Attempting to go car-free

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Treewisemonkey

Active Member
Location
London
I quit driving a car for a very different reason. I drove for about 8 years.
I used to be a driving instructor for a very large company, can't say which one, ( BSM )
Then I started to think about the environment and pollution etc.
Had an attack of conscious and thought, what the hell am I doing promoting driving and putting more cars on the road.
So I quit my career. ✋

Well done Andrew_Culture !
 

screenman

Legendary Member
I have been without driving now for about 24 hours, just about to go and see a gig in Lincoln and the next bus is at 7.30 tomorrow, nope not tomorrow the next day Tuesday. Now I could get a cab both ways but that would mean a £100 bill and more pollution than my car will cause due to double jouneys for the cab.
 

tatr

Senior Member
Got my Burley bike trailer today. First ride with the baby tomorrow \o/

So, first attempt to go on holiday without a car has been pretty ok.

We planned a route of 10/20/16 mostly flat miles over 3 days, with our 1 year old in a burley trailer.

Mornings have been much easier than afternoons (but that's the same at home!). Our boy has been ok getting into the trailer with his giant bear in the other seat and has had some good naps.

We've not done any leg longer than 10 miles / 40 mins - stopping for picnics in church yards or at cafes and pubs. Any longer wouldn't have worked for our baby. Our route had possible stops every 2 miles, a good idea so we could easily replan.

Despite the short distance towing the trailer at 30kph is a seriously hard workout for me! At 20kph it's easy to forget it's there despite a total combined weight of 125kg. (40kg trailer, baby and luggage, 10kg bike.) It's great having loads of luggage space.

The most annoying part was the hotel which had no bike parking at all. They upgraded us to a suite that was big enough to for both bikes and the trailer, plus a baby play room, etc ^_^ Then they put the bikes in an empty function room anyway!

But - this morning the weather has turned so we've got 16 miles of drizzle to contend with. That might put the rest of the family off doing this again :angry:
 

tatr

Senior Member
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Before setting off.
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I would like to go car free but it is impractical at the moment. I live 8km from the nearest shop and 20km from work. Getting to work at 5am would be impossible.

I do cycle it a lot. Especially from April to October. I used to use the car on the other days but I bought a Honda Innova 125cc motorbike. To run the car for a week costs about 30 pounds. To run the Innova for a week costs about 50 pence and is better fun.

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@steveindenmark, don't bring excuses to this thread, only bad ass attitudes are permitted :gun:.

Sounds like you need to man up, get panniers or trailer for your groceries and get those legs pedalling, I'm just shy of 8km from nearest supermarket, but I do it when I need to, I buy most heavy/bulky items in bulk and that requires hiring of a car twice or three times a year. The rest of the time I am just topping up perishables which is simple with a bicycle. If you are not in great physical shape, by all means, get an ebike. Regarding getting to work at 5am, set off earlier. 20km is only 12 miles. That's 1 hours 10 minutes on a bad day, I have sat in longer traffic jams.

Being motor free doesn't mean sacrifice, it just means adjusting attitude.
 
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steveindenmark

Legendary Member
@steveindenmark, don't bring excuses to this thread, only bad ass attitudes are permitted :gun:.

Sounds like you need to man up, get panniers or trailer for your groceries and get those legs pedalling, I'm just shy of 8km from nearest supermarket, but I do it when I need to, I buy most heavy/bulky items in bulk and that requires the hiring of a car once or twice a year, other time's I'm just topping up perishables. If your not in great physical shape, get an ebike. Regarding getting to work at 5am, set off earlier. 20km is only 12 miles. That's 1 hours 10 minutes on a bad day, I have sat in longer traffic jams.

Being motor free doesn't mean sacrifice, it just means adjusting attitude.

I have a daily cycle commute of 40km a day and I ride that most days. Often starting at work 5am. That means getting up at 3.30am. I am not making excuses. I believe I am doing my bit to save a planet that is already screwed. But I like having a car and a 750cc motorbike.
 
Yes... but... this... but that! (I'm pulling your leg, kind of). Cycling is a good way to 'do your bit' but anyone who is serious about ecological impact, that's what the undercurrent of thread is all about after all, then I recommend you have a gander at Small is Beautiful. It will help put those "excuses" in perspective, particularly the age old ones about "inconvenience", and "I couldn't do that with my job".
 
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