Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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Fifteen years ago I sold my car in Cleveland, Ohio, and joined the small percentage of Americans living car-free. In this video, I break down why I chose car-free living, what it was actually like getting around Cleveland and Costa Rica without a car, and how giving up car ownership changed the way I see car culture, urbanism, and the environmental impact of cars — even after moving to Berlin, Germany.

I cover the real reasons people choose to live car-free (it's not always the environment), the cost of car ownership, walkable cities vs. car-dependent suburbs, road safety and traffic fatality statistics, and practical tips for reducing car dependency, whether you're in the U.S. or Europe.

If you're curious about life without a car, public transportation, or what it's like as an American immigrant in Germany, this one's for you.

📚 Book mentioned: Carmageddon by Daniel Knowles
✈️ Thinking about moving abroad? Email me: joe@joebaur.com
🎥 Follow my travel channel, @WithoutAPath

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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
00:55 - Why I Went Car-Free
03:36 - Polluting the Planet
07:13 - Our Lived Experience
09:22 - Carmageddon
10:37 - Just Try It

SOURCES: withoutapath.substack.com
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#urbanplanning #lifeingermany #lifeinamerica #sustainablecities #carfree