Fingers crossed, finally going car free
Well, I applied to the State of California car retirement program to retire my 2002 Honda Civic. It takes about 4-6 weeks to see if I qualify, but if so, they dismantle the car for parts and I get $1500.The goal is to get older cars off the road, as they likely pollute more. Probably more than the car is worth now. Been a great car, 135,000 miles and still has the ORIGINAL brakes and clutch. But I only drove 400 miles last year, so it's time. That $1500 plus the savings on car insurance will cover the cost of any car share if I need it, although I am hoping to use my bike/trailer exclusively (especially once i get my friction drive set up). It's kind of scary letting it go - thinking what if I am making a mistake - I certainly won't be able to buy even an old used car for that $1500 privately. Leap of faith. I guess I could always get a motor scooter. Hoping it all works out, I've done as close to a "test pedal" as I can by using it so little. It's felt like an albatross hanging over me this last year, what with having to remember to move it on street sweeping days and run it up so the battery didn't die.
Anyone have any regrets or encounter any situations right after they went car-free where they wished they hadn't done it? Just trying to be fully prepared. |
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20697293)
Well, I applied to the State of California car retirement program to retire my 2002 Honda Civic. It takes about 4-6 weeks to see if I qualify, but if so, they dismantle the car for parts and I get $1500.The goal is to get older cars off the road, as they likely pollute more. Probably more than the car is worth now. Been a great car, 135,000 miles and still has the ORIGINAL brakes and clutch. But I only drove 400 miles last year, so it's time. That $1500 plus the savings on car insurance will cover the cost of any car share if I need it, although I am hoping to use my bike/trailer exclusively (especially once i get my friction drive set up). It's kind of scary letting it go - thinking what if I am making a mistake - I certainly won't be able to buy even an old used car for that $1500 privately. Leap of faith. I guess I could always get a motor scooter. Hoping it all works out, I've done as close to a "test pedal" as I can by using it so little. It's felt like an albatross hanging over me this last year, what with having to remember to move it on street sweeping days and run it up so the battery didn't die.
Anyone have any regrets or encounter any situations right after they went car-free where they wished they hadn't done it? Just trying to be fully prepared. I used to search for bathrooms near work to change into pants before arriving. One day I realized I could just wear pants over shorts and change without a bathroom. Everything keeps getting easier the longer you practice it. You keep figuring out new ways to tweak your routine and you wonder why you didn't think of the tweak sooner. |
Originally Posted by tandempower
(Post 20698303)
I did grocery shopping with a trailer for a while but that gradually gave way to doing more shopping trips per week with just a crate on the luggage rack.
I used to search for bathrooms near work to change into pants before arriving. One day I realized I could just wear pants over shorts and change without a bathroom. Everything keeps getting easier the longer you practice it. You keep figuring out new ways to tweak your routine and you wonder why you didn't think of the tweak sooner. |
The way you described your civic I'd bet you can get closer to $3k for selling it privately, if it's a good working car. If you listed it for $2k, I bet you'd sell it fast, likely to a flipper who will sell it for more, just mention the brakes. At least that would be the value in the Los Angeles area.
135k miles is nothing on the clutch, my 03 Accord has around 202k miles on the original clutch. In any case, good luck with going car free. |
Originally Posted by katsup
(Post 20698924)
The way you described your civic I'd bet you can get closer to $3k for selling it privately, if it's a good working car. If you listed it for $2k, I bet you'd sell it fast, likely to a flipper who will sell it for more, just mention the brakes. At least that would be the value in the Los Angeles area.
135k miles is nothing on the clutch, my 03 Accord has around 202k miles on the original clutch. In any case, good luck with going car free. |
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20697293)
Hoping it all works out, I've done as close to a "test pedal" as I can by using it so little. It's felt like an albatross hanging over me this last year, what with having to remember to move it on street sweeping days and run it up so the battery didn't die.
Anyone have any regrets or encounter any situations right after they went car-free where they wished they hadn't done it? Just trying to be fully prepared. I cannot think of any situations that caused difficulty - immediately after selling the car, or in general, in the past close to five years. The only unanticipated result was that the homeowner's insurance bill went up, as I previously had a bundle discount with the car insurance. (Should have known that, though.) It's also worth noting that when we got rid of the family car, we were new to the area (so no friends/family who we could really ask for rides) in an area that, at the time, had incredibly unreliable cab service, limited public transit, and no Uber/Lyft (I think they came in 2016). So, getting rid of the car really meant sticking to human-powered transportation - walking and biking! |
Originally Posted by wipekitty
(Post 20699612)
I got rid of my car in March 2014, for similar reasons - remembering to move the car, starting it to keep the battery from dying, and just generally keeping it maintained was no longer worth it. Part of the $1200 I got for it was immediately invested in a good cargo trailer and an older geared hardtail MTB (all my other bikes at the time were fixed gear).
I cannot think of any situations that caused difficulty - immediately after selling the car, or in general, in the past close to five years. The only unanticipated result was that the homeowner's insurance bill went up, as I previously had a bundle discount with the car insurance. (Should have known that, though.) It's also worth noting that when we got rid of the family car, we were new to the area (so no friends/family who we could really ask for rides) in an area that, at the time, had incredibly unreliable cab service, limited public transit, and no Uber/Lyft (I think they came in 2016). So, getting rid of the car really meant sticking to human-powered transportation - walking and biking! |
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20699629)
Having very good public transit and the options now of e-scooter/e-bike share along with car share is what makes me think this will work for me. Of course, once the car is gone...it HAS to work, lol. I've had a car since I was 16 so it just feels a little weird, but good weird.
You have lots of hills, right? I applied for a job in SF and that's one thing I've thought about...were I to get the job (a really long shot at this point), just commuting might be a pretty serious workout! |
Originally Posted by wipekitty
(Post 20699642)
All of that will definitely help! It's of course a good idea to have a backup plan, and it sounds like there are many available options in your area.
You have lots of hills, right? I applied for a job in SF and that's one thing I've thought about...were I to get the job (a really long shot at this point), just commuting might be a pretty serious workout! Working in SF is great, but if you get an offer make sure it pays enough to afford the rent - it's pretty expensive. |
Originally Posted by tandempower
(Post 20698303)
I used to search for bathrooms near work to change into pants before arriving.
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When I was car free, the town I lived in was"dry",i.e. you couldn't buy alcohol in town, so I had to go to the neighboring town to get beer with my bike trailer, and haul a case home. I eventually got a car again, and my town is no longer "dry", but I still carry beer on my bike. A few years ago VO sold a little attachment for a front rack to carry a six pack.
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Originally Posted by mtb_addict
(Post 20700541)
Not always, our first Honda Accord (1988) would wear out the clutch at 90,000 mi and then before 200,000 mi. It's well document that gen Accord had weak clutch. Plus, we always had 4 people in the car. I bet the heavy load has something to do with it.
OP is in hilly San Francisco...having to start uphill probably wear out the clutch even faster. |
You have a sound plan, it seems. And with the power-boost thing (assuming it ever arrives) you probably won't even need a scooter. I am interested in hearing how this goes.
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Would love to be car free but bike thieves are a problem.
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Originally Posted by mtb_addict
(Post 20700511)
I walk into office and change without closing the door.
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Originally Posted by Randy Barat
(Post 20710834)
Would love to be car free but bike thieves are a problem.
nearest station to the kaiser offices. Bike is going inside folded. The trick is to not ask or act like it might be a problem, just carry it in like you know what you're doing and have done it before, lol. |
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20697293)
Well, I applied to the State of California car retirement program to retire my 2002 Honda Civic. It takes about 4-6 weeks to see if I qualify, but if so, they dismantle the car for parts and I get $1500.The goal is to get older cars off the road, as they likely pollute more. Probably more than the car is worth now. Been a great car, 135,000 miles and still has the ORIGINAL brakes and clutch. But I only drove 400 miles last year, so it's time. That $1500 plus the savings on car insurance will cover the cost of any car share if I need it, although I am hoping to use my bike/trailer exclusively (especially once i get my friction drive set up). It's kind of scary letting it go - thinking what if I am making a mistake - I certainly won't be able to buy even an old used car for that $1500 privately. Leap of faith. I guess I could always get a motor scooter. Hoping it all works out, I've done as close to a "test pedal" as I can by using it so little. It's felt like an albatross hanging over me this last year, what with having to remember to move it on street sweeping days and run it up so the battery didn't die.
Anyone have any regrets or encounter any situations right after they went car-free where they wished they hadn't done it? Just trying to be fully prepared. |
Originally Posted by airgreek
(Post 20737546)
I envy people who simplify their lives
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Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20697293)
Anyone have any regrets or encounter any situations right after they went car-free where they wished they hadn't done it? Just trying to be fully prepared.
Getting to the doctor's office when sick as a dog is another issue that only happened to me once, and a neighbor dropped me off, wife picked me up. Once in 30 years! Now with Uber proliferating, less of a big deal. Taxi is always an option as well, just sometimes harder to get one of those. If you are single, young, and dating you may look like a loser without a car. So the shallow ladies get screened out automatically! A big PLUS. |
When i was entirely car-free, i sometimes had situations arise where a car would have been easier ... but i never "regretted." No point. Mostly, on those rare unforeseeable occasions where a car would be Really handy, the LCF folks just have to work harder to get there. But you have a good plan and those sorts of things won't come up much, if ever.
Kind of funny ... you can get a car-ride ride with someone and listen to non-stop complaints about traffic, gridlock, other stupid drivers ... but most car owners never even realize they chose that, let alone that they obviously sometimes regret the choice. |
Originally Posted by Maelochs
(Post 20741868)
When i was entirely car-free, i sometimes had situations arise where a car would have been easier ... but i never "regretted." No point. Mostly, on those rare unforeseeable occasions where a car would be Really handy, the LCF folks just have to work harder to get there. But you have a good plan and those sorts of things won't come up much, if ever.
Kind of funny ... you can get a car-ride ride with someone and listen to non-stop complaints about traffic, gridlock, other stupid drivers ... but most car owners never even realize they chose that, let alone that they obviously sometimes regret the choice. |
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20742080)
I've done fine using my bike between rainstorms to stock up on groceries and get errands done. I did get poured on one day, and didn't have my rain poncho with me (dumb), but I dried out and so did my bike.
One thing I've found (both not having a car, but also when I left the car at home and bike commuted) is that I've become much more interested in the weather. I've also definitely forgotten to pack appropriate gear and ended up sitting around in soggy socks. |
Originally Posted by wipekitty
(Post 20745369)
Sounds like you'll be fine :thumb:
One thing I've found (both not having a car, but also when I left the car at home and bike commuted) is that I've become much more interested in the weather. I've also definitely forgotten to pack appropriate gear and ended up sitting around in soggy socks. |
Originally Posted by wipekitty
(Post 20745369)
One thing I've found (both not having a car, but also when I left the car at home and bike commuted) is that I've become much more interested in the weather. I've also definitely forgotten to pack appropriate gear and ended up sitting around in soggy socks.
Originally Posted by linberl
(Post 20745398)
I consider that recent dunking a learning experience. I too pay more attention to the weather now, but of course it is often wrongly reported.
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Originally Posted by Maelochs
(Post 20745480)
You will get very good at predicting weather, trust me. You will be out in it every day, and you will notice trends in your area---you won't have the benefit of national weather research centers, but you will remember, 'Last time it felt like this in the morning I packed light, it rained int he afternoon and got really cold in the evening and I suffered horribly."
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