I used to live in a medium sized metro area and the transit system was way up there. I did not own a car. I was able to travel to most places I wanted to without too much time spent away in transit. Any long journeys were a great way to catch up on my reading and music listening. It was very nice to spend less than $60/month on transportation and have unlimited options 18+ hours a day. There are downsides to not having personal transport, but they are very few.