Living Car Free - Newly car free

Well, my old clunker has turned into my old junker, busted fuel pump, the part is $400 with another $300 for labour, as they need to remove the fuel tank. Frankly. a 12 year old car with 315,000km on the clock, a coolant leak, an oil leak (both small enough that drips can not be seen on parking areas. but probably $500 each to fix), has meant that tomorrow morning, I will go to the mechanics, to put it out of it's misery, then of course he will call the knackers, to haul away the carcass.

Me, I really don't care, I can take the bus to work and home, I just got panniers for the bike, so 4km to the store for shopping isn't a big deal, my other half, well, the world just ended. She doesn't have a bike, and hates taking buses, anywhere. Some how I see another old car coming at some point, probably sooner rather then later, but for now we are car free...... :)

Sometimes it takes a "crisis" to create a change of heart. Maybe when the option is either take the bus/ ride a bike or sit home and do nothing those feelings will change. Plus, you're going to start saving a ton of money on gas (and insurance/registration/repairs) that will surely be welcomes elsewhere.

Well, you have a good chance to do it. I hope your partner is able to adapt. Be kind but firm; she really might like it if she tries long enough. Sounds like you have a good living situation for carfree.

It might make her more upset if she feels like you're bugging her about it, but at least make sure she knows you're willing to help her learn some tricks to getting around on a bike.

My sweetie hadn't ridden a bicycle in years when I met her, and her bike balance skills were pretty rusty. I convinced her to ride a bike from time to time--first on bike paths and empty streets, then riding with me on busy streets, then alone on busy streets. Now she's comfortable riding in city traffic to get here and there, day or night.

For us here in the big city, driving (which is what we both were used to as kids in the 'burbs) is often less convenient than bike or public transit because of the combination of traffic and parking. I almost never take public transit but she prefers it when the temperature is outside the 55-90 deg. range or when it rains.

congrats - sounds like you were in very car-free-friendly circumstances already, hopefully the transition won't be painful and the other half will come around.
cheers