An 83-year old resident of Oak Harbor donated her car to charity a year ago. You’d think she would be tickled to have this freedom from car ownership in a town where anything is a two-mile or shorter taxi ride — or free bus ride — away. Additionally, the woman’s retired son usually is available and always willing to help with her local transportation needs.

An empty garage means no car payments, no car insurance, no maintenance worries, no icy roads to navigate … If you can do it, living without a car is a wise, money-ahead decision for anyone of any age.

In a year’s time, the elderly resident has used a taxi three times because of conflicts with her son and daughter-in-law’s schedule. One taxi experience was fine, but twice she had such difficulties connecting with a phone dispatcher or waiting for a taxi on one end of her trip or the other — to ride distances of a mile or less — that she’s now planning to buy another car!

Is the woman simply too impatient? Is our local taxi service that terrible? Isn’t this tragic?

Gary Blevins

Oak Harbor