Living Car Free - Carfree (driving vs. passenger)

Are you still carfree if you are only a passenger along for the ride on an otherwise planned excursion?

I'm not carfree, and never have been. It intrigues me and I'm envious of many of you. I'd like to flirt with carfree living this summer for a month, for starters. Babysteps you know. Basically I'd hang up my driver's license for 4 weeks.

My wife and I do our grocery shopping weekly together. When grocery day rolls around and I've decided I'm carfree, can I jump in with her? I'm no further ahead than if I was the driver, a trip was still made by motorized vehicle. However, let's say I'm invited out for beers and wifey is sick or doesn't want to go, obviously jumping on the bike, when I might otherwise jump in the Focus, it's eliminating a trip.

Maybe the base of my question is this: What is living carfree with a wife/husband/family that drives cars?

Sounds like car-lite.

I was just thinking about my post while takin' a leak. I'm probably focusing on the terminology too much, where my real goal is lessening my dependency on motorized transport. Regardless, this forum is more experienced at it than I am, so I'll probably be back in a few months to ask some more specific questions.

I'm trying to reduce car-usage by doing the grocery shopping for myself and my partner, by bike.

If I don't do it, it'll be done by car in a separate trip. If I buy groceries, it adds a mile to my ride home.

i don't own a car. i bike or bus to work, walk or bike to grocery store, and most errands and things i do around my area i do by biking/walking, or bus, or cab if real late at night

my partner, (who i live with), owns a car. we use it together for going out at night, or trips outside of town for skiing/hiking, etc.

i rarely use the car except when using it together, or occasionally share rides to work if weather is extremely nasty. i chip in for gas, and give a bit here and there for usage, but i prefer NOT to use it, as i'm conscientious of the fact i'm not making the payments, insurance, etc.

is it hyprocrytical to say i'm car-free when i have access to a car should i need it badly enough? don't know, but from a family standpoint it works out perfect. 2 adults, one car, = more money for other things in life.

i tell my example of car LITE to co-workers and most are very impressed. they realize how much money can be saved by only owning one car (in a household), yet are spared the shock of "i could never not own a car"

oh i didn't answer your question because i don't know. but if it works out, saves you money, and makes you money via not doubling car expenses i think it's great.

Wulfheir, if you haven't (though it sounds like you probably have), just look around some of the other threads. (Hint: look for the long ones, they generally have the most heated discussions.) There's no standard definition of car-free. I consider myself car-free, but some would not consider me so because I do currently own a car (though I don't drive it); some would not consider me so because I occasionally ride in a car. So to some, I am not car-free but car-lite - that's fine. Call it what you will, I'm reducing depletion of a finite natural resource, reducing dependence on foreign oil, reducing pollution, increasing my health, increasing awareness by my example...it's a good thing. If you feel the need to define car-free, define it for yourself, and feel good about whatever you're doing to help.

If the car you're a passenger in would have made its trip whether or not you were in it, I would still consider you to be car-free.

If you and the driver worked out a deal that benefits each other, I'd say it's not really being car-free, but is still using resources in a responsible manner.

Gawd, labels.

This reminds me of vegan discussions... am I still vegan if I eat something with honey that somebody else baked and paid for the ingredients? No wonder that while being vegan, I don't usually associate with the "vegan crowd". I couldn't care less about labels.

Who cares what anyone thinks which labels apply to anything. You don't have to ask us if you can take a ride with your wife. You want to reduce your car usage... great! More power to you, my friend. Ride your bike, and spend the money you would otherwise spend on waiting in traffic jams inside a car, elsewhere. Booyakasha!

I think the best way to live is not to label oneself as car-free, car-lite, car hater, car lover etc. but simply having access to a car and the ability to drive it legally (license, insurance) when needed wilthout prejudgement from self or others. The only thing I and many others need a car for over bikes or public transportation is when a family member is too young, old, sick, poor weather, to use some other means of an alternative source of transit.

I think the best way to live is not to label oneself as car-free, car-lite, car hater, car lover etc. but simply having access to a car and the ability to drive it legally (license, insurance) when needed wilthout prejudgement from self or others.

Wise words. Truly, no one is "car-free" unless we live in a manner that nothing we need in life is transported by car or truck. There may be small tribes in the deepest rainforest who can claim that but few others.

Beyond that it is simply not using a car when you don't have to. All efforts are laudable. The ability we have to avoid cars varies from day to day. For most of us, we will come home from the hospital in a car after being born and go to our grave in a car. So the wise ones will enjoy as much time on the bicycle as we can.

For most of us, we will come home from the hospital in a car after being born and go to our grave in a car. So the wise ones will enjoy as much time on the bicycle as we can.
You gave me an idea... bicycle funeral procession.

Yeah, I kinda wish I had refrained from making my label laden post. I've designed equipment for the oil & gas field in alberta for the last 8 years, anything I do to reduce my reliance on non-renewable resources is trumped by that anyways.
Thanks for the responses.

This here is an interesting thread, probably the first one I've seen discussing this dilemma.
I would consider myself a "car-lite", due to the fact that I use a motorcycle for 30+mile trips and that I drive big rigs locally when I need extra cash.
Other than that, I don't own a four-wheeled vehicle and if I'm ever in one, I'm usually anything but driving it.