Anyone gone car free?
- Thread starter middleagecyclist
- Start date
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swansonj
Guru
Here's another reflection on my own experience.
Before I met my wife, when I was single, I did not own a car. I occasionally hired to enable journeys, and work provided a pool car when needed for work purposes, but mostly I cycled and took public transport. That often meant journeys taking a long time, which was fine when my time was my own. Now I am married with children, I think that, for instance, taking two or three hours to get back from somewhere in the evening when I could drive it in one hour could be construed as selfish.
In similar vein, I have organised my own life so that the hobbies I choose to do are accessible by bike, I have chosen not to do things that require the car, and work is likewise, through my choice, a bikable commute. But my daughter, for instance, has music lessons and plays in orchestras that would not be realistically feasible by public transport - driving a 14/15 year old home from a 930 finish and getting home at 10 is one thing, public transport arriving home at nearer 11 on a school day is not responsible, and although I would cycle it, I can't expect her to, in all weathers. So it seems to me that to try to be car-free would have an element of selfishness in that I would be depriving her of opportunities. (Others will doubtelss point out that what looks selfish from my family's POV and from the planet's POV could be rather different.)
However, TC (and others) has got me thinking: is what I have written genuinely true, or am I just using my family as excuses, in the way that males are wont to do?
Before I met my wife, when I was single, I did not own a car. I occasionally hired to enable journeys, and work provided a pool car when needed for work purposes, but mostly I cycled and took public transport. That often meant journeys taking a long time, which was fine when my time was my own. Now I am married with children, I think that, for instance, taking two or three hours to get back from somewhere in the evening when I could drive it in one hour could be construed as selfish.
In similar vein, I have organised my own life so that the hobbies I choose to do are accessible by bike, I have chosen not to do things that require the car, and work is likewise, through my choice, a bikable commute. But my daughter, for instance, has music lessons and plays in orchestras that would not be realistically feasible by public transport - driving a 14/15 year old home from a 930 finish and getting home at 10 is one thing, public transport arriving home at nearer 11 on a school day is not responsible, and although I would cycle it, I can't expect her to, in all weathers. So it seems to me that to try to be car-free would have an element of selfishness in that I would be depriving her of opportunities. (Others will doubtelss point out that what looks selfish from my family's POV and from the planet's POV could be rather different.)
However, TC (and others) has got me thinking: is what I have written genuinely true, or am I just using my family as excuses, in the way that males are wont to do?
If you are not doing to such extremes that you could genuinely be accused of neglecting your family (i.e. you are actually spending a reasonable amount of time with your family on other occasions), I don't think it is selfish.
Would it, for example, be selfish to pursue a career that requires 12 hour working days as opposed to one that only requires 8 hour working days?
My lack of car use this year has had an unfortunate side effect, I've become hopeless at parking in confined spaces. I'm taking two or three attempts to get into a free parking space between two vehicles (although a Vauxhall Corsa doesn't have a particularly tight turning circle, which doesn't help).
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Nope perfectly reasonable. It would be pointless you cycling every where with the committments you have. Don't beat yourself up about it. Just get on with life. Cycling everywhere if you are singleton is possible, bloody miserable some times, but still possible. But if you have a demanding family and you live in the sticks then a car is pretty much the only option..
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
How so? I've never learnt to drive and although I make the occasional mistake judging by some of the horror stories on here I make fewer than many driver cyclists.
400bhp
Guru
Without wanting to put words into Sunnyjim's mouth, what he really meant was "it might" rather than "it will".
Driving gives a different perspective of using the roads and perhaps provides some empathy from what drivers see etc. It certainly doesn't naturally flow that it will make you a better cyclist (or vice versa) as that depends upon your own personal circumstances.
There are a lot of folk who are poor drivers and poor cyclists (not necessarily mutually exclusive). Some of these may benefit from learning the other skill, many won't (either they don't have the ability to or don't want to).
simon.r
Person
- Location
- Nottingham
One of the main reasons why I don't intend to give up my car is the fact that it allows me, at short notice, to drive anywhere within 100 mile + radius just to do something I want to do. I accept that is selfish and I don't do it very often, but I'd hate not to have that option.
An unexpected sunny Sunday? Day at the sea-side no problem with a car, very difficult without.
Phone call from parents (who live 25 miles away) needing help? No problem, I'll be there in 40 minutes.
An early morning MTB ride in the Peak District (40 miles away)? You get the idea...
An unexpected sunny Sunday? Day at the sea-side no problem with a car, very difficult without.
Phone call from parents (who live 25 miles away) needing help? No problem, I'll be there in 40 minutes.
An early morning MTB ride in the Peak District (40 miles away)? You get the idea...
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
But isnt' the journey part of the fun? Unexpected sunny Sunday, Brighton 3 hours by bike. Probably roughly the same by car as everyone piles out of London on the A23. Riding the bike down would be fun.
For you, 25 miles to the parents, 90 mins in the fresh air with a bit of exercise.
As to driving somewhere to ride a bike, that I just don't understand!
Then again I decided one day to ride to my parents. It was fun (apart from the peak district) and they live 225 miles away.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
I agree but 40 mins/90 mins isn't going to make a huge difference in an emergency.I think the parents example was related to speed of response.
Boris Bajic
Guest
This may be the case, but it may not. I'm not sure it helps to make a fairly absolute statement like that on a cycling forum.
In my experience, road users with experience handling several forms of road transport are more understanding about the needs, capabilities and limitations of other modes.
I see cyclists and car drivers in the vicinity of buses and HGVs who would never drive or ride that way if they'd sat where the driver is.
Some "How come he didn't see me?" comments are from riders who may have failed to grasp what a driver in a forward-control lorry cab really can see.
For all that, a prize turnip on a bicycle would just become a similar vegetable in a car - with potentially dangerous results.
I am not a particularly good driver, cyclist, pedestrian, motorcyclist of HGV driver, but I am (or have been) less bad at all three because of experience at the others.
I was amused last year when teaching my (enthusiastic cyclist) daughter to drive. She was quite surprised to see how cyclists appeared (and sometimes failed to appear) to a driver. She rode occasionally to her 6th Form in those days, about 14 miles along a busy NSL single carriageway. She changed the way she rode, having driven a car.
simon.r
Person
- Location
- Nottingham
But isnt' the journey part of the fun? Unexpected sunny Sunday, Brighton 3 hours by bike. Probably roughly the same by car as everyone piles out of London on the A23. Riding the bike down would be fun.
For you, 25 miles to the parents, 90 mins in the fresh air with a bit of exercise.
As to driving somewhere to ride a bike, that I just don't understand!
Then again I decided one day to ride to my parents. It was fun (apart from the peak district) and they live 225 miles away.
It obviously depends on where you live, who you want to go with and any other number of variables, but for me the nearest sea-side is about 80 miles away. I've never ridden 160 miles in a day and don't know if I could. If I did I certainly wouldn't have any energy left to enjoy myself when I was there! That 80 miles, in the relatively sparsely populated Midlands could easily be driven in 2 hours, probably less.
I think the driving somewhere to ride a bike thing is an MTB thing. I'm fortunate enough to live near some pleasant trails, but riding in the Peaks (for example) is a very different experience, as you alluded to in your post about riding to your parents
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
It most certainly is!! And one I will be going back to repeat but in a better and stronger frame of mind next time.but riding in the Peaks (for example) is a very different experience, as you alluded to in your post about riding to your parents
I think there's something to be said for this, although it has been pointed out that there are poor cyclists who drive as well as those that don't (and poor operators of every vehicle IMO)
From my point of view I cycle but can also ride motorcycles, drive cars and buses and all of these give me a much better perspective of how to drive/ride each one in a better way in relation to other road users making me safer in the process.
Back on topic we currently have 2 cars in the house, my wife needs hers for her work as she is here there and everywhere with it (most places no public transport) and has to carry a lot of resources with her. I'm seriously contemplating selling the second car which is getting used less and less, with our second child on the way later in the year the money saved would come in handy!
