Car-free life with kids might sound like a nightmare, but good public transportation infrastructure and the rising number of shared mobility options have made it easier for families to move around even without a car. For Jorge, life without a car comes naturally and has not affected his life or living location negatively at all.
“I had a car two years ago, but I found it was inefficient and didn’t fit my needs. For some trips it was perfect, but more often it felt better to use other modes of transportation like I already had been doing.”
Jorge has long been an avid user of MaaS solutions and enjoys making his own travel chains, that is choosing the route and time he leaves but also the modes he uses. And he uses all of them from shared cars to e-scooters and bicycles.
“Madrid has a mature mobility market and a lot of offering, but navigating it can be difficult. If you get rid of your car and are not familiar with other modes, you might be a bit lost at first. Solutions like Whim could really help here.”
Living in Spain, but often traveling to Finland for work has allowed Jorge to compare the infrastructure of two different cities. He thinks it is very interesting how often with public transportation in Finland people just get on the vehicle without anyone checking their ticket. In most European countries you have to show your ticket at the door or gate to get in.
“It’s little things like those that make you think how mobility is seen in different places. In Madrid, for example, there are very few separate bike lanes so you cycle on the same lane with cars. It’s not really dangerous, but it does feel like it is.”
With two children, safety is a very big everyday concern and in a big city like Madrid, Jorge has to keep an eye on the traffic all the time. He does appreciate cars for what they are and even uses shared ones or rents a car when he needs to, but thinks they have taken over everything else and created more congestion problems than they have solved.
“Then there’s of course the pollution. Sustainability was not the main reason why I gave up my car, but it was a reason.”
Sustainable lifestyle for Jorge means bringing it into every decision from environmental to economical. For him, it starts with recycling and composting to the best of his abilities and continues to his mobility decisions but also promoting the way he lives and showing others it is not too difficult to live without a car or go car-lite, even with a family.
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