Letting go of my car

It was time. I was ready.

After owning or leasing an automobile continuously since graduating from college, I decided to go car-less for the foreseeable future. The time had come to walk the talk.

I had no prior experience selling or buying via craigslist when I posted my 1999 Audi for sale late last week. That's my excuse for being totally unprepared for what followed.

Within an hour, two interested parties were at the house inspecting the car. Meanwhile, four others called to inquire and four others emailed to register their interest. The two parties, who had arrived at the house at the same time, both wanted the car. A coin flip was suggested as a way to resolve the situation; heads it was and the buyer was determined.

My experience testifies to the power of the Web and the effectiveness of craigslist when it comes to selling vehicles. I have to wonder why anyone with access to a computer would bother with a classified ad in a print newspaper.

The realities of being car-free set in almost immediately. I had a meeting at 9:00 the following morning on the other side of downtown; during the night, 6 inches of snow blanketed the city. But hey, through the cold and blowing snow, I was walking my talk.