Cities with Good Non-Car Transportation (apartments, rentals, chapel)

[ransomedbyfire]

I cannot drive because I am legally blind. So, the idea of a place where I could live and still get around without being able to drive fascinates me.

I have recently begun looking into cities with good public transportation and have even started looking for work in DC for that very reason. But I have lived in a small(ish) town all my life (population 32,180). So, while the independence I could gain by living in such a place draws me, I'd still rather not have to live in (or near) such an intimidatingly big city.

Today, while job-hunting on the internet, I came across a place called Peachtree City, GA that has golf cart trails that they claim can get you anywhere in the city. Now, this fascinates me. While I probably wouldn't be legally able to drive a golf cart even (Can you believe it?), it's got me wondering - what are some of the other hidden gem cities for car-free living that don't necessarily rely on subways and the like? I'm talking places that are easily walkable (for someone who's kind of out-of-shape) or take unique low-vision-friendly approaches to transportation.

[kyle19125]

Chapel Hill, NC comes to mind. It's the home of the University of North Carolina and is a very walkable small city of 50,000 that also is blessed with free public transit.

Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Town of Chapel Hill : About Chapel Hill Transit

[M3 Mitch]

Most smaller towns don't have public transport, beyond maybe bus service. The Tri-City area of Washington has bus service, depending on how bad your vision is these may or may not help much as you have to see well enough to identify the bus number to transfer, unless you stay on a single bus line. Although if you asked for help you would probably get it.

If you walk more you will get into better shape of course.

If you were able to find a downtown apartment in for example Prosser, there is a grocery store within walking distance, several restaurants, the Tri-City bus does run a route to Prosser, but it's a long slow ride, but for an occasional trip into "the city" such as it is, that might work for you.

Funny, as soon as I looked at your post I thought about DC. DC is what it is, but I have to say you can have a very full life there without owning a car, same can be said of NYC, etc.

[bryson662001]

I have a vision challanged friend who can't drive and lives alone in Bristol Boro, PA in Bucks County. It is a quaint victorian town on the banks of the Delaware river just north of Philadelphia completely surounded by suburban sprawl. It is the little town that time forgot. Buses stop at her door that take her to shopping malls, supermarkets etc. The town itself has one market and some other stores within walking distance. She is also one block from the train station where hourly service will take her to downtown Philly in a half hour and from there she can reach anywhere in the metro or the world for that matter since there is train service to the airport as well as up and down the NE corrider or west to Chicago and beyond. This little town has a poor side with imigrants in rentals and a rich side with single family houses and many apartments for rent. This little town should not be confused with adjacent Bristol township which has a bad reputation.

[ransomedbyfire]

Oh yeah, for those of you wondering, my vision is pretty much just bad enough that I can't drive. But, other than that, I get around pretty well - as long as I'm not on a basketball court.

[Chava61]

NYC is a great place to get around via public transportation. If one lives & works in Manhattan, it is possible to use only buses without having to use the subway. Also there are large areas in Queens that only have bus service (rather than subway service). In general NYC is very walkable city.