Anyone gone car free?

[middleagecyclist]

That time of the year has come round again. Time to insure, MOT and tax...(cough)...sorry, I mean VED the car again. Thing is, despite being the owner of the vehicle I rarely drive it now. Wifey uses it for her commute to work, the occasional trip to the in laws, running the Golden Child around and the fortnightly big shop. I can't persuade her to give it up although I would be more than happy to use a car share scheme or car hire, utilize taxis/public transport for local trips and haul the shopping with a cycle trailer.

Has any cyclist here actually gone car (ownership) free?

 

[ColinJ]

I stayed car-free!

 

[DCLane]

I'm as close as - and there's threads on here about people who have.

 

[NormanD]

I've been car free for about four years now and I don't miss it one bit, most of the places I need to get too are within cycling reach, any further then I'll ask a friend (with car and payment) or use public transport.

 

[Pottsy]

I'm car free and don't struggle at all with it.

Mind you, I live in London so public transport is normally the best answer anyway if you're going far. I also have a Brompton for the bike/train/bike routes and I'm a member of Zipcar so I can access a car easily if I need to head out of town for a meeting or family visit, which is only once or twice a month at the moment.

 

[BSRU]

Almost, our car is basically used for shopping, hopefully with a little more nagging my better half will give in to my wish to buy a trailer for shopping. It is also used for day trips to places in the countryside, mainly NT places and taking stuff to the recycling centre which is not allowed in kerb side collection recycling bins.
I gave the car to my misses last year when she passed her driving test but she rarely drives it as we live very close to most of the towns amenities.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Another Mancunian...
No need for a car here. Not had one for over 5 years. At first it was busses, later bikes. Brompton + public transport will do for longer journeys, if the times don't work out hire car (long weekends) or City Car Club (shorter trips). We do most shopping either online or at Unicorn for fresh stuff, you can fit a LOT on a bike and we have felt no need for a trailer yet.

 

[martint235]

I've never even taken a driving test let alone owned a car. Can't say I've struggled at any point.

 

[ianrauk]

I've never even taken a driving test let alone owned a car. Can't say I've struggled at any point.

You and me both.
Though when I was 18 I did take lessons but hated it.

And with the wife having a car it can be handy sometimes. Like phoning her up at 8am on a Sunday morning asking her to come and collect me as I was 20 miles into a ride when a rear wheel spoke snapped and buckled the wheel too much to carry on riding.

And for some gawd forsaken reason. I am the chump that washes the bloody car.
Sunday morning, middle class suburbia style.

 

[martint235]

Nope, SWMBO doesn't have car either. My FiL and my BiL have cars but I can't remember the last time I called on them for anything, must be at least 4 years if not more.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I don't personally have a car, but 'we' have a car that my wife uses and I very occasionally borrow (due to the fact I can't get my bass amp and associated crap on my bike!)

 

[DRHysted]

I have tried getting the seven dogs on the push bike, but none of them are willing to be at the bottom, and their balance just isn't good enougth.
So the car stays.
I'm managing to get a tank to last over a month now, and last year my annual milage dropped from 13,000 to 8,000. Hopefully it will be lower this year.
Car free here on the outskirts of a small city called Southampton isn't really practical, as our public transport is being reduced all the time as the bus companies cancel the non-profitable routes.

 

[ColinJ]

I don't personally have a car, but 'we' have a car that my wife uses and I very occasionally borrow (due to the fact I can't get my bass amp and associated crap on my bike!)

If I had that kind of load to move about regularly, then yes - I would learn to drive. Just a few times a year - I would use taxis.

Hebden Bridge has a car share scheme. Members have the best of both worlds - affordable motoring when they really need to drive but not having to actually own cars.

There must be similar schemes in many towns and cities.

 

[Ian Cooper]

I've never owned a car, never even bothered to learn to drive, because I always felt that cars were somehow evil. Nowadays I just think car ownership is for people who have more money than sense. They are a money pit.

Unfortunately, my wife doesn't share my hatred of cars. I've tried to get her to give hers up, but she's not having it.

 

[ianrauk]

I've never owned a car, never even bothered to learn to drive, because I always felt that cars were somehow evil. Nowadays I just think car ownership is for people who have more money than sense. They are a money pit.

Evil... yeah ok Ian.
I spend more money on my cycling hobby then my wife does on her car. It's me that has more money then sense not my wife.