View Full Version : I am car free! (I think)
I've convinced my parents to let me NOT get my license. You know what did it? My mom read that insurance'll go up $2000 as soon as I get my license. Sweet. Of course, she won't put that into a bike, but I'm happy. Now, I still use cars, but I normally ride, in a carpool fashion. I'm not sure if I'm technically car free if I will occasionally mooch a ride from a driver, but in my mind, it's a real victory. I need a bumper sticker that says "One less teenage driver" for my bike now.
ViciousCycle
11-27-05, 05:02 AM
Congratulations. A lot of teenagers fall into the trap of 'needing' a car to get to work, but then needing to work mainly to pay for their car. Avoiding this trap is a good thing, because then you can actually do things that you want to do with your time.
BeTheChange
11-27-05, 08:37 AM
Awsome! I think back to high school and how much money I sunk into cars. Seriously, it was in the relm of 20000. I had jeeps that I offroaded that destroys thems. I should have just bought a $4000 road bike and saved $16000 :D. I wish I had as much sense as you do when I was in high school. Rock!
Artkansas
11-27-05, 09:07 AM
I've convinced my parents to let me NOT get my license. You know what did it? My mom read that insurance'll go up $2000 as soon as I get my license. Sweet. Of course, she won't put that into a bike, but I'm happy. Now, I still use cars, but I normally ride, in a carpool fashion. I'm not sure if I'm technically car free if I will occasionally mooch a ride from a driver, but in my mind, it's a real victory. I need a bumper sticker that says "One less teenage driver" for my bike now.
Don't feel bad about mooching the occasional ride. Most drivers feel guilty about driving when you are pedaling, and try to assuage their guilt feelings by offering you a ride.
It's not a black and white issue. We all need to get around. But every mile on a bike is good.
Yeah, I actually work for a bike advocacy group, so that had a lot to do with it. I also went something like two weeks with maybe three car rides in it. Plus, we have a decent bus system if I need it. Thanks for the encouragement.
Avoiding this trap is a good thing, because then you can actually do things that you want to do with your time.
Or work some and then attend an inexpensive college for a couple years using money you earned yourself.
thelung
11-28-05, 10:21 PM
Awesome. I got my license straight away during highschool but went car free after my first year of college. The license still may come in handy though, like if you are helping a drunk friend or in some sort of emergency. Mine is expired and so far I have been too lazy to renew it.
It is great to see that you are taking responsibility for your actions, and exercise forsight. These two traits will get you far!
knoregs
12-03-05, 12:27 PM
I've convinced my parents to let me NOT get my license.
wish I'd been aware enough at your age to make that decision... I'd have to say that it never entered my mind
I'm not sure if I'm technically car free if I will occasionally mooch a ride from a driver
with time you might find you don't even need, nor want the occasional 'mooch ride'... this upcoming winter I'll be commuting between 9-15 miles each way with the ride in being at 5am... I have the ability to mooch a ride with someone going my direction but I'd rather bike... last year I would've opted for the heated car ride... now I say "bring it on Mother Nature, lets see what ya got" :eek:
in my mind, it's a real victory
Congrats!
el twe-- I did the same as you back in the early 1970s. (damn! that's a long time ago.) I did end up getting my license when I was 19 or 20 and I read some Jack Kerouac. Since then I've been carfree about half the time. I guess you could say I've been halfassed, but quite committed to the cause right now. So I think you're off to a good start. At least things have gone pretty well for me the last 30 years. Welcome, sir.
Interesting point with the drunk driving thing. But here's an idea: walk with them. Walk 'em home, or to a cab, or whatever. Actually, one of my friends loves to party at/after concerts, and I just bought him a bike so he can drink a little and still get himself home. I'm hoping to spread this to some of my other drinking friends.
Don't throw rocks at me for this one, but I'd like to offer some advice. You can get your license, and your parents won't have to worry about any rate increase. They can specifically exclude you from their policy. No big deal, one phone call to their agent.
Your license is used for much more than just operating a motor vehicle. And if you decide that you do need to get a car at some point in your life, you will get a much better insurance rate if you have been continuously licensed all along. It's of no concern to the insurance company that you would have no violations or accidents because you didn't drive, they just want to see that clean driving record that goes way back.
How many of you have gone car-free, and given up your license? Voluntarily.
Just my 2 cents.
Alekhine
12-12-05, 03:50 AM
How many of you have gone car-free, and given up your license? Voluntarily.
I did. Voluntarily with no regrets.
Then again, I'm pretty well-off financially if I should ever need to hire someone to move my piano or move in a new couch or something, and I live in an area that has nice weather year-round, so for me a license simply isn't necessary for anything at all. I don't know about everyone else in this forum. Although I do now have a state-issued nondriver ID card that I obtained through the DMV, and it looks just like a driver's license.
Im Fixed
12-12-05, 02:29 PM
With my job I have to drive. But I ride my bike to work everyday. Sort blue boxes all day to help the enviorment. And my truck is one of the worse pollutors 6ml per gal.
And my truck is one of the worse pollutors 6ml per gal.
That's okay because your truck is a working vehicle and I'm sure hauls a heck of alot of stuff for those 6mpg, and it's probably pretty efficient considering that, if it's a tractor-trailer, it probably has a gross weight over 30 times as much as a typical car.
There's far fewer of these vehicles on the road than the surburban soccer-mom's SUV.
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