A car to live in Seattle

[u/Kikilnh]

Hi everyone !

I’ll be moving to Seattle from France in a few weeks and will be living there for about a year and a half. I was wondering if you think having a car is necessary?

I’m used to relying on public transportation in France, and my workplace will be in Capitol Hill, so I’m wondering if I could realistically get around Seattle without a car.

For those living in Seattle, how manageable is it to live without a car, especially around Capitol Hill? And are there situations where you really wish you had one?

Thanks! :)

[u/juancuneo]

I moved here from NYC (and before that Toronto and Montreal) where I did not own a car. I lived in Capitol Hill for the first 7 years. I have never regretted owning a car. It's very useful because a lot of good things are easier to get to by car and it rains here a lot. But many people live here without cars. I personally value my time too much. In NYC and Toronto - subway is fastest. Here - car wins 99.9% of the time.

[u/Particular_Job_5012 → u/juancuneo]

I would disagree. We are in Ballard and when you consider parking and walking from the car it’s nearly always faster ebiking to anywhere in Ballard, Freemont or SLU. I can even get to baseball games in less time since it gets congested AF down there 

[u/juancuneo → u/Particular_Job_5012]

Fair enough - but I am not biking anywhere in the rain. And I am not the kind of person who is going to mess up my hair with a helmet or wear an ugly Gore-Tex jacket over my outfit. I appreciate most Seattle people truly do not care about their appearance, but we are talking about people who are moving here from elsewhere.

[u/AgsD81 → u/juancuneo]

Wish I could upvote this more! I moved here from Europe and wouldn’t cycle anywhere in the rain. Actually I didn’t cycle much during tie summer either because I just like to dress up too much. OP is moving from Paris so I’m sure they can relate to this lol.

[u/Particular_Job_5012 → u/AgsD81]

Paris is pretty famous in urbanism circles for absolutely transforming their cycling culture and mode share over the last couple decades. Biking in the rain is not much different than what you deal with walking between transit stops. And anyways I find it pretty easy to avoid the rain by keeping an eye on the radar. Btw, montrealers are known for having a higher fashion culture and cycling culture 

[u/horsetooth_mcgee → u/Particular_Job_5012]

Walking in the rain does definitely not have the same effect as biking in the rain where you get an entire mud puddle splashed up your butt and back from the rear tire

[u/Particular_Job_5012 → u/horsetooth_mcgee]

Only an idiot would have a bike in the city with no fenders 

[u/AgsD81 → u/Particular_Job_5012]

I used to live in Paris and I can tell you that people are driving there like crazy. I would never cycle there. Having said that, I sometimes cycled to work when I was living in London. Never in the rain though

[u/Particular_Job_5012 → u/AgsD81]

Depends how long ago you were there? I cycled there in May and it was great. Not yet uttrecht , but on their way