I just stumbled across a new carfree or carlight book at my city library. I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, so you guys are letting me down!!! :p

Cutting Your Car Use
by Randal Ghent with Anna semlyen
cartoons by Axel Scheffler
New Society Publishers

Web site (http://www.newsociety.com/bookid/3924)


Note: This is a welcoming and affirming thread on the Living Carfree Forum. All are encouraged to participate, regardless of car-ownership-status or vehicular orientation.

Did you know there is such as thing as Carbusters Press?

The things we learn here!

http://www.carbusters.org/index.php

East Hill

I looked around a little and found some interesting background information. The book was originally written for the UK by Anna Semlyen. The version being discussed here is a re-write for the North American market. The author says over 90,000 copies have been sold, I guess that would be for all versions of the book. Some of the sales are special edition versions to local organizations with local information included.

Website for UK version of the book (http://www.cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk/index.htm)

I've read about half the book now and it's very good. Those who have been carfree for a while won't learn as much, but there's a lot of good info for those who are considering carfreee or carlite living.

Did you know you can rent a car for 51 days a year for less than the cost of owning a car? Or ride in a cab 23 times a month?

I noticed that one of the authors (Randall Ghent) has contributed to the carfree Wikipedia article we were discussing on another thread.

I've read more than half the book now. It's very short. One nice thing is that there's a whole chapter on being car-light. They emphasize the individual choosing the level of car use she/he is comfortable with.

Did you know you can rent a car for 51 days a year for less than the cost of owning a car? Or ride in a cab 23 times a month?

I don't think that book has checked taxi places recently. I've had to take them several times in the past few months and they're prices are exorbitant. I'm not talking about downtown LA or NY either, but small CA farm towns. To go 3 miles, it's over $20. 23 times a month would put that over $460. A car payment plus 6 miles a day is, what ?, $300/month ?

The rental quote seems fairly accurate.

I don't think that book has checked taxi places recently. I've had to take them several times in the past few months and they're prices are exorbitant. I'm not talking about downtown LA or NY either, but small CA farm towns. To go 3 miles, it's over $20. 23 times a month would put that over $460. A car payment plus 6 miles a day is, what ?, $300/month ?

The rental quote seems fairly accurate.

The statistic about cabs is probably an average. There is only one cab company here in Charleston, and they are therefore rather pricey.