Commuting - The Reality of Bike Transportation

Hello, everyone.

Here's the situation: The wife gets the car. I get the washer and dryer. Simple, huh?

This means I must buy a car soon. I work from home, so I don't require daily transportation. (This may change. Who knows?) I've also been on a "Recycle -- Save The Planet" kick for a while now. And I really don't want to spend the cash on a second car. So I started looking into the bus pass/bike combo.

I recently found out my wife's parents are going to buy her a new car, and the family car will go to me [along with the washer and dryer]. This means I no longer have to worry about paying for a car. This is good...maybe.

The longer I think about the idea of "no car", the more I like the idea. What a relief it would be to rid my life of gasoline prices, insurance payments, and spontaneous maintenance costs! And the health and environmental benefits of "no car" sound perfect!

I do not want a car...ever again!

So the question is: Is it possible in this day and age to survive with the "no car" philosophy?

(Ideas, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.)

Thanks in advance.

Chris Bianco

It's very possible. I do it. So do many others.

See also: http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=226

It is.

two suggestions -

not posting your e-mail & phone# on the intro-nut publicly (you'll prbably get spammed with lots of dumb junk).

try the bike exclusively for a month. if you can do it for a month why not forever? you (and all the other carfree people) will be idolized by us schmucks without big enough cajones to do it.

I think it would completely depend on your work/recreation situation. Of course it is possible to "survive" without a car, but at times it will be an inconvenience for you. (just as owning a car is often an inconvenience at times). My suggestion is to start using the bike as your primary means of transportation now. If you find you can get along....GREAT! If you find that you "need" a car you can buy and register one in a couple of hours at the local dealership....it is just not that big a deal. Also, check out the "car free" forum. So, try going without and see how it goes. Then report back with your findings/outcome.

(I agree. The phone and email are a bad habit.)

So it really is possible to live the "no car" philosophy? Sounds good.

And I agree about the one month test. I'll try it.


The next question is: What does it feel like to live with no car? (Liberating? Healthy? Socially limiting?)

Thanks again.


Chris Bianco

Also, check out the "car free" forum.

Oops! I didn't know there was a Car Free forum. Sorry. =/

Thanks.


Chris

More couples are giving up the second car and making do with one. It is very much possible and for many makes life better. In spite of their convenience for some travel, cars take a toll on finances to own and keep running. A bike/bus lifestyle isn't that difficult once you become accustomed to it...in fact, I prefer it. I'm released from finding parking, stopping for gas, oil changes, and things like "what's that funny noise in the motor?" If you decide you want to take a weekend recreational trip and don't have a car, it's a simple matter to rent one for the time you need it. Much less costly than the price of ownership. An added bonus is that I have a lot more room in my garage for storing all my bikes, not to mention the numerous trips to Europe I've taken on the savings from not owning and maintaining a car. Going to Romania in May.

In Ft. Lauderdale it is impossible to live without a car. I examined the bus route to work and back and I'd have to ride about half the distance with my bike. What's the point of that? I don't want to be sweaty when I get to work. The bus comes no where near my home or job.

What about grocery shopping? I shop for a week or two's worth of groceries. I guess you could get a bike trailer/baby trailer for that.

What about getting to work in the rain, or heat in Aug.? Oh you work at home. Ok, you're lucky.

Yeah the one downside to the "car free" forum is there are a few people who are VERY car-free... I.E. won't even consider renting one. Reality is, renting is an EXTREMELY convenient option for those few times you need a car.

While my truck was down getting the motor replaced, I needed a truck (hauling gravel and cement for my patio project). $70 at Enterprise later I had a quad-cab pickup for the whole weekend. That seriously made me question the wisdom of bothering to replace the motor in my own truck (But I already HAD the motor! :cry: ). That means you could theoretically get a car EVERY WEEKEND (friday night to monday morning) for $280 a month or so. That means, assuming you'll only need cars on the weekends (since commuting by bike is extremely doable, it's just the random stuff you sometimes want a car for), that WORST CASE it costs about the same whether you own a car or rent one.

In Ft. Lauderdale it is impossible to live without a car. I examined the bus route to work and back and I'd have to ride about half the distance with my bike. What's the point of that? I don't want to be sweaty when I get to work. The bus comes no where near my home or job.

What about grocery shopping? I shop for a week or two's worth of groceries. I guess you could get a bike trailer/baby trailer for that.

What about getting to work in the rain, or heat in Aug.? Oh you work at home. Ok, you're lucky.
Sometimes it's more a matter of changing the way you think about transportation. That's why my sig says "think outside the cage." A LOT of people on Bikeforums use bikes instead of cars, in every part of the country and the world. I personally have four reasons to use my bike as my transportation:


Saves a lot of money.
Gets me my exercise.
I'm not messing up the planet as much.
It's fun!!


There are solutions to all of the problems you brought up: weather, shopping, combining bike with public transit, carrying cargo on the bike, etc. If you're interested, check out the "Living Carfree" subforum here at BF. (Of course this "Commuting" subforum also covers some of the same topics.) Good Luck!

In Ft. Lauderdale it is impossible to live without a car. I examined the bus route to work and back and I'd have to ride about half the distance with my bike. What's the point of that?
Not much. Might as well ride the whole way.


I don't want to be sweaty when I get to work.
Slow down. Or shower when you get there.


The bus comes no where near my home or job.
Then ignore it.


What about grocery shopping? I shop for a week or two's worth of groceries. I guess you could get a bike trailer/baby trailer for that.
Correct.


What about getting to work in the rain, or heat in Aug.? Oh you work at home. Ok, you're lucky. Rain? Ride. Heat? Ride.

I do not work at home. My workplace is more than 10 miles from my residence and I ride daily in all weather. I change clothes when I get to work, so precipitation isn't a problem, especially if I'm wearing rain gear.

There are probably reasons not to bike, but the ones you mention don't really sound too convincing.

Hey CJ, if you want, you can edit your original post and take the personal contact information out of it. People on BF can still contact you via PM and more information can be given out then.

Hey CJ, if you want, you can edit your original post and take the personal contact information out of it. People on BF can still contact you via PM and more information can be given out then.

Oops! I forgot about editing. Thanks. =)

Chris Bianco

Hey Chris,
The 864 area code tells me you're in upstate SC. If you're in Greenville, talk to the Greenville Spinners -- a local cycling club. They have a yahoo listserv you could join to get in touch with other local cyclists. I found them a very helpful bunch (I'm no longer in G'ville, but they were an active group when I did live there. )

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/GreenvilleSpinners/?yguid=191607409

Hope this helps,

Nico

Under no cirscumstances dare to buy a car ... breath deeply and relax ... that is right.

For some cirscumstances some other kind of motorized transportation might be required.

Got 5K? - Like to bike? - Like 60 mpg? - get a motorcycle!

The best and the worst of both worlds.

Sometimes a motor comes useful.

I give you all the encouragement in the world. Bikes are clean and healthy for all. It would be liberating to dump the car and all of the expenses associated with it. Other, more fun things could be had.

Keep this in mind if you move--get yourself in a location that makes it possible.

I know I could get rid of my car if I gave up golf. But I love it too much. Beware that occasionally renting a car isn't too expensive. I've rented for $30/day on trips.

Oops! I didn't know there was a Car Free forum.

It's got some good info, but also quite a bit of useless self-congratulation and holier-than-thou "cars are teh gr8 ev1l" type rants. Sad to say, but it was (IMO) much more helpful back when Koffee was taking a fairly hard-line approach to forum moderation.

The next question is: What does it feel like to live with no car? (Liberating? Healthy? Socially limiting?)

I don't live completely without a car, but I only drive it about once a week, when I'm traveling to volunteer projects after work and just don't have the time or ability to go 20 miles on bike or bus in time for the project. It's a 10-year-old vehicle. I regret that it's not as environmentally friendly as newer cars, but since I seldom use it, the bad seems well offset by the good. It's an ever-transitioning process.

Not having car payments, and gas payments, is W*O*N*D*E*R*F*U*L. Last week, I bought gas for the first time in 2.5 months.

Actually, not having the ability to zip over to retail stores at the drop of a hat has helped me cut down on the amount of unneeded crap in my house. Buying decisions are based not only on money, but on how much of a pain it will be to cart the stuff back home. Good factor for me, a reformed packrat/bargainclown.

I regret that it's not as environmentally friendly as newer cars


Don't. I read somewhere that the pollution involved in building a whole vehicle (power plants, metal refining, etc. etc. etc.) is such that it would take an extremely long time (like 50 years) for you to actually reduce net pollution by buying a new car vs. driving an older one (assuming you maintain the older one). Of course, if you're buying a new car ANYWAY then you should consider how much it pollutes vs the other options.

www.zipcar.com
www.flexcar.com

I use these and occassionaly rent from Aviz/Hertz etc for longer trips. I live where there is relatively good transit and excellent cycling facilities. But sometimes I do require the services of a car. Let us know how it works out.

I didn't get a car until I was almost 30. My girlfriend [now wife] was doing her master's in a city 300 km North, and I had to make a run up there every other week. So I shelled out $800 and away I went. Before I got the car, I just planned ahead. I made sure that I was cycling distance to work, shops, etc. I also made sure that I could walk to the local supermarket. If I ever HAD to have a car, I would just rent for a day or weekend.

Nowadays, my wife and I have made choices that allow us to easily live with 1 car. We live within cycling distance of our jobs and public transit is very close by. Our house cost more because we live close to downtown, but it was totally worth it to be able to walk/bike to the pub/theatre/cinema/restaurants/etc. We spend a lot of time in the mountains, so we use our car to get there, and also for the weekly grocery run. Other than that, it sits in the garage, depreciating. In the summer, we should be able to use the bikes even more, especially for trips to the local farmer's market [saskatoon berry pie and fresh andouille sausage - 'nuff said].

So, can you and your wife live with one car? Hell yes. Can you live with no cars? Probably.

Hello, everyone.

So the question is: Is it possible in this day and age to survive with the "no car" philosophy?

Chris Bianco

it's possible, but like going cell-free or tv-free or computer-free (i've done them all), i think you need to be prepared for a lifestyle change and keep an open mind about how well it works for you. you probably will not fit in perfectly with the mainstream, and that does have costs. some people can handle those costs better than others, or aren't as affected by them. it's probably a personal call.

i grew up in a one-license, one-vehicle family and didn't get a car or a license until i was entering my 30s. i drive rarely now and know a couple of other families that are single-vehicle or car-free. my kid seems to be less car-minded than most of his peers. don't kid yourself; it does make you different. it's not all roses either :D remember, even 'survival' has different definitions for different people, so figure out what it means to you and then go from there to see if it meshes with going car-free wherever you live.

There's a whole "living car free" subforum. That would be a good place to look around and ask these kind of questions.

If you're one of the "Normal"(whats normal these days anyway), average American, living car-free will most likely depend on where you live, and how far your workplace is.

If you live in some suburbs, 40 miles from the regional center(usually a downtown of the biggest city nearby), with buses coming in at 1-2 per hour, or no bus service at all, then you absolutely need a car. No, the lifestyle demands it. Renting a car might be feasible but that gets uneconomical, and using your bike depends on wether or not you want to commute in a bike-hostile environment, or you can bike one way, and park in a designated parking station in one of the bigger public transit stations, and use trains/buses on the second half. But I don't think you can never truly be car-free, unless you're one of the hardcore car-free types.

If however, you live in a bigger city, a bit denser city or area, then it is more convenient, and frankly, easier. You can integrate your bicycle, public transit, walking and renting a car much, much easier. Again, there are exceptions, but usually, the closer you are to a dense area, the better off you'll be in car-free terms.

(I agree. The phone and email are a bad habit.)

So it really is possible to live the "no car" philosophy? Sounds good.

And I agree about the one month test. I'll try it.


The next question is: What does it feel like to live with no car? (Liberating? Healthy? Socially limiting?)

Thanks again.

Chris Bianco


It's just like having a car, except without the visits to gas stations, the monthy car payment bill and the annual insurance bill.

Pretty much everything is the same. I was car free from about 1976 to 1986... I bought a small truck in 1987 after my son was born. Probably should have remained car free... but there were family "issues."

I dated while car free, so it was not socially limiting... you just have to be a bit more creative in how you get to where ever you want to go.

Last week, I bought gas for the first time in 2.5 months.



Actually the big problem is the sticker shock when you buy gas so infrequently... one month it may be 2.15 a gallon, and the next, 3.25 a gallon... :eek:

I went car-free for 7 or 8 years in the 1980s. When you consider the fixed costs of car ownership (licencing, insurance, depreciation), car rental is very economical for the few occasions such travelling on vacation. Big shopping (TV) can be done with a taxi. Going car-free influenced the choice of where to live - on a bus route to the subway, and within walking distance of shops.

If you are going to be car-free you should have at least two bikes. If you sell the car you would have a good down payment on a second bike.

Chris - like you, my husband and I are thinking of going car-free. In January, we started using exclusively biking/transit/walking to see how long we could go without using the car. So far, we've only driven it to the mechanic's for the annual inspection and out to the 'burbs to recharge the battery after having to get it jumped because it had sat for so long (it's street parking only in my neighborhood, so I do occasionally have to move it). There might be solutions to some of the problems other posters mention that you don't yet know exist - for instance, there's a grocery store about a mile from my house that has free van service to get you and your groceries home. Or you could start shopping Euro-style, where you buy the ingredients for tonight's dinner on the way home. Or carpool to the store with a neighbor. Our experiment has gone so well that now the only thing holding me back from getting rid of the car is my bizarre emotional attachment to it... (I know, I know.)

I would highly recommend the car free experiment. As several others have said, whether it will work or not really depends on your situation and attitude. I have been car free for a short time, 9 months, but it is a sweet gig. I wasn’t sure if it would work for me when i first started out but i am hooked, i love it. I am a calmer and happier person because of it. I haven’t missed having a car. Id say that if you have a desire to try it out, go for it, its entirely possible to do.

In two years I can count fill ups on my hands. No insurance payments no nothing. No problem. Going to see the grandparents far away, rent a car. If you have a parking spot you can then rent it out.

I've been car-free twice in my life. Once when I was 18. Unfortunately, my job was way across town and was a two hour bus/train trip... one way. I got a lot of reading done.

The second time was in London. I rented a motorcycle a couple times to go for rides, and that was definitely a much better way to get around than a car. Not only was the traffic really bad, but parking is at a premium. Not relying on a car was very liberating. Walking, using the underground, busses, etc. was far less encumbering and really a lot more convenient given the problems of driving. (Not to mention the fuel prices)

Now I'm not car free, but I rarely drive. I have a van for hauling kids, dogs, groceries, etc. I use my motorcycle for long trips (50+ mpg and I get to use the HOV lane) and bicycle for recreation and commute. I fill up the gas tank about once every 2 months. Maybe. But I plan better now. I refuse to work anywhere more than 10 miles from my house, and then only if I can bike there. Even closer is also good. My last three jobs have been less than 3 miles away.

Once you get started thinking this way, it's really rather easy to get into it.

If you want to keep a car for backup, invest in a battery tender. If you rarely drive your car, the battery will be dead when you go to use it. A battery tender is ~$20 and will keep a maintenance charge on the battery which will not only make the car more likely to start, but help the battery last longer as well.

Az

This probably sounds kind of stupid within this thread, but my bike commuting habit is making it possible to avoid purchasing a THIRD car (which makes more sense if you know that my wife works full time and I have three teenage daughters).

Russ

Man, I just went car free myself ( wife still needs a vehicle to get the kids around) and I absolutely LOVE it. It s an adjustment but I feel great hopping on the bike to meet friends for drinks, coffee, etc You seem to have the heart in the right place so I think you will be able to overcome the changes neccessary to be successful ion this area. Good lick and enjoy the extra moolah from not having a car. I found that I'm even more in touch with what my family is up to because I need to be more organized for the bicycle and mass transit transportation.

(I agree. The phone and email are a bad habit.)

What does it feel like to live with no car? (Liberating? Healthy? Socially limiting?)



i'm fond of my car. i appreciate the way it gives us wider horizons than would feel appropriate if we didn't have it. but being a regular user also makes me feel a bit like my life is only nominally in my control. there's this whole manically car-centric north american thing that i feel like i never got more than a superficial hold on, which actually causes me more social limitation when i 'pass' among them than when i just opt right out (then they're really puzzled by the fact that you have a car, but you're still not willing to do x or y with it). i feel like cars tempt you out past the boundaries of where you can sustainably function all by yourself. you get freedom, but you also sign yourself up for the life of hyped-up expectations and the Random Nasty Surprise. i think i would pretty much hate either of the two extremes. love my car, but once it's just me around here again, i can easily see it being the thing that ends up withering away from disuse just because i can't be arsed to pay any attention to it. and then can't be arsed to go find a new one.

i'm hardly a bike fanatic, but i find i do kind of drag and sulk at the idea of using my car most of the time unless it's required. i don't at all mind doing whatever the activity is, but i usually don't want to do the car part of it. somehow opening a door, slinging things in the back seat, clipping a seatbelt and turning a key feels like more of a pain in the neck than checking weather, putting on special clothes, packing a back pack, applying helmet, turning on lights, backing bike up and reversing it, wheeling bike through kitchen, leaning bike on wall while locking door, carrying bike up the stairs . . . it's pretty mysterious.

:D one of my favourite things about still having a car is that the rare times we're in it, my teenager will often actually have a conversation with me :D not willing to give that up for anything.

i'm fond of my car. i appreciate the way it gives us wider horizons than would feel appropriate if we didn't have it. but being a regular user also makes me feel a bit like my life is only nominally in my control. there's this whole manically car-centric north american thing that i feel like i never got more than a superficial hold on, which actually causes me more social limitation when i 'pass' among them than when i just opt right out (then they're really puzzled by the fact that you have a car, but you're still not willing to do x or y with it). i feel like cars tempt you out past the boundaries of where you can sustainably function all by yourself. you get freedom, but you also sign yourself up for the life of hyped-up expectations and the Random Nasty Surprise. i think i would pretty much hate either of the two extremes. love my car, but once it's just me around here again, i can easily see it being the thing that ends up withering away from disuse just because i can't be arsed to pay any attention to it. and then can't be arsed to go find a new one.

i'm hardly a bike fanatic, but i find i do kind of drag and sulk at the idea of using my car most of the time unless it's required. i don't at all mind doing whatever the activity is, but i usually don't want to do the car part of it. somehow opening a door, slinging things in the back seat, clipping a seatbelt and turning a key feels like more of a pain in the neck than checking weather, putting on special clothes, packing a back pack, applying helmet, turning on lights, backing bike up and reversing it, wheeling bike through kitchen, leaning bike on wall while locking door, carrying bike up the stairs . . . it's pretty mysterious.

wow, that's really well said. you've articulated something i've been feeling for the last couple of years, but i'm not yet to the point of processing it that i've been able to articulate it as you have.

i still own a car, though i've been saying it's for sale for a while now. it sits in the driveway most of the time. i can't bring myself to go through all the work of advertising it for sale, but i don't want to drive it either. it's like i just want it there -- just in case. just in case what? i don't know.

I've decided to give the "car free" life a good try.

The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that I would be happier without a car. In fact, I am reminded of a time in college...

It was the middle of December, and the apartment electricity was turned off. (My roommate and I forgot to pay the bill...for two or three months.) The added reconnection fees and late fees would take a week to scrape together, so my roommate lived at his girlfriend's house for a while. I stayed at the apartment. It was amazing. The apartment was cool, but not cold. A few layers of clothes and it was fine. I was able to read more -- no cable television. And I went to bed early enough to get some solid sleep. The showers were mind-numbingly cold, but only for the first minute -- after the first minute you become strangely adjusted to the cold water. No big deal. In fact, once you step out of the freezing shower, the rest of the apartment feels too warm. The next two hours is spent walking around in boxer shorts -- nothing else. It's weird how temperature does that. I found the money for the electricity after one week, but became oddly comfortable living with no electricity. I decided not to pay the bill. It wasn't until the middle of January -- one month later -- that my roommate's girlfriend made me turn the electricity back on in the apartment.

I guess the point of my little story is: You never know what "necessities" you can live without. And you might just prefer living without. Who knows?

Chris Bianco

Hello, everyone.

Here's the situation: The wife gets the car. I get the washer and dryer. Simple, huh?

So the question is: Is it possible in this day and age to survive with the "no car" philosophy?

(Ideas, suggestions, and comments are always welcome.)
I'm not actually "car-free," but I substitute as many car trips with bike rides as I can. Every bike trip makes me more independent. It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition to be effective, and partial independence is better than total enslavement.

By the way, the more car-free you become, the more that washer and dryer will come in handy! :D

Are you talking about having no car, or having only one car?

Are you talking about having no car, or having only one car?

I am talking about no car. (The reality is that I'll probably keep the car and just park it in a garage somewhere for emergency use only...or until I decide that bicycling isn't for me. LOL)


Chris

I dont ever foresee myself going car free.
I have too many other activities that although could still possibly be done, the non convenience of them becomes a limiting factor.

Like kayaking. Yes I can get a trailer, But im really not interested in loading a kayak up with 30 lbs of stuff on a trailer, and hauling it 50 miles to the ocean, and then leaving my bike chained to a tree on the beach for the day, only to have to haul it home again. I could pay for storage closer to the water, but doing a century every day I want to kayak would lessen the amount of time i could kayak that day.

My other sport is skydiving, and again its close to 50 miles away. I can leave my gear at the drop zone, but as above, doing a century limits it.

Currently I can commute mon-fri, kayak sat, skydive sunday. Car free I would have to give up or seriously reduce the amount of time for my favorite sports/hobbies.

Grocery shopping, etc is easily doable and not a concern as I do most of my shopping by bike now anyways.

Can't blame you. It wouldn't work for you. Going car free means living a lifestyle that makes it possible, not living a car lifestyle without a car. I sea kayak, but only three or four weekends a year. For me, it's more economical to rent rather than own a car for those few outings.


I dont ever foresee myself going car free.
I have too many other activities that although could still possibly be done, the non convenience of them becomes a limiting factor.

Like kayaking. Yes I can get a trailer, But im really not interested in loading a kayak up with 30 lbs of stuff on a trailer, and hauling it 50 miles to the ocean, and then leaving my bike chained to a tree on the beach for the day, only to have to haul it home again. I could pay for storage closer to the water, but doing a century every day I want to kayak would lessen the amount of time i could kayak that day.

My other sport is skydiving, and again its close to 50 miles away. I can leave my gear at the drop zone, but as above, doing a century limits it.

Currently I can commute mon-fri, kayak sat, skydive sunday. Car free I would have to give up or seriously reduce the amount of time for my favorite sports/hobbies.

Grocery shopping, etc is easily doable and not a concern as I do most of my shopping by bike now anyways.

Currently I can commute mon-fri, kayak sat, skydive sunday. Car free I would have to give up or seriously reduce the amount of time for my favorite sports/hobbies.

Grocery shopping, etc is easily doable and not a concern as I do most of my shopping by bike now anyways.

Are you commuting by bike?

If you are (since you grocery shop by bike) then you're car lite - just using the car for essential trips (too far with too much equipment) and not using it all the time and filling up the roads.

It's the people in our building who drive us nuts - driving to the mall which is less than 5 minutes walk away. My wife has left the same time as her co-worker and beat her home even though she was in a car.

I used to drive to the end of the street to buy a pack of smokes....

I've since reduced my car to minimal use. Although its born out of the joy of riding and the goal of longevity more than any hatred to cars or fuel use :)

A car? What's a car? :D (Wait, don't tell me! I think I got it - it's those metal cages that fill up all the roads meant for bikes!)

A car? What's a car? :D (Wait, don't tell me! I think I got it - it's those metal cages that fill up all the roads meant for bikes!)

Yup, those are the ones. They also fill other roads too.

Yup those mobile obstacles that help give you ninja reflexes, and occasionally a place to make out. :p

I bet the money the average family spends on car over 20-30 years would make a million dollars if invested in mutual funds for retirement. So any car free or car-light lifestyle pays off big time in the long run.

And if you can't live car-free were you live now, just move. We're talking a lot of money here. Less stress. Better health. More happiness. Just do it.

I dont ever foresee myself going car free.
I have too many other activities that although could still possibly be done, the non convenience of them becomes a limiting factor.

Like kayaking. Yes I can get a trailer, But im really not interested in loading a kayak up with 30 lbs of stuff on a trailer, and hauling it 50 miles to the ocean, and then leaving my bike chained to a tree on the beach for the day, only to have to haul it home again. I could pay for storage closer to the water, but doing a century every day I want to kayak would lessen the amount of time i could kayak that day.

My other sport is skydiving, and again its close to 50 miles away. I can leave my gear at the drop zone, but as above, doing a century limits it.

Currently I can commute mon-fri, kayak sat, skydive sunday. Car free I would have to give up or seriously reduce the amount of time for my favorite sports/hobbies.

Grocery shopping, etc is easily doable and not a concern as I do most of my shopping by bike now anyways.

Not to be an ass but it sounds like you have chosen to include activities in your lifestyle that are highly petroleum-dependent. In a sense, having a car has enabled these activities to become your favorites. And if you had never had one, they just wouldn't have entered your life and you would have found something else to enjoy.

Sorry, it's late and I'm not making much sense but the point is -- carless fun is there for the taking, it just has a smaller, more local radius, and tends to be more sustainable from an energy consumption standpoint.

Unless Jarery starts base jumping from something close to home. :) Dragging an open chute home would suck though. :p