Roody

I grew up in Detroit (Highland Park) but I've lived in Lansing for a long time now.

stew6371

Howdy everyone. Gosh, where do I start. I rode a bicycle from the time I was 4 until I was 16 for fun & transportation. I live in a college town in Oklahoma USA & used to ride all over the campus. Then I got my license & only rode my bike for fun until I was 21 & it got stolen. I never replaced it.

My wife & I decided to get bicycles & start riding again about 5 years ago. We went to Wal-Mart & bought a couple pieces of junk that did the job for a couple years. Then we moved out of town & the bikes sat. When we moved back to town a couple years ago we went to the LBS & each got a Giant Sedona. We really like these bikes but our life went in another direction & we're not home but about 3-4 days a month to ride now. I'll explain why.

I've always liked to fish & camp also so I developed a desire for a bass boat. I started though with a little aluminum boat until a few years ago I got a 20ft fiberglass bass boat. This required a bigger truck to pull it with. So I got a new truck right after my wife got a new little SUV/crossover. So we drive a truck cross country to be able to afford this stuff. Not really worth it to me anymore.

I've been looking at going more minimalist for awhile but ended up going the other way. I've enjoyed it but what I've realized is that now I don't enjoy it that much. I spend way too much time working just to pay for the crap.

I think I'm going to sell my boat & truck & use my bike as much as possible, which may not be a lot right off as I'm way out of shape. I really don't want to be car free but very car light. The places we like to fish & camp are about 90-100 miles away & it would take too much time to bike it. Plus we have family that live far enough to make biking it for a one day visit not practical but not worth renting a car for.

We've talked in the past about biking to the store for groceries & my wife has been onboard with that.

We'll see. Thanks for everyone here sharing your experiences. It's fun to read & it's inspiring.

egear

Hi all. I have been an avid cyclist for 30+ years now. Raced in the 70's-early 80's. I recently made the jump to one car status this year. When our 03 truck died it became clear that buying a new one wasn't in our budget. I have 2 kids in college right now and another in grade-school. I work a solid 20+ miles from my house each way. The route to/from work would take me directly across Baltimore city. I've done the ride before and its really not a pleasant one. So I started riding the train/light rail. MTA allows bikes on the trains and I found a wooded trail that makes the trip slightly shorter and easier. Well I have been doing the run for 6 months now and it's just another part of my day. Getting 15+ miles a day at whatever level of effort I can muster each way. We figured that we have saved about $1000 in fuel costs and another $600 in insurance. Its been nice riding everyday. We will see how the winter riding goes. So far I haven't missed the car ride one bit. Traffic is soooooooo bad here in Baltimore. Hopefully I can keep on doing this.

enigmaT120

Congratulations and good luck!

Roody

I think you have pretty mild weather there but still a few snow days every winter. Will you be able and willing to ride in the snow? Or do you have the option of taking the train all the way to work on the days when you can't ride?

ZMC888

For the vast majority that care... but please don't comment if the idea of living car-free upsets you. (Yes, these people actually are on these forums?!).

I've been car-free 15 years and proud of it, currently ride over 10,000 miles a year and love bikes. I'm lucky to be able to live car-free because of my geographical circumstances.

I have owned a few cars, but in terms of any large city I honestly feel cars a scourge on mankind. They pollute the air my children breathe, and use up valuable road and parking space that could be used for housing, parks or public amenities. (If you can, cycle, if you can't, ebike, if you can't, electric car). Having said that, cars can be a lifeline when used to capacity in rural areas or transporting goods or people.

metro2005

So im carfree again, not by choice however. For the longest time i've been thinking about getting a bigger more comfortable but also much more expensive car and about 4 months ago i finally decided to buy one and trade in my old crappy car.

Then the problems started........ The engine started making a ticking noise and since i had warranty on it i returned it to get it fixed. Long story short: 7 weeks (!) later they called to tell me they just couldnt find what the problem was and wanted to buy the car back from me and since they had no other cars for sale i liked i accepted the offer.

So now i have a lot of cash, no car anymore and contemplating whether i should even bother buying another car. This is the second car that has crapped out on me and i'm beginning to get sick and tired of cars that die on me. I have thought about buying a more expensive car for so long and now that car died on me. I'm afraid the next car will be crap too.

So for now i'm carfree and i will see how long i will continue to be carfree, especially since the weather is bad now (lots of rain),winter is coming and my commute is 15 miles one way. But to be honest: i've had it with cars at the moment. I do have a scooter besides the bike so i can manage it. I've been carfree for years before.

Roody

Welcome to LCF! It sounds like being carfree should agree with you as it has in the past. Good Luck!

metro2005

When i was carfree before my commute was a lot shorter (6,6 miles compared to the 15 miles i do now) so it does take a lot more effort to be carfree now but i try to manage for as long as possible

foxracing24

I have a full-size 2013 Silverado I don't need a full-size truck but I like driving full-size trucks. I do alot of Motocross style riding on my 450dirt bike and my 700 Raptor quad. I also like mountain biking Iv had on other forums cycliests telling me to offset my mileage for my truck as punishment for the environment.My question is are all you cycliests the same I mean I'm all about the environment too but never gave it much thought. I originally thought I'd like road cycling but now Iv decided mountain biking is more my Style but if everyone thinks I should offset my emissions for my pickup truck I will just to prove not all pickup truck owners are jerks. I don't roll coal on cycliests.

Jeffrey59

I've been car-lite since 2012. I use public transit for cross-town trips and to get to work, but use a mix of bike-share (for center city trips) and my bike (for errand rides where I live in the suburbs).


I find that I can survive pretty easy with just these two forms of transportation (and walking).


Still have the car and still use it, maybe a few times a month during the winter, less in the spring/summer/fall. Car is mainly to get out of town down to Kentucky to visit kin(Greyhound isn't really feasible in terms of time), and for having to work late overtime when busses aren't running.

Roody

There are a lot of subforums here. This particular one is geared toward using cars less, and being more reliant on other forms of transportation--especially bicycles. There are many reasons people want to do this, but for some people, caring for the environment is a big part of it. Anyhoo, welcome to the Living Carfree subforum!!!

Roody

Welcome to you also!!! It's wonderful to see new folks coming in.

Personally, I don't own a car but another family member does. I don't drive, and rarely even ride in it. But some of my groceries and household supplies are brought in the car, so I consider myself carlight rather than carfree. I try not to get hung up on the distinctions, however.

Mister214

Forty years old and have never owned a car. I have lived in a city for the past 20 years, but the first half of my life was in the burbs. And I never had one.

Roody

That's amazing! Welcome to LCF.

Smeenan

Was car lite most of my upbringing, and from 17 to 22 was totally car free. It was a great few years, and I don't regret it for a second. I lived in Clearwater, FL and so it was rarely cold enough to need layers, and the only thing to keep you off a bike was the downpours. But in reality that just meant that you went and got a beer or a coffee. Had never driven a car up until I was 22 and the only reason I finally did was moving to Asheville where riding a bike up and down the mountains for 10 miles at a time was not much of an option if you wanted to get anywhere efficiently, let alone with a backpack filled.

ZuniCycle

Like most people here it seems, I am car light and dream of going car free.

The only reason I can't do so is that I have my own "Highway 20 Ride" which is not really possible without a car. Any day I'm not visiting my son I bike, walk or use public transportation for all my needs.

In general, public transportation is very good here and can take you practically anywhere. A car is important if you're under tight time constraints or if you want to get somewhere on the weekends when public transport shuts down.

salcedo

I don't live completely car free, because my wife has a car. I get a ride from her once or twice per week, and I often use her car to buy groceries. But cycling has been my main means of transportation for almost three years now.

My parents got divorced shortly after I was born, and my dad sold his car and went completely car free when I was around 6. Growing part time in a car free household taught me that it is possible to live without a car, and that there are many things that are easier without a car.

I don't really want to go completely carefree (and I don't think I could ever convince my wife). We live in Canada and public transportation isn't that great in our city. It is nice to have the car available when the weather gets bad. But I knowing that I don't depend on a car for my daily activities is very liberating.

Roody

Welcome to the forum! It sounds like you have lots of experience and a positive attitude.

Mark Mandolin

I've been car free for five years now basically to avoid the money trap.
Last year we got a dump of snow here in Vancouver where it usually rains.
I picked up my kids from school and as we walked home kids were throwing snow at me the air was fresh and life was good.
However those good folk picking up kids in their suvs were not happy as hilly roads were iced up and road blocked with spinning tired suv horns started honking and me with no car was covered in snow with my two laughing children. For me it was an awesome cool day. Not so much for the car drivers. Car payments gas insurance = $700 monthly. Playing with your kids in the snow=priceless
Peace

PdalPowr

Hello I have been seriously car lite for eight months.
In those eight months I used what use to be a one month supply of gas.
The savings on gas and maintenance paid for the bike I rode instead.
My goal was barring injury to ride my bike at least five K' a day before breakfast rain or shine.
Maybe I screwed up five or six days.

My goal for next year is the same excepting now I ride for upgrades or a new and better bike.

cooker

That's pretty consistent - I don't know if I would call that rare an exception "screwing up". Are you also riding for work or errands?

PdalPowr

Thank you and you are quite correct a few days off rests the body and makes us more determined.

I am semi retired so don't commute but rode five K a day minimum before breakfast.
It became a ritual. Pedal down to Tim Hortons for a leisurely coffee then
pick a direction and head out. On cold days I would pedal downhill towards the sun.
On extra sleepy days I pedalled along a very nice canal bike path to the next Tim Horton's.
Sundays was a two K pedal to a park/nature preserve where no cars are allowed.
I would pedal around saying hello to anyone not evidently in a bad mood.

All groceries,bill or rent payments were done by bike.

I would have been pedalling a bit this winter bur my hybrid even with
winter tires seems too fragile. I am either going to buy or build a winter bike.

I am still addicted to cars partially due to the fact I have a dodge magnum my favorite and a very versatile wagon.
I am trying to move to the country. One of the necessities needing to be addressed will be stores within biking distance.

Roody

I like the way you have different routes and destinations depending on the weather and your mood. I do that too.

deux jambes