Carfree as of today

[gosmsgo]

Hi everyone,

Its been a long time a coming. First, you start riding a walmart bike on the sidewalk. Then you start riding it on the street. Then you get rid of walmart bike........

A few years later and I am a LCI and teach bicycle education for a living, have two bike cargo trailers (one is the model 96 from bikesatwork) and now I am carfree.

We will still drive a few times per year when we need to go way out of town but renting will be just as cheap as insurance, taxes, licensing etc on our old truck.

The funny thing is that its not a cross that I bear. I LOVE biking and HATE driving. Thats what it came down to in the end.

Good day fellow car free LOSERS!! thats what everyone will think anyway. ; )

[ellenDSD]

Ah, who cares what people think! Sounds like you are living the good life.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

A few years later and I am a LCI and teach bicycle education for a living
If it is not too personal, could you provide details on how/where you make a living by teaching bicycle education? What bicycle education course are you teaching; to whom?

[gosmsgo]

I teach the kids and adult bike materials from the LAB.

www.bikeleague.org

[Platy]

The day is coming when someone can start giving seminars on how to be carfree.

[lancekagar]

The day is coming when someone can start giving seminars on how to be carfree.

Yeah, Post-Peak Oil 101. Getting off the grid. Living car-free, gardening, bike repair, home-maintenance, nutrition, etc...

[Roody]

If it is not too personal, could you provide details on how/where you make a living by teaching bicycle education? What bicycle education course are you teaching; to whom?
Sniff Sniff.

I smell a setup!

[Roody]

Welcome, gosmsgo!!

Pretty cool to be carfree and to earn your living with bikes! Thanks for sharing your story. :)

What is it that you love about bikes that made you so dedicated to them?

[Platy]

Sniff Sniff.

I smell a setup!
I agree.

[gosmsgo]

Im a greedy capitalist who loves investing the $8000.00 per year that the average American spends on their depreciating, obesity causing auto.

Probably not the answer most people on here want to hear but its true.

Invest the money that you would normally spend on an auto and you will retire a multi millionaire and be in fantastic shape!!!

Drive and you very well could end up broke, fat and desperate.

:)

[I-Like-To-Bike]

I teach the kids and adult bike materials from the LAB.

www.bikeleague.org
And you can make a living at it? Where? You must be a first for the Guiness Book of Records.

If good buddies Platy or Roody are aware of anybody else in the U.S. has ever claimed to make a living teaching LAB courses feel free to enlighten me, until then, mind your manners.

[gosmsgo]

It helps when your city gets 25 million dolllars from the fed's with the orders of "increasing non-motorized mode share."

[I-Like-To-Bike]

It helps when your city gets 25 million dolllars from the fed's with the orders of "increasing non-motorized mode share."
So how much do you get of it to teach bicycle education to consider it making a living? I can believe someone could make a living administering the $25 million; or being given a contract to provide some service or product for some of that $25 million. I'd be amazed if anyone clears over $1,000 a year by teaching exclusively LAB or any other bicycling education courses.

[wrafl]

You are the envy of most people if they find out you don't have an insurance, maintenace and repair bills on a car and high gas prices to deal with. Good for you and your family.

[onegear]

I still use my xmart bike to do all my banking, supermarket and beer runs perfect beater has served me well for over 3 or 4 yrs lost count... ride it everyday.
I LOVE biking and HATE driving too!!!

[Cosmoline]

Welcome!

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Im a greedy capitalist who loves investing the $8000.00 per year that the average American spends on their depreciating, obesity causing auto.

Probably not the answer most people on here want to hear but its true.

Invest the money that you would normally spend on an auto and you will retire a multi millionaire and be in fantastic shape!!!

Drive and you very well could end up broke, fat and desperate.

:)
First you have to earn a living and pay your living expenses and have $8000 left over before you can invest $8,000/yr into this multi million dollar retirement payout scheme. I take it you don't earn a living teaching finance or economics.

[Dahon.Steve]

Another free thinker on the forum. You can never have too many good stories like the OP just posted. I think it's addictive and others can't hope but envy what he just did. I bet they're reading this right now wondering when it's going to be their turn.

[rockmom]

First you have to earn a living and pay your living expenses and have $8000 left over before you can invest $8,000/yr into this multi million dollar retirement payout scheme. I take it you don't earn a living teaching finance or economics.

From personal experience, I find that not having a car leads to less spending overall, not just on car related expenses. I am simply less inclined to make impulse purchases if I have to lug them home without a car. I also go to malls and box stores less often so there is much less temptation as well.

[wahoonc]

From personal experience, I find that not having a car leads to less spending overall, not just on car related expenses. I am simply less inclined to make impulse purchases if I have to lug them home without a car. I also go to malls and box stores less often so there is much less temptation as well.

AMEN!!! If you do still have a car it takes conscious effort to NOT purchase stuff you don't NEED. I started doing all of our grocery runs on my bicycle and our overall grocery bill went down by about $20 a week as I eliminated a lot of unnecessary junk foods and preplanned our menus, and grocery lists.

Aaron:)

[I-Like-To-Bike]

AMEN!!! If you do still have a car it takes conscious effort to NOT purchase stuff you don't NEED. I started doing all of our grocery runs on my bicycle and our overall grocery bill went down by about $20 a week as I eliminated a lot of unnecessary junk foods and preplanned our menus, and grocery lists.

Stretching your dollars is admirable, but first you need to earn them. My question to the OP about the reality of earning a living through teaching bicycle education remains unanswered. Thrift and/or maintaining a monastic lifestyle is not the same thing as earning a living.

[gosmsgo]

ILIKETOBIKE -

Its amazing that I dont know you and I already do not like you. :)

My organization has a contract with the city to do bike education/promotion.

You are correct that I dont make a living off the $20.00 that we charge people to take "road 1."

[I-Like-To-Bike]

ILIKETOBIKE -

Its amazing that I dont know you and I already do not like you. :)

My organization has a contract with the city to do bike education/promotion.

You are correct that I dont make a living off the $20.00 that we charge people to take "road 1."
Yeah, who likes a person who doesn't gush all over our tall tales, exaggerations, or over the top rhetoric?

BTW, I assume your multi million $$ retirement scheme, based on not spending $8000/year on new car expenses every year, is constructed of the same cloth as the making-a-living story.

Somehow I think I have a picture of your grasp of economic realities from your posts on this thread.
But not to worry, you may have found just the support group that will believe anything posted (and reflexively defend/support it) if it fits the agenda.

[le brad]

Yeah, who likes a person who doesn't gush all over our tall tales, exaggerations, or over the top rhetoric?

BTW, I assume your multi million $$ retirement scheme, based on not spending $8000/year on new car expenses every year, is constructed of the same cloth as the making-a-living story.

Somehow I think I have a picture of your grasp of economic realities from your posts on this thread.
But not to worry, you may have found just the support group that will believe anything posted (and reflexively defend/support it) if it fits the agenda.
just ******* relax. dude doesn't drive, thats what the post is about. He could be selling secrets to the soviet union via a time machine, it is irrelevant. OR you could just continue to be weird and hostile towards somebody without provocation? If that works for, you plz 2continue.

btw, gosmsgo right on.

EDIT: ILTB, I do appreciate your hostility on the VC forum, don't get me wrong, it has its place.

[gosmsgo]

??

Can someone explain why what I said was SOO unbelievable.

Short of giving you my SSN and tax returns Im not sure what I can do to help you.

You can look at our website. www.pednet.org if you like.

[gosmsgo]

Actually if you invested $8000 a year which is the average cost of car ownership then you would have $4,590,161 after 50 years with an average 8% return.

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/31/the-true-cost-of-car-ownership/

http://www.ici.org/cgi-bin/calcs/SAV14.cgi/investment_company_institute

[Platy]

??

Can someone explain why what I said was SOO unbelievable.

Short of giving you my SSN and tax returns Im not sure what I can do to help you.

You can look at our website. www.pednet.org if you like.
Nice website. Very impressive community project.

When I started a company back in the 1980s, with a few partners, it was years before we could really say we were making a living from it. In fact during that time my Escort broke down, I had no money to fix it, and that turned into a nice year of bike commuting. Best of luck with the bike/ped program!

[gosmsgo]

Its not really a business and I did not start it.

I never meant to imply that.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Actually if you invested $8000 a year which is the average cost of car ownership then you would have $4,590,161 after 50 years with an average 8% return.

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/31/the-true-cost-of-car-ownership/

http://www.ici.org/cgi-bin/calcs/SAV14.cgi/investment_company_institute
And if you buy lottery tickets you might even do better. And be just as likely to cash in as promised by your scheme for retirement riches.

The $8,000 figure is an inflated number and hardly represents the required sum to keep a serviceable car on the road to make the trips that could typically be made by bicycle; the $8,000 figure assumes also that not a cent will ever be deducted from this "savings" to be spent on any travel, anywhere, by any alternative transportation method - a very unlikely event except for a monk.

Let me know where you can invest money with a guaranteed 8% return over 50 years, and where you find the car free people who never have to touch their investments or savings for 50 years and can just let it grow untouched at 8%. You really could make a fortune if you actually could steer people to such guaranteed investment opportunities.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

??

Can someone explain why what I said was SOO unbelievable.
"A few years later and I am a LCI and teach bicycle education for a living"

No one ever before, to my knowledge, ever made such a claim.. That was what was so unbelievable, and for good reason as it turns out, eh?

Edit: BTW: The Biking program that you are involved with in Columbia, MO appears to be quite good based on the Web Site presentation. Congratulations to those responsible.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

EDIT: ILTB, I do appreciate your hostility on the VC forum, don't get me wrong, it has its place.
It ain't hostility to point out that obviously bogus claims or wishful thinking passed off as facts are just that.

Just like seen daily on the VC forum. If helps to use credible figures/scenarios if trying to sell a program/lifestyle based on its benefits.

[gosmsgo]

The stock market has averaged 8% over the past 75 years.

That is why I used 8%.

Im bogus, my claims are bogus.....hell I dont even actually bike.

Im typing this on my blackberry while trying to ourrun the people trying to reposess my hummer.

:eek:

[vulpes]

The stock market has averaged 8% over the past 75 years.

That is why I used 8%.

Im bogus, my claims are bogus.....hell I dont even actually bike.

Im typing this on my blackberry while trying to ourrun the people trying to reposess my hummer.

:eek:


:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

[gosmsgo]

WEll they got my hummer so now I REALLY am car free.

Wait! Here comes the blackberry repo man! Hold on man Im trying to type a .........

[Artkansas]

Well, they got my hummer so now I REALLY am car free.

Wait! Here comes the blackberry repo man! Hold on man Im trying to type a .........


Lol. :) Congratulations on making a go of bicycle education. You will find a lot of sympathetic ears. Welcome to the group. Lots of friendly people here, really.

[vulpes]

Lol. :) Congratulations on making a go of bicycle education. You will find a lot of sympathetic ears. Welcome to the group. Lots of friendly people here, really.

Just don't feed the trolls. :D

[davidmcowan]

gosmsgo,

Are you saying that you earn a living working for the organization that received a piece of the 25 million to spread the bicycle word? (not from the $20 paid for a bicycling class?) There was a similar job here in Denver that I applied for but never got a call back. :( If that is the case it sounds to me like you are making a living off of those classes (and perhaps other other bicycle based activities) and maybe some unnamed flamer can back the f*ck off.

[gosmsgo]

Thats exactly what I am saying.

We also had our kids courses granted from bikesbelong last year.

I think I understand the confusion now.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Thats exactly what I am saying...I think I understand the confusion now.
Finally, that's what you are saying. As I previously guessed about your OP claim, you make a living administering a city wide bicycling program, that happens to include bicycle training.

Now was it that hard to explain correctly why you are being paid a living wage? Hopefully, your program's teaching lessons are less confused and there is no intent to mislead your students with false (or confused) claims.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

gosmsgo,

Are you saying that you earn a living working for the organization that received a piece of the 25 million to spread the bicycle word? (not from the $20 paid for a bicycling class?) There was a similar job here in Denver that I applied for but never got a call back. :( If that is the case it sounds to me like you are making a living off of those classes (and perhaps other other bicycle based activities) and maybe some unnamed flamer can back the f*ck off.
No surprise about the non call back, eh? AKA the subtle "f*ck off" reply. Maybe they wanted to hire someone with a better attitude.

[gosmsgo]

Im confused.

Im moving on to another thread.

Lets just let this one die.

[Platy]

Im confused.

Im moving on to another thread.

Lets just let this one die.

Running into ILTB is a rite of passage in this sub forum. He likes to bait newcomers. I wish he would stop, but the moderators apparently do not see anything wrong with this. See you on one of the other threads.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Running into ILTB is a rite of passage in this sub forum. He likes to bait newcomers. I wish he would stop, but the moderators apparently do not see anything wrong with this. See you on one of the other threads.
Maybe because the moderators don't play the same PC/thought police game of some of the more whiney support group members.

[Roody]

And if you buy lottery tickets you might even do better. And be just as likely to cash in as promised by your scheme for retirement riches.

The $8,000 figure is an inflated number and hardly represents the required sum to keep a serviceable car on the road to make the trips that could typically be made by bicycle; the $8,000 figure assumes also that not a cent will ever be deducted from this "savings" to be spent on any travel, anywhere, by any alternative transportation method - a very unlikely event except for a monk.

Let me know where you can invest money with a guaranteed 8% return over 50 years, and where you find the car free people who never have to touch their investments or savings for 50 years and can just let it grow untouched at 8%. You really could make a fortune if you actually could steer people to such guaranteed investment opportunities.
Real estate (a private home, or even better a duplex with home and rental) would be one example of an investment like you're describing, would it not? If this property was in a good carfree neighborhood, one would likely spend very little on transit, although to say zero travel expenses would be stretching it, as you kindly pointed out.

[Roody]

Maybe because the moderators don't play the same PC/thought police game of some of the more whiney support group members.
More likely they've given up on you as a hopeless case. Be a man, admit to gosmsgo that you were mean and wrong, apologize and move on with your life, determined to do better in the future.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

Real estate (a private home, or even better a duplex with home and rental) would be one example of an investment like you're describing, would it not? If this property was in a good carfree neighborhood, one would likely spend very little on transit, although to say zero travel expenses would be stretching it, as you kindly pointed out.
You are right. Real estate has proven to be a good investment, but hardly guaranteed, especially if you are depending on a payday cash out 50 years into the future. It still depends on location, location, location Example how has the real estate market been inside Lansing or Detroit MI, or New Orleans lately?

Another consideration, given the scenario of having $8,000 available for a down payment and $8000/year to spend on the mortgage of this investment property (plus taxes, maintenance and insurance) doesn't buy much real estate.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

More likely they've given up on you as a hopeless case. Be a man, admit to gosmsgo that you were mean and wrong, apologize and move on with your life, determined to do better in the future.
B.S.! You must be as confused as he. He made a ridiculous claim about making a living teaching bicycling education courses as an LCI; I called him on it. You and others prefer the fantasy/wishful thinking and do not want to hear the unconfused facts. Even the OP came around after 30+ posts on this thread. Sorry if you think outing a bogus claim and getting the story right is the work of meanies, but there it is.

[Roody]

Maybe because the moderators don't play the same PC/thought police game of some of the more whiney support group members.
You were the only one who failed to understand the OP.

[Roody]

You are right. Real estate has proven to be a good investment, but hardly guaranteed, especially if you are depending on a payday cash out 50 years into the future. It still depends on location, location, location Example how has the real estate market been inside Lansing or Detroit MI, or New Orleans lately?

Another consideration, given the scenario of having $8,000 available for a down payment and $8000/year to spend on the mortgage of this investment property (plus taxes, maintenance and insurance) doesn't buy much real estate.for the record:

Real estate prices in Lansing have outpaced the averages for the nation.

A "guaranteed" investment would probably have a very low rate of return.

There have been two or three threads about real estate in Detroit, at least one about N.O., but you didn't participate in any of these.

[I-Like-To-Bike]

You were the only one who failed to understand the OP.
That's because I understood what was written, not dreamed about.