Beyond commuting... losing the car.

[Tinuts]

Both my partner & I gave up our cars about ten years ago. Can't say I've missed it much but I live in London so plentiful public transport & cab availability if required. Supermarket shopping goes in the panniers but delivery is an option. I've hired a car once. Joined one of those car share schemes for a year (it was free at the time) but never used it so didn't continue.

To be honest, I don't really need a car. The bike handles my commute (and is the quickest means of getting to work). If people want to hire my services away from my office they pay the transport/cab/pickup so a car hasn't been required for business purposes.

When I did have my last car I calculated what it was costing me just to have it sit in the road unused. At that time there was no residents parking charge and the car, being vintage, was not subject to VED. The cost was still at least £10 a week just to have the thing available. It drank fuel so if I used it the costs rocketed. It was a relief once the thing was finally gone. No parking worries, no MOT worries, no insurance hassle etc etc.

I think, to be honest, the only time I miss it is when I feel like piling in and driving off to the country for the day or longer. But then I think I've forgotten how awful driving through London to get out into the country actually is now that I use the train.

No, car - good riddance!

I could be tempted by a nice campervan though..........

 

[Arch]

for instance, in order to go swimming, we need to pack all the gear into bags that we can carry

How much stuff do you take swimming? Do you have to take your own pool these days? In my day, it was cossy, wrapped in a towel, and a comb if you felt glamorous.

I'm car free, but I live bang in the middle of a small city, my commute varies between 1.5 and 3 miles shortest route. I cycle or walk everywhere within town and get the train for longer trips to visit family and so on. Shops are within 5 minutes walk, and I very rarely need to transport anything I can't carry in my panniers. If I did, I have access to borrow a bike trailer, or possibly a load carrying Maximus trike. Or I can hire a van or car.

I am on the insurance of my boss's girlfriend's car, in order to occasionally help with the driving to trade shows and festivals.

Most of my colleagues are also car-free - but most have access to a car they can borrow when needed from friends or family.

I can see that with kids, or living out of town, a car is a very useful tool - and probably used more efficiently than by the average city dweller who could well do without.

 

[3tyretrackterry]

i have been car free for approx 3 yrs now i have 3 Teenagers a wife who doesnt drive and i live in suburbia. i am on my FILs car insurance if i need to use the car but try to avoid it. we use online shopping for big shops the local smaller supermarket for everyday shopping. i commute to work by bike. we hired a car for a camping holiday the other year.i walk alot to drs dentists etc the kids walk to school. if i need to use the car then i chip in for petrol and always offer petrol money if kids friends parents use there car to take mine anywhere. i expect to have to buy a car soon as my kids get older and want to learn to drive etc but i am putting it off as long as possible. people still think i am a bit weird for not owning a car and always ask how i manage usually when they are moaning about the cost of using a car.
the first step is always the hardest once the car is gone you make it work because you have to and i found it wasnt as hard as i thought
HTH

 

[elduderino]

There is a forum dedicated to living car free on the american site bikeforums.net. It's rather good too. http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?226-Living-Car-Free

My car insurance and tax runs out at the end of the month, I won't be renewing it as I hardly use it.

 

[Jezston]

I live in a city center, am single and childless. I worked out the costs of running a car and it works out far cheaper for me to get a taxi for any journey that couldn't be done on bike or train.

I know plenty of people in the same position as me who feel they HAVE to have a car, and living in a city center with little parking makes things VERY expensive for them. I just don't get it.

The money I save compared to them I could have a round the world holiday every year. For some reason I'm still skint, though!

 

[mark barker]

I've been carless for about 18 months now, and I'm managing fine. I'm single and have 3 daughters (aged 3, 5 & 9), and getting around has never really been an issue. The 2 youngest go in the trailer & eldest rides. My 5 yo is starting to ride a little more now, so hunting out the non shared cycle routes is in order. I live on the outskirts of town, and there is a regular bus service if I needed it. I've found that with a little planning I can get everything I need whilst out without making a special journey to the shop. A lot of this will depend on the rest of your lifestyle.

 

[fimm]

My boyfriend and I have been car-free since he sold his car a couple of years ago. We are members of the City Car Club which is great for short trips (eg a morning somewhere, or a trip to IKEA or wherever) and hire cars for longer trips (ie over 24 hours) (our single biggest expense for our holiday to Wales this year was a fortnight's car hire). It works well for us as we have no children and live in a city. I usually use a bike to get to work, but don't have to, which is useful. We get our shopping delivered by one of the supermarkets and top up with local shopping.