anyone car free???

[slowmotion]

Well, I know it's not possible for everybody.
I choose my present abode because it's convenient. I don't have kids to ferry about, the cat goes to the vet in the bike trailer, for major transport needs there's deliveries and white van man.
I have transported plumbing pipes from B&Q on the bike ... in the snow

That's brilliant. My problem is that I'm not organised enough. If I run out of a bag of plaster or a couple of sheets of MDF, I jump in the car or van and get it within an hour and a half. The alternative is waiting in for a delivery slot that could be four hours of dead time a couple of days later.

The last year I used the bike computer, I rode about 4500 miles. In the same period, my MOT certificates showed I had driven a little over 900 miles.
Bonkers expensive, but sometimes highly convenient. I would find it a hard habit to kick into touch.

 

[marzjennings]

So a car sales man who doesn't drive. Isn't that like buying meat from a vegan butcher?

I can't imagine ever being car free. In fact if I can convince the wife I wouldn't mind two cars. A small one for the weekly commute and one for weekend mtb riding and road trips.

 

[Saluki]

We have discussed going car free. Our little Micra sits outside the flat and we run her once a week, or at least turn her over. She's 21 years old so we feel that we need to turn the engine every so often. We can ride or walk up to Tesco, it's only a little over a mile and a quarter. Lidl is less than half a mile away and the Co-op is 200 yards from our front door.
We take our bikes pretty much everywhere now but will hang on to the Micra for a little longer. If we get a call from the transplant department, Kenn won't be able to utilise hospital transport in the middle of the night, if that's when they call. If we had an emergency and needed to get a dog to the vet, having the car would be handy. It costs us around £240 a year in Tax and Insurance so, for the moment, we'll stay as car owners.

 

[mjr]

We couldn't do without our cars. ...

I know you're not the first to post along those lines, but I'm really disappointed to read such a wild claim. I expect it from local councillors, not sensible cyclechatters. It may be difficult and require tough choices, but I suspect you could and you might have to if there's another fuel crisis.

But this thread isn't "what is your excuse for a car", it's "anyone car free?" and I was really enjoying reading from people who have taken that step, so please let's not drag it back to motoring excuses.

 

[2IT]

I know you're not the first to post along those lines, but I'm really disappointed to read such a wild claim. I expect it from local councillors, not sensible cyclechatters. It may be difficult and require tough choices, but I suspect you could and you might have to if there's another fuel crisis.

But this thread isn't "what is your excuse for a car", it's "anyone car free?" and I was really enjoying reading from people who have taken that step, so please let's not drag it back to motoring excuses.

What about those who don't have their own flat and live out of their car? Do people live out of their cars over there while keeping their bike in the trunk?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

What about those who don't have their own flat and live out of their car? Do people live out of their cars over there while keeping their bike in the trunk?

Eh? You mean like a camper van? Could be, I haven't met any though, even the local "travelers" community seems to be well rooted in the same spot for years, their luxury motor homes have lost the motor and acquired landscaped gardens!

 

[Jimidh]

I know you're not the first to post along those lines, but I'm really disappointed to read such a wild claim. I expect it from local councillors, not sensible cyclechatters. It may be difficult and require tough choices, but I suspect you could and you might have to if there's another fuel crisis.

But this thread isn't "what is your excuse for a car", it's "anyone car free?" and I was really enjoying reading from people who have taken that step, so please let's not drag it back to motoring excuses.

With respect we don't live in a utopian world and some of us need to earn a living.

Both me and me wife are self employed. I own a business with multiple sites and need to travel between them at times which limits my ability to use the bike.( I do use my bike 2-3 days per week) Public transport would be useless and a waste time as my business are not located in large towns with good links between them and would require multiple bus changes.

My wife needs to travel between sites for her occupation and again unless she wants to lose work then she has to get between locations quickly.

My children are both active in sports clubs and needs to attend various locations for training and games/competitions some of them quite a distance from home.

I can imagine all this would be easier if we lived in a large city but we can't all live in a large metropolis.

 

[mjr]

With respect we don't live in a utopian world and some of us need to earn a living.

With respect, that's missing the point entirely. My situation is similar (multisite business owner, spouse travels for work, very small village, area with poor transport links) but describing that is still not a good story about being car-free!

 

[martint235]

My parents haven't had a car for as long as I've been alive, I've never had a car, I've never passed my driving test. I can drive, I learned the basics messing around on tractors and in Land Rovers on the local farms when I was a kid but that's as close as I got.

I do have a driveway. It gives me something to get upset about when people park across it.

 

[Old jon]

^^^ This.
Similar, wonder why I get grumpy when folk park across mine.

 

[martint235]

^^^ This.
Similar, wonder why I get grumpy when folk park across mine.

I do look forward to the visits by traffic wardens though.....

 

[raleighnut]

When I moved in with Maz the hedge at the front had been taken out so that her ex and then her son could park on the front (no 'dropped kerb' though)
I reinstated the hedge with a small (single) gate, looks much better.

 

[Starchivore]

My girlfriend drives but I never have, and my parents don't either. Never had it and so I don't miss it!

I think England is small enough to do without anyway. Although it is useful for the trip to LIDL....

 

[fimm]

We don't own a car. We live in a city, so local journeys can be done by bike or public transport. If we want to drive somewhere we hire a car - either in the usual way (for more than 24 hours), or through the Car Club (for a few hours or a day).
My O/H was complaining about the extra hassle of having to go and pick up and return a hire car compared with having our own one parked outside the house. That isn't the same as saying we have to own a car, though!

 

[2IT]

With respect we don't live in a utopian world and some of us need to earn a living

Agreed. Without cars and trucks we would have far fewer goods and services available - for those without cars or trucks.

I didn't get a car until work justified it. Otherwise a car is a money pit. It's a luxury getting by without a car that many cannot afford due to work.

Driving takes a lot of time and money. The ads try to sell you on the pleasure of driving when most of the time it's a necessary chore.