Anyone made a commitment to live car free?
#76
Member
I’m finally quitting my job to go back for a masters degree. Luckily, the school will be in a major city (Montreal) with great bike culture and great public transit system.
I’m selling my car. I will be a poor grad student, so might as well save the insurance money.
i got to try doing things in town without using my car over the Memorial Day weekend, and it was much easier than I expected.
I’m selling my car. I will be a poor grad student, so might as well save the insurance money.
i got to try doing things in town without using my car over the Memorial Day weekend, and it was much easier than I expected.
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#77
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Car free and saved a ton of money. (a car here is at least 5x what it costs in the US )
I alternate cycling to work (40mins door to door ) and running home (obviously longer).
I alternate cycling to work (40mins door to door ) and running home (obviously longer).
#78
Senior Member
Summer is here and the weather is it's usual god awful self. I cycle all year round but this time of year.....
One thing I think of when I read these threads is COL. I wonder where some of these folks are located that do this? If it works for you great, but it's awfully tough for many to do this.
I envision leaving the area I have lived in for decades do to COL. I will most likely will live further out and need a car......
Last edited by StarBiker; 06-06-20 at 01:21 PM.
#79
Senior Member
Went super car lite for a few years, and it worked pretty well where I was. Still used my van for some of the more obvious purposes.
Never had a thing against cars (philosophically, if I want folks to accept me and my choices, I reciprocate), but *do* have a problem with people who choose not to get along and play well with others... no matter what their mode of transport.
Never had a thing against cars (philosophically, if I want folks to accept me and my choices, I reciprocate), but *do* have a problem with people who choose not to get along and play well with others... no matter what their mode of transport.
#80
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Since I sometimes get someone to drive me somewhere I'm not really car-free though I don't own or rent a car. I do 99% of all my in person purchasing via a bicycle including grocery shopping.
Cheers
Cheers
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#81
Banned
Here made a car free commitment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freetown_Christiania
This another seeking a support group thread?
..
This another seeking a support group thread?
..
Last edited by fietsbob; 08-08-20 at 02:44 PM.
#82
Senior Member
I am 44 and never have owned a car. I happen to enjoy biking, walking, and taking the bus/train. I do take an uber 3~4 times a year after I go to the pub.
#83
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I haven't posted here in a while since I moved on to other interests, but I am carfree now. Modern cars are so overloaded with expensive and fragile electronics that they are permanently priced out of my budget. With various injuries I can't do more than 10 miles in a day, so I ride the recumbent for short trips and a diamond frame to bus stops for longer trips.
#84
Senior Member
All very interesting. I wish I knew where you all live. I used to live in Southeastern Massachusetts and only dreamed of being car free. But even with a car every trip was at least 10 miles, often more. Work was 58 highway miles one way. I retired 3 years ago and moved to Tampere, Finland, where my husband and I decided to go car-free. We sold our cars andinvested our money in a nicer apartment.. This city is planned for living like this. Buses run regularly. Every major road has a separate light traffic path for pedestrians and cyclists. We have a car-sharing program in the neighborhood where I could rent a car by the hour if needed. Annual unlimited bus passes cost $400. It's easy here, but I could only wish that every place wasps well planned for living like this.
#85
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I don't consider it a "commitment" so much as a conscious lifestyle choice.
7+ years ago, I moved from a college town in North Texas to Chicago. I sold my car and now bike 99% of the time. I'll take transit, Lyft, or rent a car/truck as-needed. I chose to live in a neighborhood that was an easy commute to work by bike, and also had good transit accessibility.
Aside from the pleasure I get from riding a bike, I've saved over US$30,000 vs. owning a car. One of the best decisions I ever made.
7+ years ago, I moved from a college town in North Texas to Chicago. I sold my car and now bike 99% of the time. I'll take transit, Lyft, or rent a car/truck as-needed. I chose to live in a neighborhood that was an easy commute to work by bike, and also had good transit accessibility.
Aside from the pleasure I get from riding a bike, I've saved over US$30,000 vs. owning a car. One of the best decisions I ever made.
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#86
Full Member
Commute is 9 miles one way. Have been bike commuting since COVID. But household has 2 EV's and excess solar panels. Don't want to give that up just yet.
Last edited by burritos; 10-10-20 at 10:04 AM.
#87
Newbie
I sold my car in january, I wasn't using it enough to justify the cost of having it. I bike commute to work every day because her in México city is a lot faster than a car or public transportation. I live very close to a supermarket so I can walk to shop groceries. I have 3 bikes, a fast carbon road bike, a very light carbon hybrid bike, and an ebike, so I have the perfect one for any day/road/distance. I'm single with no kids, so that helps to my car free life.
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#88
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I did do without a car for about a decade, but then family started getting older and getting back to visit the villages where they still have family was difficult. Now my car sits outside all week, except for a weekly shopping trip. I don't really know where to go from here.
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#89
Newbie
I’m finally quitting my job to go back for a masters degree. Luckily, the school will be in a major city (Montreal) with great bike culture and great public transit system.
I’m selling my car. I will be a poor grad student, so might as well save the insurance money.
i got to try doing things in town without using my car over the Memorial Day weekend, and it was much easier than I expected.
I’m selling my car. I will be a poor grad student, so might as well save the insurance money.
i got to try doing things in town without using my car over the Memorial Day weekend, and it was much easier than I expected.
#90
Full Member
Thread Starter
I changed jobs earlier this year, and now have a commute that is only ~3 miles (5 kilometers). I’ve been biking to work every day for several months now in all weather conditions, and have only driven a car when my entire family is going someplace a significant distance away. I told my wife she can have my car, and she has actually started driving it. This means we can sell her car shortly. I’m hoping that soon we will be down to one car, and then in a few years, we will move to Europe and be completely car free. I’m making progress, but it has been slower than I’d like.