my life around driving.

In 2019, living near San Francisco, I began experimenting with transit and walking out of necessity.

The adjustment felt inconvenient at first.

Rideshares replaced spontaneous errands. Borrowed cars filled occasional gaps.

Once I moved into the city and learned the bus system, movement simplified.

By 2023 in Los Angeles, I kept the experiment alive.

I worked from home and structured errands within walking distance of Filipinotown, Echo Park, and Silver Lake.

The absence of a car eliminated $600–$900 in monthly expenses.

Sidewalk life replaced windshield life.

Fruit vendors appeared. Neighbors walked dogs. Conversations happened outside the carnicería.

Mobility slowed and community surfaced.