RMTBaiden

Is there anyone who lives car free with kids? I posted something about living car free and transforming cities into cycling industries, but someone mentioned that it is impossible due to many reasons. One that I remember is that there are families with more than two kids that they have to take to school, but my question is if there is anyone out there who does this? Also something I can think is that many people can't do that do to age, but I know there is tricycles and even electric tricycles. I am just curious if there is anyone who has proven that the impossible is actually possible.

Liam_Lucas

Yes, there are families successfully living car-free with kids, utilizing alternatives like cargo bikes, electric tricycles, and public transportation. It's challenging but definitely achievable for those committed to sustainable lifestyles.

ScottCommutes

Not me. We have one family car and three kids - just like the 1950-1970's, but with modern bicycles as well to fill in for local trips and my commuting to work. Our limitation is our five-year-old. His range is about five miles each way, usually to grandpa's house, little league, the grocery store, the ice cream shop, bible camp, or the park/playground. The kids do not bike to school, which is a few miles further and up a very big hill.

Many families in NYC have kids without a car, but most of them probably rely on public transportation more than bikes. Kids learn to ride the bus/subway at an early age.

As far as going car-free outside of the city. it is easier than ever before due to constantly improving bike tech as well as Uber/Amazon/etc. Few people do it, however. Having access to a car still beats the bikes for dozens of situations - cold, dark, snow, rain, taking sick kids to the doctor, family road trips,.......

RChung

In the city? We did, when the kids were little, but the city was Paris. When we moved back to the US, we moved to a place with a "good for US but not good for Europe" public transit system. The real issue is that when the kids got older, their activities were spread out more. All that said, a couple of years ago our (only) car's catalytic converter was stolen, and it turns out we had one that was especially hard-to-get. We were without a car for three-and-a-half months. We rode bikes to work and for shopping, used transit, had friends come to us, had stuff delivered by Amazon, and put off a "college tour" trip -- so even though we were "car-free" we were transferring the travel demands to others, or delaying them, not eliminating them.

cooker

One of my kids lives with his wife and child downtown. They don't own a car but use a car share/rental sometimes. So yes, it is possible, to live (mostly) car free. It helps to be in a place that is conducive to it. They are steps from a subway/Metro station, have buses on their street, are walking distances from all amenities and he bikes the daughter to school on an extended e-bike with lots of room for her at the back. I believe they take the bus if it is really bad weather, and the school is less than 1 km away on a street with protected bike lanes.
Just one child, but they could do it with 2 if they had to.

axelwik

Everyone lived car free before the invention of the car.

JeffAP60

I'm pretty close to being car free, I would be car free if my wife was not disabled

I can pretty much hit every local I need to hit up except for my doctor's office, I could Uber that of course.
Home improvement stores and Amazon provide delivery of the bulk of my purchases other than food, and if I needed a full grocery order the market also delivers.

Keep in mind I am retired, however there are businesses in cycling range that are hiring if I needed to work, getting there during inclement weather would be a challenge though.

I-Like-To-Bike

Everyone lived without electricity and indoor plumbing too.

Presumably some "families committed to sustainable lifestyles are successfully living" by embracing the simple alternatives from back in the good old days that they believe will provide a good enough lifestyle for their family.

PrincipalRider

I had a single friend who gave up a car and just rode his bike everywhere and used the light-rail in Phoenix, AZ. For longer trips, he used Uber or Lyft. Once he added up the yearly costs, it was just cheaper to take a ride-share once in awhile when he needed it. If he had a kids, I think it might be harder to do, especially in Phoenix's summers.