Us normal folks don't have tree huggin friends.

Every single CC resident I knew kept thier cars..(albeit a civic beater not worth more thna $500).for such mundane things like shopping (so you don't get robbed by CC prices) and for going places at night and on the weekends or to places when they feel like it on thier own schedule.

Can you get around without a car. Kinda...

You lose on the limited shopping and wasted time. Nothing like hiking 4 bags on the 42 bus in heavy rush hoour traffic.


That being said...you need parking in Fairmount...for your festivals, the prison, tourists, visitors, locals...etc.

So you'll need to replace the removed parking. Since you are already are a "permit" street parking section...what else is there you can do?

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Seeing as how I live in CC, and know many people without cars, I have to dispute your findings.

Nothing like walking to the grocery store, Super fresh is not expensive. Oh yeah...and Philly Car Share.

Personally, I find it much more convenient and LESS restrictive to NOT have a car. I can get one from Philly Car Share or a rental anytime I want without having to worry about parking, maintenance, insurance, etc.

I'm not arguing that some people don't need their cars, but your claim that NO ONE gets rid of their car when they move to the city is just flat out false.

I play poker in Norristown every other week. My family lives stretched along the length of 422 from KoP to Pottstown. And I have friends in Cherry Hill, Quakertown, Stroudsburg.... that I visit regularly.

Just because I do things differently than a car owner doesn't mean it's less convenient, it's just different.

I know far more people who live in CC who do not own a car than people who do.

I disagree. Most of the people I know in center city do own cars.

Philadelphia is not NYC, where one can get away without owning a car, and will never be. Because it is much smaller with fewer things to do even in center city, people need cars to occupy their free moments.

Everyone I know has a car, or 2. Are you surprised?

Seriously tho, isnt there a website that shows cars registered per zip code vs. actual population?

Id bet, if you average out everything, there is still 1 car per unit. Im including Grad Hosp through Fairmount, and Old City to QV.

All of my friends have cars in CC. They have off street spots, so there are no parking issues. Most are in garages, so there is no damage from parking etc. My places in the cc area all had garages, and life was good. At my last place, I was 1/2 block from Superfrsh/Whole Foods. I walked to everything for the most part.

With a car in CC, I can do everything you do, plus a whole lot more. Having a car in cc is the best of both world.

Id drop my car in NYC, but never in Philly.

I get away without owning a car. I do not need a car to occupy my free moments.

Maybe that OPINION applies for YOU and many others LIKE YOU. But as a blanket, absolute statement, you're off base. Because it doesn't apply to me or many others like me.

I NEED a car maybe once a month. When I do, I rent one. No car ownership required.

That's great...congratulations. I'm not telling anyone to get rid of their car I'm just telling you I don't need one. Having one was way more of a hassle than it was worth. I wasn't willing to pay a couple hundred a month to house a car that I would use once a month, plus insurance, maintenance, etc. Why is everyone trying to convince me otherwise? Especially since I had one and got rid of it and am happier with my situation now?

My experience having a car in CC has been the worst of both worlds. All the congestion, lack of parking, and random damage to my car, coupled with high insurance, parking fees, and random towing by PPA.

And anyway...when did you live in CC? You live in Wissahickon now and lived in South Philly before that...no?

I lived at 10th and South, on the Parkway, and Rittenhouse during college (which I hated) I always had off street parking, so I never had parking/damage/tow issues.

To be clear, I have no issue with you not driving. You are 1 less car that I need to wait for Everyone chooses what is best for them, and we both made our decisions.

Here on PB and when surrounded by the wannabe uber-urban set, I have entirely too much fun talking about cars, and how they are great. FACT: There are way more car bashers than non car owner bashers.

As an outsider reading these comments, I'm just astonished that no one has proposed converting that lot into a public park. Fairmount is utterly lacking in any common green space, unless you count that one recreation field over towards Francisville. Yes, I know Fairmount Park is next door, but it's a hell of a walk from many parts of the neighborhood. This lot is right in the heart of the neighborhood surrounded by some of the most popular stores and restaurants. It's perfectly poised IMHO to become the "Rittenhouse Square" of Fairmount - - a sort of neighborhood gathering spot. But I guess I'm alone in my views.