October 15, 2019 —By Frances Kolarek —
“Hell, Jack. this is more painful than my first divorce.” Overheard as two men agonized over giving up their cars.
Giving up driving and parting with a beloved car, while a wrenching experience, can turn into an unexpected windfall. Statistics tells us transportation is the second highest household expense after housing. Car-dependent households spend 25 percent of their income on transportation.
Factor in Insurance costs, always high, that increase as we age. A 75-year-old pays 17% more for car insurance than the average 60-year old, according to The AARP.
But look before you leap! Consider alternate methods of transportation Even an excellent public transportation system can take you “almost there” — leaving a walk of a couple of blocks to one’s ultimate destination — feasible at 60, but not, say, at 85. Think ahead.
Collington presents the ideal answer. An hourly free shuttle bus takes residents to a Metro station with trains heading toward the Smithsonian and downtown D.C. The same station accommodates AMTRAK trains heading to New York and points south — but not ACELA. An elevator takes you from the street level to the track.
And at the same location, one can board a bus that goes straight to New York for a very reasonable price.
Collington also offers free transportation on a regular basis to shopping centers, supermarkets and medical centers. It is also served by taxis.
However, driving oneself has an addictive quality, and we find it hard to give ourselves bad grades as drivers, even as eye sight and hearing begin to fail. When the time comes, ask yourself: Should I be out on the beltway in heavy traffic where impatient kids are texting at 60 miles per hour?
When your answer is “NO,” make a grandkid happy, while you shed a final tear.