Living Car Free - Buschick.com

I found this very interesting blog about a woman who actually prefers to take the bus instead of driving. I spent the entire evening reading all her stories about her bus trips and philosophy on life. What a breath of fresh air to read someone who's actually proud about being car free and enjoys riding the bus! She is a rare bird indeed. Too bad she's married. ;-(

BusChick posted a lot of positive and good stories and some make you laugh. She has a good sense of humor and doesn't mind sharing with millions of people that she's car free. To be honest, I don't know if I would want the world to know I like riding buses even though I do. I just wish society did not have place a bad stigma on riding buses or trains.

I'm going to send her an e-mail to this site because she can really become less dependant on the bus with bicycles. There's nothing wrong with taking buses but I'm sure there are lot of places that have poor service and bicycling allows to the same access the motorist has without the high cost of owning a vehicle. I think the most important benefit of transporation cycling is that it frees you from the bus schedule once you discover this incredible resource, it's hard to go back. If she purchased a folder like the Brompton or CarryMe, she could combine the bus with the folding bike opening other towns she never visited or shopped.

http://www.buschick.com/viewfromseats.htm
http://www.buschick.com/

A friend of mine (well, former friend, but that's beside the point) began riding the bus to work (partly to save aggravation, partly because the Metro subway takes too long on that route). Her wife said that she's a LOT less cranky at the end of the day whenever she took the bus.

My sister and her family took the bus all the time to get into town in Germany, and then light rail when needed. I can vouch for busgirl's assertion that it makes for better family time.
http://www.realchangenews.org/2008/2008_08_06/buschick_v15n33.html

A friend of mine (well, former friend, but that's beside the point) began riding the bus to work (partly to save aggravation, partly because the Metro subway takes too long on that route). Her wife said that she's a LOT less cranky at the end of the day whenever she took the bus.

My sister and her family took the bus all the time to get into town in Germany, and then light rail when needed. I can vouch for busgirl's assertion that it makes for better family time.
http://www.realchangenews.org/2008/2008_08_06/buschick_v15n33.html

Agreed.

I'm a fan of lightrail 100% over bus transport but I've had a recent change of heart. I discovered an EXPRESS bus that travels into the city and it cuts my trip by nearly 20 minutes each day instead of taking two trains. Unfortunately, there's no weekend service but you can't ask for everything.

While I'm not crazy for buses because I don't like being dependant on bus schedules and most are only going 5 miles or less. However, I've become a huge EXPRESS bus fan!

While I'm not crazy for buses because I don't like being dependant on bus schedules and most are only going 5 miles or less. However, I've become a huge EXPRESS bus fan!

Along those lines, I am a real fan of inter-urban buses (Greyhound, Chinatown bus) but for distances of less than 10 miles I'd rather take my bike.

I was car-free by bus for my first six years. It was only because the transit company did away with transfers that I bought a bike. Now, I'm glad they did.

This coming Tuesday, I'll end a 60-week bus-free stretch because I have to go to the eye doc. It's forecast to be a sunny day and I don't want to deal with mid-day, heart-of-downtown traffic with painful squinting eyes due to those awful drops. Last time I used the bus was to get to the LBS when I bought my Portland.

I was car-free by bus for my first six years. It was only because the transit company did away with transfers that I bought a bike. Now, I'm glad they did.

This coming Tuesday, I'll end a 60-week bus-free stretch because I have to go to the eye doc. It's forecast to be a sunny day and I don't want to deal with mid-day, heart-of-downtown traffic with painful squinting eyes due to those awful drops. Last time I used the bus was to get to the LBS when I bought my Portland.

That's over a year without using the bus. Good one!

Along those lines, I am a real fan of inter-urban buses (Greyhound, Chinatown bus) but for distances of less than 10 miles I'd rather take my bike.

There's a good article on BusChick's website on how transit companies with deals involving AIG are in serious trouble because the banks want their money back now! We could see alot of transit cuts in the very near future if the government doesn't work our a deal and bail out our transit companies!

People wonder why I'm always see with the beat up Schwinn World Sport from 1980? It because I hate walking, being dependant on bus schedules and prefer the freedom to go anywhere town without having to take multiple buses.

I would enjoy the bus more if I wasn't constantly worried about sitting in someone's pee, (it's happened to me before,) and/or contracting TB (hasn't happened... yet.)

People wonder why I'm always see with the beat up Schwinn World Sport from 1980? It because I hate walking, being dependant on bus schedules and prefer the freedom to go anywhere town without having to take multiple buses.

Well, you're obviously doing your part... to push bus companies further into the toilet. :p

This coming Tuesday, I'll end a 60-week bus-free stretch because I have to go to the eye doc. It's forecast to be a sunny day and I don't want to deal with mid-day, heart-of-downtown traffic with painful squinting eyes due to those awful drops.

I've ridden under the influence of those drops. There was a lot more than just that everything was too bright. I rode straight home and went to bed.

buses and trains do have their place in the transport world....Dahon.Steve, if the NJT commuter trains & buses into the city weren't running, you would most likely complain about all the extra bikes, walkers, motorized scooters, and cars jamming up your current (relatively) easy commute. You've got to remember each bus takes about 50-70 cars off the road, and each train up to 500 cars. Plus not everyone is physically capable of riding a bike - perhaps up steep inclines like those in Weehawken/WNY/North Bergen, but the bus can take them.

Just throwing the other side of the argument out there.

I'm a big fan of bus and light rail, but in the city, it took twice as long on either of them to get to work as it did on a bike. 7 mi, from North of Boston to just South of Boston. And the cost of a monthy transit pass on top of that.

I'm a big fan of Greyhound. Or, rather, interstate bus service, not particularly GH. Going cross country in a plane is an inconvenience. Going cross country in a car is a hike. Going cross country on a bus is an adventure...

I've ridden under the influence of those drops. There was a lot more than just that everything was too bright. I rode straight home and went to bed.

Oh I know. It's painful, my eyes water and I can't see a damned thing. No, I won't be riding in heavy traffic like that, thankyouverymuch.

Going cross country on a bus is an adventure...

In 2002 I rode several busses from New Orleans to Los Angeles at Thanksgiving and back two weeks later. Never again will I do that. The trip took forty-eight hours each way. I didn't sleep much. Didn't get to shower either. The food along the way was not so good.

A five-hundred mile trip via bus wouldn't be so bad. More than that and the extra expense of flying or even driving is worth it. I suppose that one could break up a long bus journey by stopping for a whole day after traveling one day and resting in a hotel, then continuing on the following day.

I'll be renting a car for my next five-hundred mile trip. If I didn't need to bring my dog with me I'd consider taking a bus.

In 2002 I rode several buses from New Orleans to Los Angeles at Thanksgiving and back two weeks later. Never again will I do that. The trip took forty-eight hours each way. I didn't sleep much. Didn't get to shower either. The food along the way was not so good.

Except for the taking your dog bit, try Amtrak.

This past summer I traveled from Rochester, NY to Denver, CO (about 1,600 miles, and 36 hours each way) and back via Amtrak. It was a wonderful trip. More legroom than my 34" inseam needed and you can get up and walk around the whole darned train anytime you like. The crowd in the observation lounge car was always changing. I met all sorts of nice people.

I've never been able to sleep on a plane or a bus, but I slept just fine all four nights I was on the train. Sleeper cars have their own showers, but I rode coach and did the birdbath in the sink thing, just like I do after riding to work. No biggie.

Food was marvelous. Choice of the snack bar car (with nuked food) or the full dining car, where I had the best steak dinner I've had in years, complete with little mini breads baked (not reheated) right on the train.

The bike traveled well too. $15 for an Amtrak bike box and $5 each way as checked baggage. No major disassembly required. Just turn the bars sideways and remove the pedals, then roll it into the box and tape shut. Wheels, lights, bottles, fenders, rack (and a very full rack trunk bag) all stayed on. Didn't even have to lower the saddle. I even bungeed my shoes (with pedals) and helmet to the trunk bag.

The baggage room in Denver saved my bike box for me to re-use on the trip home. Once home, I left it with baggage room here to give to someone else to use. Baggage handlers on each end were great. They kept the bikes (note the plural) upright on the baggage wagons until claimed, then *handed* them to their riders. No sliding down luggage chutes for the bikes!

It was a real treat to ride to the station, then ride out at the other end. The only caveat is that both ends of the trip need to be checked-baggage stations. Not every stop can handle checked-baggage.

Anyway, I enjoyed the trip so much, I'm thinking about taking Amtrak to Montana next year for a bike tour through Montana and Alberta.


Going cross country in a plane is an inconvenience. Going cross country in a car is a hike. Going cross country on a bus is an adventure...

And going cross-country by train is a very civilized pleasure.

And going cross-country by train is a very civilized pleasure.

Yup, trains are by far the most comfortable way to travel long distances. Now if only we'd invest in our rail networks the way certain other countries (Japan! France! Germany! Etc) have. Every town with at least 50,000 people should have a train station.

Yup, trains are by far the most comfortable way to travel long distances. Now if only we'd invest in our rail networks the way certain other countries (Japan! France! Germany! Etc) have. Every town with at least 50,000 people should have a train station.

I'd want to see a lower threshold than that. Check out how long it would take to ride Amtrak from Nebraska to North Dakota now -- they take you to to the west coast and back (!). Then picture having a direct train route instead.

My family of three, including my 15 year-old son, are proudly car-free (though my son has advised he does want to learn to drive) and we take the bus regularly. We live in downtown Toronto and have a reasonably reliable public transportation service. It's not perfect, but it's better than most. My wife uses it almost exclusively, but enjoys walking in good weather as well whereas my son and I prefer to bike. We have found few difficulties leading a car-less life with the only challenges being when we need to go out of town. We understand not everyone can do it and not all cities or even parts of this city make it easy to be car-free, but with a few changes in lifestyle, a few sacrifices, it works for us and saves us more than 20 grand a year.

I found this very interesting blog about a woman who actually prefers to take the bus instead of driving. I spent the entire evening reading all her stories about her bus trips and philosophy on life. What a breath of fresh air to read someone who's actually proud about being car free and enjoys riding the bus! She is a rare bird indeed. Too bad she's married. ;-(

Cool blog! Hey there are other happily car-free female bloggers, and unmarried too ;)
http://crazybikerchick.blogspot.com

I find that most transit-happy car-free people do not choose the bicycle because they are afraid of riding in traffic. When I first transitioned to car-free I just found I preferred to live in a dense urban area and cars to me totally did not make sense there. So I walked and used public transit (mostly) and occasionally rode my bicycle. Then I became totally addicted to bicycle so usually the only times I get to revisit my joy of transit is during bad snowstorms :) I really like streetcars, although most of them here do not run in dedicated right-of-ways and it sucks to be stuck with 70 people behind one cager that wants to turn left or just the usual jam-ups of too many people driving single occupancy vehicles in too little space.

The main thing I miss about taking a bus vs. riding my bicycle is just the chance to read during the commute.

Cool blog! Hey there are other happily car-free female bloggers, and unmarried too ;)
http://crazybikerchick.blogspot.com

I find that most transit-happy car-free people do not choose the bicycle because they are afraid of riding in traffic. When I first transitioned to car-free I just found I preferred to live in a dense urban area and cars to me totally did not make sense there. So I walked and used public transit (mostly) and occasionally rode my bicycle. Then I became totally addicted to bicycle so usually the only times I get to revisit my joy of transit is during bad snowstorms :) I really like streetcars, although most of them here do not run in dedicated right-of-ways and it sucks to be stuck with 70 people behind one cager that wants to turn left or just the usual jam-ups of too many people driving single occupancy vehicles in too little space.

The main thing I miss about taking a bus vs. riding my bicycle is just the chance to read during the commute.

That's for the crazybikerchick blog.

We should create a thread of people who are blogging about their car free lifestyle. You can spend an entire afternoon reading all the articles and it's all postive. If people need inspiration, we can send them to visit the thread with all the blogs from people living happy and content lives without a car.

buses and trains do have their place in the transport world....Dahon.Steve, if the NJT commuter trains & buses into the city weren't running, you would most likely complain about all the extra bikes, walkers, motorized scooters, and cars jamming up your current (relatively) easy commute. You've got to remember each bus takes about 50-70 cars off the road, and each train up to 500 cars. Plus not everyone is physically capable of riding a bike - perhaps up steep inclines like those in Weehawken/WNY/North Bergen, but the bus can take them.

Just throwing the other side of the argument out there.

I'm confused.

Personally, I've never been a bus fan after using them for years. My opinion has changed, but I've never looked down on bus transport or those that use them. As for that incline between Weehawken/WNY, I take the elevator instead or riding up the palisade. ;-)

My parents are both like that, they hate cars. It's a result of a weird mix of environmental consciousness, Amish background, and growing up in the 60s.

Oh I know. It's painful, my eyes water and I can't see a damned thing. No, I won't be riding in heavy traffic like that, thankyouverymuch.

Um...

The few times I've had to get those drops, the tech said bring someone with you because you shouldn't drive home, even with sunglasses on. I certainly wouldn't be on a bike in traffic in that case...

[Just checked with the contact lens tech ex: She says it depends. It will slightly mess with your depth perception. Younger people are more OK to ride than older people. Bright, sunny days are worse than overcast, dark days. Really messes with your ability to read things, so don't be going anywhere you might have to read signs to figure out how to get elsewhere afterwards. I'd still arrange alternate transportation if it was me...]

In 2002 I rode several busses from New Orleans to Los Angeles at Thanksgiving and back two weeks later. Never again will I do that. The trip took forty-eight hours each way. I didn't sleep much. Didn't get to shower either. The food along the way was not so good.

A five-hundred mile trip via bus wouldn't be so bad. More than that and the extra expense of flying or even driving is worth it. I suppose that one could break up a long bus journey by stopping for a whole day after traveling one day and resting in a hotel, then continuing on the following day.

I'll be renting a car for my next five-hundred mile trip. If I didn't need to bring my dog with me I'd consider taking a bus.

In '98 or so, I bought an AmeriPass (now Discovery Pass and not the deal it used to be...), and rode Greyhoud back from Los Angeles to Portsmouth NH over the course of 9 days, with 1.5 days off to visit friends along the way. Longest stint was 7 days, with only long layovers between bus rides. I can sleep on a bus, so that wasn't an issue, but smelly? check, bad food? check.

Like I said, an adventure. The people you meet on a bus are generally more... interesting... than those you might meet using other forms of transportation as well...

I hate the bus.

Busses are great. I'm going to visit my sister in a couple of weeks, just over 400 miles away. I don't have time to cycle, so I checked all the other options - Plane - £170 plus £30 to get from the airport. Train - £107. Motorbike - around £90 in fuel. Bus - £30. Seeing my first niece on her first birthday - priceless.

I used to take the bus and light rail a lot. It has it's good sides, like being able to read while you commute. But cycling is almost always faster.

We have a very good local bus company (CATA). I don't ride often, but I'm glad they're there. They just got a millage increase passed by a 2:1 margin. This shows that the citizens have a lot of faith in the company.

I take a monthly 400 mile RT on interurban buses to visit my dad and sister in Traverse City. In more thsn 50 trips, they lost my luggage once. Two times I had to postpone because the originating bus was so late that I would have missed my connection in Grand Rapids. There have been a handful of unpleasantries involving passengers, but nothing gross or menacing.

Cool blog! Hey there are other happily car-free female bloggers, and unmarried too ;)
http://crazybikerchick.blogspot.com


I wish there were some unmarried car-free female bloggers in my part of the country. Looks like I might have to move.