Roody

Wow, did somebody give you a bunch of new emoticons for Christmas?

Machka 

They've been available to all of us for years. Look to the right.

Machka 

Talk about whatever motivation you want ... or perhaps things that did not motivate you.

Saale

Alright, so I guess this'll also work nicely as an introduction. I've spent much of my childhood and teenage years riding bikes, partially for free time activity because grew up in the '90s and '00s right on the edge between the analogue and digital generations, and partially for transportation because this being small town Germany pretty much anything was in riding distance including school and friends, and driving is expensive and generally only permitted from age 18 onwards here.

I'm since more or less in the process of finishing education and settling in at an office job, I'm at year 2.5 of a 3.5 year apprenticeship, but approaching age 30 I'm starting to notice that all this sitting around is becoming taxing on my fitness. I've long adored cars and looked forward to owning and driving them, but with costs being a bit high even for econoboxes, my workplace thankfully being a very comfortable distance from home and me still being a bachelor with no major transportation needs I've started wondering if the driving is even worth it. For this winter I'll continue being lazy for a bit longer, but I'm planning to build a bicycle ready for spring. I'll still require a dependable daily driver for the rest of the coming year for regularly going to school further away, but I'll finish my apprenticeship in a year or so, at which point I'm looking to get rid of a daily driver and instead get invested in a vintage weekend project car to actually live out my passion for cars which is impossible driving an econobox.

so tl;dr liked riding bikes as a child; wanna ride bikes again because of fitness and short distances; money saved on a daily driver would allow me to get a vintage project car

cooker

Welcome. (Or wilkommen?)

Walter S

I've been similarly puzzled by that sentiment. It would appear that some people living green want to be sure nobody thinks they're doing it for that reason, even in part. It's as though they'd be embarrassed if somebody thought they don't want to pollute the planet like any good American. They may be falling down on the job but not on purpose!

Machka 

No, that's not it ... if cooker ever asks the question in his own thread, I might be inclined to fill you in.

Meanwhile, in this thread, if someone wants to tell us what does and does not motivate him/her, that's fine.

Saale

From my (admittedly foreign) point of view there seems to be a growing anti-intellectual sentiment in the United States, and environmental protection is a movement stemming from an intellectual background. I mean, some people insist the Earth is flat just to contradict the intellectual consensus nowadays, it's silly.

Mobile 155

Sounds like you are saying that the Environmental Movement in Germany wasn't motivated by politics but only by intellect? I would hope that isn't your motivation for moving towards car light because if it is political there will by necessity be two sides, pro and con, at least intellectually. ( Admittedly only one American's point of view.)

takenreasy

BINGO!!! and despite our politics I'll still pursue a car free lifestyle.

PaulH

Back in graduate school. the nearest parking to my office was so distant that driving made no sense. I came to regard bicycles as devices for daily transportation and cars as weekend fun. Not driving on weekdays or in bad weather has helped me keep my car for 31 years.

350htrr

Oh, You mean political bribery/er, lobbyists running the country...

Mark Mandolin

Is this the correct thread to post why I chose a car free lifestyle? Seems more like a forum to practice debate skills. Which is cool. Healthy polite debate trades ideas and points of view.
Owning and driving a car is the ultimate illusion of freedom. My humble opinion.
The car payments and general expense mean your chained to a job. You don't get to drive how you want tons of rules. Can't stop for a few cold beers and get behind the wheel morally reprehensible and large penalty if you do and get pinched.
Because of crowded streets during rush hour, you end up on a 12 lane highway tapping your brakes stopping and going so you can't operate your machine to its full potential.
And finally if for some reason you are under surveillance, having a car makes the private eyes job easy. Are you home? Yes car in driveway. Tailing a car easy in a car. Impossible to tail individual on crowded bus and what does private eye do with his car when you ride off the road down a bike path. I've seen private eye logs and yes they lose pedestrians easier and pedestrian doesn't even know he's being watched!
However in North America commute distances are huge transit is often poor or non existent and a car is a must have tool. You can't knock a farmer in North Dakota for owning a gas guzzling pick up.

More and more we realize the pollution is harmful to us and the planet. I liken this issue to second hand cigarette smoke. Growing up in the sixties the cigarette smoke would waft from the teachers lounge and into the hallway of my grade school. Times have changed. The attitude to exhaust pollution is starting to but there is a long way to go.
Honestly I can't afford a car so I'm not sacrificing much. I'm living car free through life circumstances. It is nice to be green but it would be great to have a weekend car to take the kids camping. Your shut out of a lot without a car living in Canada.
But if you live in Vancouver, Toronto and other large cities with good transit car free is doable with little hardship. A bike and bus pass is a thrifty option saving you money and keeping you fit. You can always rent a car for a weekend road trip.
Peace and happy holidays!

bicyclridr4life

The cost of Insurance, Registration, Fuel, Maintenance, Parking, Tolls (where applicable), not to mention the upfront cost of buying a car or a pickup or van.
I decided there were other things I'd rather spend my hard earned money on.
That was in 1995. I have not owned a motor vehicle since, and to be honest, I have not missed it.
When needed, my job provided a car/pickup/van and paid all the expenses.

Mobile 155

If that is car free then I was car free for 19 years when my car was provided and serviced and fueled by my employer.

cooker

Did you drive it home and have it for personal use?

Mobile 155

All of the above. Plus they paid for my cell phone. Well they did till the tax code changed and I had to pay half the expenses or give up taking the car home. As a manager I was under contract not hourly so I could be called in even at night or weekends.

Mobile 155

I should mention my neighbor was a motor officer and he always brought his motorcycle home. He just never used it for shopping or going out to dinner. But he commuted five to six days a week to and from work on the departments dime. A perk for the job. Large companies used to offer it as an incentive to leave one big company and come to theirs.

Mobile 155

I thought they stopped the practice after I retired but some government agencies even close to me seem to still have the ability to take their vehicle home.

https://forum.officer.com/forum/local-discussion-groups/u-s-states/california/45197-ca-agencies-with-take-home-cars

cooker

Well then, no, I wouldn't call that car-free, but I don't know if bicyclridr4life's situation was the same as yours.

Mobile 155

No it isn’t it seems. But he said, “When needed, my job provided a car/pickup/van and paid all the expenses“. So he has access when needed for free it seems. Much like someone that has a car in the family. Doesn’t sound car free exactly.

cooker

He or she can clarify if they wish, but it sounded like they meant a vehicle was provided for specific job purposes, not unrestricted ongoing personal use.

GWGorham

Giving up my truck in April, bike only commuting after that. Wife has a vehicle she'll use and I would be able to when absolutely needed. However for about anything and everything I can, biking year round in MN.

prj71

It was 26 degrees below zero where I live this morning. I have zero motivation for car free or car light.

cooker

So why post in this forum? Lonely?