First, life without owning a car still includes lots of cars. I was under no illusion that I would not use cars when I hatched this idea, although I had hopes of doing so less frequently over time. I am no Greta Thunberg, and I know that my carbon footprint is too large, but I have long wanted to find small ways to minimize it.

But not today, Satan.

So far, I have rented cars twice from traditional services like Hertz, and also from newer peer-to-peer ones like Turo, which allow you to find the autos of people living around you and use an app to unlock them. These systems have gotten pretty nifty , but the companies mostly offer up cars that wealthy customers want to try out, like Teslas, BMWs and Mustangs. And these “Airbnb for your car” services are fighting in court to avoid regulations.

As many people in cities do, I also take car-sharing services like Uber and Lyft several times a week. They have become slightly more expensive and will continue to do so as it becomes clear that their businesses have to be more than a gift from investors to riders.

The subsidization of car-sharing businesses by investors, and the companies’ continued grappling with paying their drivers a living wage, are thorny issues. But the use of these services has become rote for many customers, and the services are increasingly available in suburban and remote areas (with longer wait times, of course). Still, this is in no way a solution to mobility as you move further out of the city.

Lastly, I have gotten rides from friends, which has resulted in interesting social moments. “I can’t come to dinner because I can’t get there easily, and you will have to pick me up if you want to see me,” I find myself saying to friends, who now have to determine if my company is ride-worthy. So far, it has been, but I suspect that will change as I become more of a frequent burden.

Overall, I’d say I’ve used cars about half as much as before, and my total spending on transportation is less than what I used to spend when I had a car.

But relying on public transportation and friends is slower and has meant that I have to think a lot about logistics. I’m more susceptible to transit delays or my inability to gauge exactly how much time it will take to get somewhere.