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What do people think about Bikenomics?

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What do people think about Bikenomics?

Old 11-22-16, 03:50 PM
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willydstyle
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What do people think about Bikenomics?

I'm reading this book, about halfway through, and although I'm obviously already on board the car-free train, I think she does make persuasive arguments for why living car free in a culture that subsidizes driving is an economic and political decision.
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Old 11-22-16, 09:39 PM
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I read this a while back and it seemed like a compendium of a lot of topics we covered here on BF...

It's interesting to view economics from a cultural catalyst like a bicycle subculture... I just read today that Sweden is thinking about paying its citizens to repair their "stuff". Which seems radical, but it also comes out of the culture of bike kitchens and co-ops where repairing recycled bicycles is a value add for the local economy.

So if you need transportation you don't reach out to China to supply the demand, but instead look for existing local resources (used bicycles... that would normally go to the landfill) and use the at-hand resource. In the long run, it's gotta add to the wealth of the community.

Now if that kind of thinking extends to the mainstream culture...
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Old 11-22-16, 09:55 PM
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We did have a thread on it - here - but always worth revisiting the topic.
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Old 11-23-16, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by willydstyle
I think she does make persuasive arguments for why living car free in a culture that subsidizes driving is an economic and political decision.
Would you care to summarize these arguments for us? Or share any other ideas you found compelling?

I disagree that not using a car in the USA is inherently political or even economic. It can be, and for many in this forum it is. But this forum is not a microcosm of the country. For a lot of people, there are personal reasons that have nothing to do with anything larger. I used my bike to pick some groceries up last night when I had a car available, the reason wasn't to save money, I just wanted a bike ride. I commuted to and from work by bike until the office moved out of riding range for me; again it wasn't to save money, it was because traffic made driving times unpredictable but riding home took the same amount of time every day, which allowed me to make plans. Plus, I enjoy riding a bike.
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Old 11-23-16, 11:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
I disagree that not using a car in the USA is inherently political or even economic...I used my bike to pick some groceries up last night when I had a car available...
willydstyle, and presumably Elly Blue, referred to living car-free, rather than than not using an available car now and then, as being an economic and political decision. To me that seems pretty obvious. It's probably more economic in the majority of cases, but for people who can afford a car and opt not to have one, in some cases it may be a political decision.

Last edited by cooker; 11-23-16 at 11:48 AM.
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Old 11-23-16, 11:46 AM
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Car free and car light are almost the same thing. They're a slight difference in degree, not in kind. Car light is a long series of times when a person completes a task in a car free manner.

But trolls on this forum love to complain about other peoples' posts when these is not sufficiently dogmatic for their tastes, as we can see in #5.
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Old 11-23-16, 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
Car free and car light are almost the same thing. They're a slight difference in degree, not in kind. Car light is a long series of times when a person completes a task in a car free manner.

But trolls on this forum love to complain about other peoples' posts when these is not sufficiently dogmatic for their tastes, as we can see in #5.
You're calling me a "troll" who "complained" about your post? LOL. You disputed the OP and I was responding, somewhat in defense of the OP, both of us discussing the issues raised, completely on topic. I think there is a categorical difference between owning a car and sometimes not using it (you and me), and not owning a car by choice. In both cases, the reasons for doing so may vary, but the choice of not owning a car at all (if it is a voluntary choice), is more likely to be motivated by economic and/or political reasons, rather than just the whim of deciding to cycle instead of drive sometimes, since car ownership is so much seen as a norm in our societies.

Last edited by cooker; 11-23-16 at 02:01 PM.
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Old 11-23-16, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
Would you care to summarize these arguments for us? Or share any other ideas you found compelling?

I disagree that not using a car in the USA is inherently political or even economic. It can be, and for many in this forum it is. But this forum is not a microcosm of the country. For a lot of people, there are personal reasons that have nothing to do with anything larger. I used my bike to pick some groceries up last night when I had a car available, the reason wasn't to save money, I just wanted a bike ride. I commuted to and from work by bike until the office moved out of riding range for me; again it wasn't to save money, it was because traffic made driving times unpredictable but riding home took the same amount of time every day, which allowed me to make plans. Plus, I enjoy riding a bike.
I share similar feelings around enjoying a bicycle ride and how good it can be for commuting. But "a lot of people"? I work with several hundred other people. Most of them think I'm crazy. A few of the employees are "serious" rodies and ride 50 or more miles on weekends. None of them bicycle-commute. None of them even use their cycle for utility/shopping purposes with any regularity.
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Old 11-23-16, 02:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
Car free and car light are almost the same thing. They're a slight difference in degree, not in kind. Car light is a long series of times when a person completes a task in a car free manner.
Yes and no.

We are a one-vehicle family. I have two teenage drivers, soon three. But we make due with what we have.
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Old 11-23-16, 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by steve-in-kville
Yes and no.

We are a one-vehicle family. I have two teenage drivers, soon three.
I might guess a lot of people with teen boys live 'car light' somewhat against their own desires.
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Old 11-23-16, 07:13 PM
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"economic and political"? Well.., which one? I don't get O.P.'s point. Like Cooker said, some opt-out of having a car for purely economic reasons. Myself, I want clean air, less traffic and to keep the body fat off, as well as save money. I find it hard to characterize that as political.
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Old 11-23-16, 10:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
Car free and car light are almost the same thing. They're a slight difference in degree, not in kind.
I beg to differ. Car ownership and car light are the same thing, period. There is a difference in the degree of driving or usage of the motorized vehicle at hand, sometimes slight, sometimes not, but neither are anything close to being car free, and neither require the significant adjustment/modification to lifestyle that may be required to live car free in the U.S., especially for families.
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Old 11-24-16, 04:58 AM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
I beg to differ. Car ownership and car light are the same thing, period. There is a difference in the degree of driving or usage of the motorized vehicle at hand, sometimes slight, sometimes not, but neither are anything close to being car free, and neither require the significant adjustment/modification to lifestyle that may be required to live car free in the U.S., especially for families.
It's not clear how being car free but occasionally making use of a car, taxi or rental, is any different than being car light and occasionally making use of a car in your garage.

Isn't the ultimate goal to be more efficient in our use of resources?
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Old 11-24-16, 06:02 AM
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Originally Posted by willydstyle
I'm reading this book, about halfway through, and although I'm obviously already on board the car-free train, I think she does make persuasive arguments for why living car free in a culture that subsidizes driving is an economic and political decision.
Yes, her arguments are persuasive, and she obviously put a lot of effort into researching the book. It's a good antidote to the pro-car crusaders who dominate this forum.

Last edited by Ekdog; 11-24-16 at 06:10 AM.
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Old 11-24-16, 06:52 AM
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Economic, I guess so. Political, no. What about the fact that we love riding a bike and going places on it is an excuse to ride. (killing to birds with one stone) Speaking of birds, Happy Thanksgiving. Concerning Trolls, that would work, butt I'd prefer an Ogre.
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Old 11-24-16, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by 1989Pre
"economic and political"? Well.., which one? I don't get O.P.'s point. Like Cooker said, some opt-out of having a car for purely economic reasons. Myself, I want clean air, less traffic and to keep the body fat off, as well as save money. I find it hard to characterize that as political.
Clean air is where you cross into Political, at least in the minds of many.

On a personal level I'm with you. Clean air is fundamental. The problem is that achieving it is based primarily on the behavior of other people. If the air is not clean or getting dirtier then politics will be part of the solution if there is one.
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Old 11-24-16, 09:05 AM
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Originally Posted by gregf83
It's not clear how being car free but occasionally making use of a car, taxi or rental, is any different than being car light and occasionally making use of a car in your garage.

Isn't the ultimate goal to be more efficient in our use of resources?
Perhaps this will clear it up.

The description of "Car light" would include the examples you provide. Judging by the use of "Car light" on this forum, it also includes those who live in a household where regular/typical use is made of that car in the garage (not necessarily occasionally) by members of the household for the benefit of the household members (commuting, shopping, vacations, transporting children to school activities, etc.) just like any other car owning household, but the poster likes to ride a bike to work or other destinations and also likes to wear the label of car light for whatever reasons that suit him or her.
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Old 11-24-16, 03:27 PM
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
I beg to differ. Car ownership and car light are the same thing, period. There is a difference in the degree of driving or usage of the motorized vehicle at hand, sometimes slight, sometimes not, but neither are anything close to being car free, and neither require the significant adjustment/modification to lifestyle that may be required to live car free in the U.S., especially for families.
Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
it also includes those who live in a household where regular/typical use is made of that car in the garage (not necessarily occasionally) by members of the household for the benefit of the household members (commuting, shopping, vacations, transporting children to school activities, etc.) just like any other car owning household, but the poster likes to ride a bike to work or other destinations and also likes to wear the label of car light for whatever reasons that suit him or her.
Well, we are agreement that car non-ownership is different than car ownership, but not about the difference between car-light and car-heavy. Within car ownership, there is quite a large range of light versus heavy usage. In fact there are likely to be some individuals who live in a household with a car, but derive less usage or benefit from cars, than some people who don't own a car, but do use or benefit from cabs, uber and rides from others.

Of course, car-light is a relative term. It means lighter than...some hypothetical alternative. Eg. (from another thread) Dave Cutter drives 3500 miles per year, while an average American drives 12-15 thousand miles. I would say that makes him car-light.

Last edited by cooker; 11-24-16 at 04:14 PM.
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Old 11-25-16, 12:05 PM
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Arguments about car-light vs car-free seem pretty pointless to me. It's clear that any reduction in single-occupancy automotive use is a good thing due to less space being taken up on the roads, less oil being burned (plastics made from oil have the lowest lifetime environmental impact, making oil a manufacturing feedstock that is too important to burn), less air pollution, and a healthier population overall.

The decision to drive less or not at all is a political one because policy makers who decide how to distribute public resources pay attention to how people travel, whether you want them to or not. The fact of the matter is that in many communities there are fierce political battles waged over whether or not road space should be allocated to non-automotive users, and people who make the decision to ride in roads are also making a political statement by their very existence.

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Old 11-26-16, 12:54 AM
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Originally Posted by 1989Pre
"economic and political"? Well.., which one? I don't get O.P.'s point. Like Cooker said, some opt-out of having a car for purely economic reasons. Myself, I want clean air, less traffic and to keep the body fat off, as well as save money. I find it hard to characterize that as political.
I think the "clean air" part is definitely political.
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Old 11-26-16, 12:59 AM
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Originally Posted by baldilocks
Economic, I guess so. Political, no. What about the fact that we love riding a bike and going places on it is an excuse to ride. (killing to birds with one stone) Speaking of birds, Happy Thanksgiving. Concerning Trolls, that would work, butt I'd prefer an Ogre.
Yes, you might be apolitical in your choice of riding more and driving less or not at all. But you might be political if you then went to a community meeting or city council meeting and expressed that you want better bicycling infrastructure, or if you advocated at a social gathering for better laws to protect cyclists from motorists.
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Old 11-26-16, 07:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Roody
I think the "clean air" part is definitely political.

No.., its a question of ethics, not politics.
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Old 11-26-16, 05:24 PM
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"Clean air" may not be political. Cleaning the air or preventing more pollution is.
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Old 11-26-16, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by gregf83
It's not clear how being car free but occasionally making use of a car, taxi or rental, is any different than being car light and occasionally making use of a car in your garage.

Isn't the ultimate goal to be more efficient in our use of resources?
I suspect the majority of people who live car free do so for reasons of personal economics and convenience. For the individual who makes limited use of their car, the decision to become car free and instead utilize other modes as necessary can provide significant economic advantage. And that's the ultimate goal for many.
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Old 11-26-16, 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Walter S
"Clean air" may not be political. Cleaning the air or preventing more pollution is.
No again, It's ethics, not politics... It's actually pretty simple... Once you discard ethics then, it becomes political/or legal/or religious/or what ever you can get away with because you are powerful enough/rich enough to swing it and just do it. IMO. This is where the whole world is heading.... https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.ed625390c630

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