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Name a beloved activity you had to give up to be Car-Free.

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Living Car Free Do you live car free or car light? Do you prefer to use alternative transportation (bicycles, walking, other human-powered or public transportation) for everyday activities whenever possible? Discuss your lifestyle here.

Name a beloved activity you had to give up to be Car-Free.

Old 10-22-18, 12:23 AM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by onyerleft
Since going car free, I've given up robbing liquor stores and banks. Instead, I snatch purses from old ladies after knocking them down, and quickly hop on my bike and ride off. Less lucrative, but much more satisfactory on a feeling level.
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Old 10-22-18, 12:35 AM
  #27  
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I started my adult life car-free. When I was 16, I got exposed to the Chicago blues with the harmonica played through a guitar amp. (I'd been playing the blues harp about a year.) That sound was it! But I didn't even consider buying a microphone and amp until I was in my late 30s and owned a house and car. Now I have 5, three with tubes. No way are the tubed ones traveling by bicycle.

Riding the bike and playing the blues; both have been spiritual for me a long time. 5 bikes, 20 wheels, 5 amps, 30+ harmonicas. Sadly, not car free. Now, if I lived on the other side of the river, I would seriously consider getting a solid state amp's sound right, buying a trailer for the amp and selling my car/

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Old 10-22-18, 06:30 AM
  #28  
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When I was car-free I ended up not going rifle shooting, which I enjoy. I was able to go pistol shooting as the case fit on my rack. However, rifles have large, conspicuous, cases. The local PD made it pretty clear that they didn't want to see rifle cases when a person is on a bicycle.

After getting a car I started going to the rifle range again. I do realize that shooting is not a "BikeForum approved hobby;" but it is something that I find relaxing and was not able to fully enjoy it when I was living car-free.
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Old 10-22-18, 12:17 PM
  #29  
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Making out in the back seat.
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Old 10-22-18, 01:35 PM
  #30  
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I was just in SoCal and saw tons of bikes with surfboards attached on racks - if you can carry those, you can carry anything, lol.
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Old 10-22-18, 02:23 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by linberl
I was just in SoCal and saw tons of bikes with surfboards attached on racks - if you can carry those, you can carry anything, lol.
Sure, if toting surfboards around in good weather down by the beach qualifies as representative of transporting "anything".
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Old 10-22-18, 03:54 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Sure, if toting surfboards around in good weather down by the beach qualifies as representative of transporting "anything".
I've never understood why some of the people on the internet like to try to create drama, sigh. I am absolutely sure you understood my point which is that the size of the object is not a detriment and one can creatively find a way to move things. Eye-rolling back at you....
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Old 10-23-18, 05:23 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Sure, if toting surfboards around in good weather down by the beach qualifies as representative of transporting "anything".
Originally Posted by linberl
I've never understood why some of the people on the internet like to try to create drama, sigh. I am absolutely sure you understood my point which is that the size of the object is not a detriment and one can creatively find a way to move things. Eye-rolling back at you....
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Old 10-23-18, 01:29 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Robert C
I do realize that shooting is not a "BikeForum approved hobby;"
I doubt many people are offended by you punching holes in paper with a recreational tool.

Originally Posted by linberl
I've never understood why some of the people on the internet like to try to create drama, sigh. I am absolutely sure you understood my point which is that the size of the object is not a detriment and one can creatively find a way to move things. Eye-rolling back at you....
Ever been to someone else's house and their dog humps your leg? Funny, yet annoying at the same time? Same thing here. He don't mean nuthin' by it. Nothing personal. It's just what he does.
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Old 10-23-18, 02:42 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
I doubt many people are offended by you punching holes in paper with a recreational tool.



Ever been to someone else's house and their dog humps your leg? Funny, yet annoying at the same time? Same thing here. He don't mean nuthin' by it. Nothing personal. It's just what he does.
Is the fellow who posts about "going to war" every time he rides his bicycle around the town where he "lives in Dystopia.." really going to cast aspersions about creating "drama"? You make me laugh.
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Old 10-23-18, 02:57 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Is the fellow who posts about "going to war" every time he rides his bicycle around the town where he "lives in Dystopia.." really going to cast aspersions about creating "drama"? You make me laugh.
You know what makes me laugh? 26,850 posts in 18 years and 22 original ideas (New threads) by you. Thank you so much for all of the useful input around here over the years. All 22 of them. Just over ONE each year. Woohoo! Now, get off my leg.
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Old 10-23-18, 05:30 PM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by JoeyBike
You know what makes me laugh? 26,850 posts in 18 years and 22 original ideas (New threads) by you. Thank you so much for all of the useful input around here over the years. All 22 of them. Just over ONE each year. Woohoo! Now, get off my leg.

, , , ...
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Old 10-24-18, 03:02 PM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by linberl
I've never understood why some of the people on the internet like to try to create drama, sigh. I am absolutely sure you understood my point which is that the size of the object is not a detriment and one can creatively find a way to move things. Eye-rolling back at you....
Sure, if you don't have to haul it miles.
When I had a car I was having a hard time finding a good book case for records. I finally found one ten miles from where I live. I needed something like a bookcase. It was one of the only things that would work well and not cost a lot. So unless I want to take the risk of being run over there was no way I was getting that back on a bike with a trailer. You never see anybody remotely attempting this around here. Now you could rent a truck. But biking ten miles to where the bookcase was would be very risky as well.
I had to get rid of some pieces of 4x4's the other day. On a bike? And the local dump wouldn't take them.
A lot of this has to do with location as much as the object size, and the ability to haul things with a bike trailer which is next to impossible in the DC/Boston 95 Corridor.
A bike with a small trailer to hall groceries in the city. Yeah, that, but otherwise......

That's what I miss about owning a car. getting further out, and looking for neat things. It's just impossible, or to time consuming to do certain things without a car. And I have not owned a car in 9 years as of this month.

I certainly don't miss gas costs, repairs, or insurance.

My Mother had a blow out on the highway, and her tires were getting old on her 08 CRV. $1000. Her AC Compressor went in July. She is older and would roast in the mid atlantic summers. That was $1500. The vehicle only has 68K on it and was bought new by her. Still. A lot of money. And all of it happened the same month.

My Father is well off enough he just leases. Every three years. New car, three years, new car, and so on.......

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Old 10-24-18, 03:33 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by StarBiker
My Father is well off enough he just leases. Every three years. New car, three years, new car, and so on.......
Yeah, if I had money enough to do ^^this, (and a place to park it) I would own a car no question. Or even if I could purchase a car just finished with a lease and sell that every few years. A Nissan Versa just returned from a lease is $12,000 with decent warranties. And if you use the dealership financing (you can catch specials) it is cheaper than the bank or credit union.

But as you said, possessing the thing is a can of worms potentially.
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Old 10-24-18, 04:10 PM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by StarBiker
Sure, if you don't have to haul it miles.
When I had a car I was having a hard time finding a good book case for records. I finally found one ten miles from where I live. I needed something like a bookcase. It was one of the only things that would work well and not cost a lot. So unless I want to take the risk of being run over there was no way I was getting that back on a bike with a trailer. You never see anybody remotely attempting this around here. Now you could rent a truck. But biking ten miles to where the bookcase was would be very risky as well.
I had to get rid of some pieces of 4x4's the other day. On a bike? And the local dump wouldn't take them.
A lot of this has to do with location as much as the object size, and the ability to haul things with a bike trailer which is next to impossible in the DC/Boston 95 Corridor.
A bike with a small trailer to hall groceries in the city. Yeah, that, but otherwise......

That's what I miss about owning a car. getting further out, and looking for neat things. It's just impossible, or to time consuming to do certain things without a car. And I have not owned a car in 9 years as of this month.

I certainly don't miss gas costs, repairs, or insurance.

My Mother had a blow out on the highway, and her tires were getting old on her 08 CRV. $1000. Her AC Compressor went in July. She is older and would roast in the mid atlantic summers. That was $1500. The vehicle only has 68K on it and was bought new by her. Still. A lot of money. And all of it happened the same month.

My Father is well off enough he just leases. Every three years. New car, three years, new car, and so on.......
Yeah, it depends on your location. Where I live it isn't that hard to haul stuff 10 miles. I see people doing it all the time with cargo bikes, homemade trailers, etc. I've seen sofas, plywood panels, a lawnmower, etc., get moved by bike. Now that e-bikes are becoming more popular, the size and weight of cargo will increase due to the added assist. It might not work for someone in a mountainous environment, but it works great in the Bay Area. Maybe the DC/Boston corridor needs to work on their bike infrastructure? If you don't build it, they won't come (they will just keep driving).
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Old 10-24-18, 06:17 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by linberl
Yeah, it depends on your location. Where I live it isn't that hard to haul stuff 10 miles. I see people doing it all the time with cargo bikes, homemade trailers, etc. I've seen sofas, plywood panels, a lawnmower, etc., get moved by bike. Now that e-bikes are becoming more popular, the size and weight of cargo will increase due to the added assist. It might not work for someone in a mountainous environment, but it works great in the Bay Area. Maybe the DC/Boston corridor needs to work on their bike infrastructure? If you don't build it, they won't come (they will just keep driving).
I have a Bikes At Work utility trailer with 350lb capacity. And where I live is flat with a few bridges. A third chain ring is mandatory.
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Old 10-24-18, 06:38 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by linberl
Yeah, it depends on your location. Where I live it isn't that hard to haul stuff 10 miles. I see people doing it all the time with cargo bikes, homemade trailers, etc. I've seen sofas, plywood panels, a lawnmower, etc., get moved by bike. Now that e-bikes are becoming more popular, the size and weight of cargo will increase due to the added assist. It might not work for someone in a mountainous environment, but it works great in the Bay Area. Maybe the DC/Boston corridor needs to work on their bike infrastructure? If you don't build it, they won't come (they will just keep driving).
Are you kidding. DC has a great bike infrastructure, so does Boston. Nobody living in these places is going to do this. It's not remotely safe throughout the 95 corridor to do this, Traffic? Are you kidding? In Maryland you would get squashed trying to do this, and get pulled over by the police for impeding traffic. And with the level of affluence it's never going to happen.

No wonder people are pulling everything in California around by bike, it has some of the worst infrastructure in the US, and only three states spend less on infrastructure. Georgia, Arizona, and Michigan. In the eighth largest economy in the world?
I didn't look further but how much of this is tied to the enormous homeless population there.

Funny, I am waiting for someone from the northeast to mention all the people they see pulling sofas, plywood, and all kinds of things by bike with a bike trailer.

And I live in an area where there are no bike lanes but it's easy to get around by bike. All the sidewalks are ramped, and nobody questions cyclists on them because there are so few cyclists in the suburbs. Nobody does this.
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Old 10-26-18, 01:38 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by StarBiker
My Mother had a blow out on the highway, and her tires were getting old on her 08 CRV. $1000. Her AC Compressor went in July. She is older and would roast in the mid atlantic summers. That was $1500. The vehicle only has 68K on it and was bought new by her. Still. A lot of money. And all of it happened the same month..
I just bought 3 sets of tires for my cars for a little over that. You need to shop around. Tires for that car should be $500, at the most. The AC repair is outrageous as well. Should be half of that, or close to $1,000, tops.
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Old 10-26-18, 01:55 PM
  #44  
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^
Yep four $125 tires that are radial all weather. Sure, if you want mickey mouse tires for northern Maryland winters. And yeah, she could have had an AC compressor installed for less money. How long was she going to wait? It was July. And how long will it be guaranteed for since the work was done by Honda. She had it done the same day the compressor went up. While she waited.
Shop around in 90 degree heat and humidity for an AC compressor for a women in her mid 70's. Plus how much would the rental vehicle cost while she waited for one of these shops to order the compressor? I talked to a buddy of mine about this. Yeah, less, but wait.
Boob!

This is certifiably the dumbest sub forum on this site!
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Old 10-26-18, 02:11 PM
  #45  
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$250 per tire for 08 CR-V is certifiable. So is taking a car that old to a dealer. I got 17" Continental tires for my wife's 2010 CR-V for $100/per, and the independent shop I take my cars to has free courtesy car to borrow while car is being repaired and is significantly cheaper and warranties their work.

But it sounds better in your story since you can bash cars more that way.
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Old 10-26-18, 02:12 PM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by Sal Bandini
The AC repair is outrageous as well. Should be half of that, or close to $1,000, tops.
Yeah. A few years ago I got an estimate for a replacement compressor for an old Camry. (Seems a rock got kicked up on the highway, shot through the grill and ruptured the compressor.) With charging and installation it was $900 here in the big city, where everything costs more.
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Old 10-27-18, 08:01 PM
  #47  
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My mom was doing much better until her car got totaled last December...now she makes payments and I stopped being able to afford driving more than 12 years ago.

I miss driving to mom's by myself for the holidaze. I miss going to concerts without begging for a ride. I miss a lot of them.
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Old 10-27-18, 08:04 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Robert C
When I was car-free I ended up not going rifle shooting, which I enjoy. I was able to go pistol shooting as the case fit on my rack. However, rifles have large, conspicuous, cases. The local PD made it pretty clear that they didn't want to see rifle cases when a person is on a bicycle.

After getting a car I started going to the rifle range again. I do realize that shooting is not a "BikeForum approved hobby;" but it is something that I find relaxing and was not able to fully enjoy it when I was living car-free.
I saw a bike with 30" tires and a rifle holder Friday at the LBS, so there goes your theory.
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Old 10-28-18, 07:49 AM
  #49  
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I used to carry golf clubs to the course on a bike, so I would think a rifle wouldn't be that hard.
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Old 10-28-18, 08:48 AM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by jon c.
I used to carry golf clubs to the course on a bike, so I would think a rifle wouldn't be that hard.
It's not that carrying a rifle is difficult, the problem is that it would attract too much attention and put you under suspicion.... It's just too bad that law abiding citizens have to suffer and restrict themselves all because of few crazies out there who have committed horrible acts of violence against the innocents....If you rode a bicycle with a rifle here in Canada you would have a SWAT team and 50 police cruisers on you in no time.
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