living without a car

[madscot13]

i've always been car free but hey I am 22. My bike gets me everywhere I need to go faster than public transportation and with a there and bike ride at $5.00 that can add up. I also realized that everything I may need to go to on a daily basis is within a 3 mile radius and weekly about 5 miles. It is quicker to bike than to bus or drive due to multiple stops and parking and traffic. My parents live 20 miles away and I can bike to see them when the weather isn't too bad and they are really kind in letting me borrow the car or chauferring me when necessary but maybe that does not make me carfree then? They offered me a car for graduation but I think me and the Trek 520 will try roughing it out for at least a few more months on our own.

[Torrilin]

Well, we're happy to carpool with car-owning friends who offer us a ride . It's just not needed on much more than a monthly basis.

We don't have kids, and if we did, carfree might not be realistic. I wasn't really capable of handling utility/commuter type riding as an 8 year old, even tho my parents taught me how. Once I hit 13 or 14, I was a lot more capable. And well, most of the trailers I've seen assume your kids will be able to ride on their own by around age 6. Not very realistic for things like mom and the kids going grocery shopping. And if you've got more than 1-2 kids, well... you're outta luck.

Really, we went carfree because it's more fun. If you're thinking of making the shift, that's probably the best reason to do it. That way you'll stick with it. I really enjoy certain kinds of driving, and I love tinkering with cars. But most cars are money sinks, and the driving I like best isn't the kind of driving I'd do the most of (even if we lived out in suburbia). Our car insurance rates would be high, despite not driving much. And well, bikes are fun, and riding a bike in stop and go city traffic isn't maddening for me. Neither is walking. Driving a car in that *is*.

I haven't dealt with a real winter yet with no car. It'll be interesting, and I'm sure I'll fall back on public transit a lot at first. That's ok tho. The point is to keep it fun, not make it into another big source of stress.

[Beane]

I haven't dealt with a real winter yet with no car. It'll be interesting,

you're in madison, right? "interesting" is not the word for it. when the snot freezes in my nose after about 30 seconds, I tend to use four letter words.

Actually what is really bad about winter is riding on roads that are snow or slush covered. I almost got run over by a bus on state street! ...OK, "almost" may be an exaggeration, but still, it was scary.

[Torrilin]

you're in madison, right? "interesting" is not the word for it. when the snot freezes in my nose after about 30 seconds, I tend to use four letter words.

Actually what is really bad about winter is riding on roads that are snow or slush covered. I almost got run over by a bus on state street! ...OK, "almost" may be an exaggeration, but still, it was scary.

I knit. A ski mask may be on the "to knit" list... Wool socks, lobster claw mittens, and plain hats for them as need 'em are for sure.

I'm really more worried about traffic on Mills and Dayton. Too many spots where it's not safe for drivers to pass, and they do anyway. State St is a once a month sort of deal... those are near daily.