A woman from India has shared how moving to the US changed her view of owning a car. She said that while a car may feel like a luxury in India, it can become a necessity in much of the US.
In a video shared on Instagram, Drishti Baldeva spoke about the difference in public transport between India and the US. She said that in India, people can easily find options such as rickshaws, buses, e-rickshaws and metros to travel around.
Baldeva said that after moving to the US, she realised that a car was "not a luxury - it's a survival need." She added that, except for two or three cities such as New York, public transport in the rest of the US is almost non-existent.
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She said people may have to wait up to 45 minutes for a bus. Baldeva also spoke about the distances involved in daily life. She said everything is so spread out that people may have to drive 10 miles (around 16 Km) just to buy groceries. She added that taking an Uber every day can cost around 50 to 60 dollars.
She said that for students and engineers, learning to drive and buying a car can become necessary within one month of arriving in the US. Baldeva described having no car as being "equal to house arrest."
While sharing the video, Baldeva said that America has one rule: "if you don't drive, life gets hard." She described the experience as a culture shock after coming from India, where an auto, metro or bus is usually just a few minutes away.
She also highlighted the costs of owning a vehicle, including car, insurance, gas and maintenance, and asked people whether they would prefer India's public transport accessibility or America's car-dependent lifestyle.
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