Anyone Ditched their Car Completely for a Bike?

[Drago]

Screenman crates his up and has FedEx deliver them on holiday.

 

[TrishE]

I pased my driving test in 1992 and haven't driven since 1993. I use bike or public transport and of course the boat, went from Nantwich to passed middlewich the other day, took all day as had eight locks to do on my own too.
I've moved from Lincoln and have chosen to live in Northwich because it's 30 minutes either way on the train to visit my two sons so I'm half way between them. I can cycle or walk through a country park to the town and train station so I don't need a car.
When I find work again it'll be cycling distance away I'm just used to not having a car. I manage with a hybrid, trailer and a folding bike, the foldy being great for public transport. I'm single and the heaviest item I carry is dog food if I need anything too big for the bike I ask relatives who are visiting by car if they wouldn't mind a trip to fetch it

 

[screenman]

Screenman crates his up and has FedEx deliver them on holiday.

I knew you had been keeping an eye on me.

 

[Noru]

I live in a small village, 3 miles from the nearest town, with an hourly bus service which only operates 7:30 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday. I can plan around those times, as taxis work 24/7.

Fair enough for me public transport didn't work due to my shift pattern and a 17 mile commute each way after a 12 hour shift made cycling less than ideal but i did do it on rare occasions.

To be honest at the time I was also put off by the lethal A roads which to this day I'd still only cycle on in the dead of night when it's quiet but these days I'd know to pick the pitch black 20 mile country lane route and buy a good dynamo light set-up.

Luckily I've changed jobs & moved purposely so I have a much more cycle friendly commute.

 

[confusedcyclist]

We dropped our 2nd car in 2014, I exclusively commute by bike now. DW still drives a 3dr VW UP to get to work, she has a disability so can't go without unless we lived in the city centre, but with a dog and kids on the way, it wouldn't be ideal.

I nearly never use the car, aside from the rare visit to Costco (think 20kg sacks of rice, 12kg sacks of flour, 25kg sugar, 3kg of coffee. x64 tins of beans x64 tins of chopped tomoatoes sacks of onions, potatoes, etc

All this keeps my weekly shopping trips down to just buying perishables and saves a shoot tonne of money to boot. Food shopping is easily done on the bike when the heavy lifting is left to the motor. Also get used to not buying liquids like Coke or fruit juices, they are rubbish for you and very heavy! I don't mind a special trip to the supermarket for some ale from time to time, though sticking with obtaining it without a car helps me cut down.

 

[biking_fox]

As above really - it very much depends on where you live, and who else you're living with, and a bit on your hobbies.

As another s Manchester urbanite living with partner only, who also works in the city, we've no need for a car. Weekly shopping load for 2 people is easily transported either by bike or on foot. Bus/Taxi/Tram get into and around Manchester, cycling commutes to work. Trains out to visit friends and family, with taxi at the far end. These feel expensive, but much less than monthly car costs. If you're doing them fortnightly, then check the maths!

Hobbies are very much a depends issue. It's the only time I've felt perhaps a car would be necessary, getting out into the remote countryside early enough to spend a full day/weekend with full kit, isn't feasible by bike. Depending on your pursuit and location friends will pick you up.

I've barely driven (twice?) since 2000. If I thought I'd be hiring a car for a weekend I'd definitely get some refresher lessons beforehand. Shockingly it's still legal for me to get behind the wheel, but I know my instincts and reactions aren't there. Pootling along a motorway would be fine.

 

[confusedcyclist]

We are! (Sort of). My OH's kids, elderly parents and his quite ill brother live sixty miles away. We've had one or two emergency trips to down there not because of a death, but for various states of emergency over the years. It takes an hour in the car, several hours on public transport, and of course, public transport stops at night so you just can't do it.
We had one in reverse as well, my OH was visiting the rellies on the fateful morning a few years ago that I text him to say I thought I had appendicitis (I didn't) and could he come back and take me to a & e. He got back an hour later and found me semi conscious in the living room. If I'd waited for him to get back using three buses and a train I'd be dead now! And if it had been a Sunday evening I'd probably still be waiting!

Sounds like you should have called an ambulance, not the OH!