Living Car Free - Cars really are cages

After being car-free for over 5 years, I recently became an apostate and bought a car. I could have gone without a car indefinitely, but I bought one anyway, because I sometimes have to haul stuff, sometimes I have to go to work sick, I started running again and my energy is limited, etc. I don't want to have to defend my decision; I went ahead and did it, and now I'm car-lite.

The thing that brings me here, though, is my impression of driving a car after a long hiatus. Driving totally sucks as an experience. In the week after purchasing the Volvo, I drove it every day because it was such a novelty. It was actually kind of nice to go places and not arrive all sweaty and carrying panniers. It didn't take me long, though, to re-discover, on a visceral level, that driving does entail serious costs that have nothing to do with economics. When you drive, your connection with the larger world is severely truncated, to a degree that actually kind of alarmed me. You see the world go by, but you're not even remotely in it. It's like you're watching a movie of your own neighborhood. There are literally hundreds of things that you simply fail to notice as you whiz by at 40 mph with the radio on. You see other human beings, but you can't communicate with them very well, because both you and they are surrounded by tons of steel and glass. If you drive everywhere you go, you think this is normal. But it's not. It's not normal at all.

I'm keeping the car, because it was cheap, it's nice to have a giant machine that can haul heavy stuff, and sometimes you just don't feel like riding 30 miles, round trip, just to go to a party. But I don't want to use it on a regular basis.

You want to be careful. I got hurt (yes, riding a bicycle) and stopped riding for a couple of years (yes, it still hurts) and put on a lot of weight. If you are not riding remember to really cut back on the food intake.

You want to be careful. I got hurt (yes, riding a bicycle) and stopped riding for a couple of years (yes, it still hurts) and put on a lot of weight. If you are not riding remember to really cut back on the food intake.

I've thought about that a lot, actually. I'm very vigilant about not letting the car becoming a regular habit. It's kind of funny: I now have a device that the vast majority of people use compulsively without a thought, and I'm treating it like it's heroin or something.

How did you get hurt, why does it persist, and what are you doing about it?

I'm not really car free, but I guess you could say I am car-lite. On my commute home today I was thinking about how people driving home were missing a real experience. It was wonderful weather. The people in their cars were just wasting time getting from one place to another.

You see other human beings, but you can't communicate with them very well, because both you and they are surrounded by tons of steel and glass.
It's better that way. Very little of the attempted communication between drivers is of a cheerful or uplifting nature.

You want to be careful. I got hurt (yes, riding a bicycle) and stopped riding for a couple of years (yes, it still hurts) and put on a lot of weight. If you are not riding remember to really cut back on the food intake.

I am dealing with that right now. I developed an inner ear situation (still in diagnosis stage) that leaves me a bit unsteady with exertion and I can lose my balance when I cough, hit a large bump or have to make a quick maneuver. I was exersizing 7-8 hours a week plus commuting before hand. I cut my portions and cut out alot of deserts and consume less alcohol. I have still managed to gain a few pounds in the last few months. I've started walking 1/2 hour a day to burn a few calories and am trying to learn Tai Chi to help with the balance thing. I'll still ride around the neighborhood, but I stay off heavily travelled streets. Of all the arguments for a walking/riding lifestyle, health is the strongest one for me. I also agree with the idea that you cut yourself off from the world around you while driving.

As someone who is car-lite I can honestly say I love driving...I am a fairly introverted person, and I enjoy driving to work as much as riding. I love being able to close myself off from the world around me and have a few minutes every day just to myself...cars give me that. Bikes force me to interact more, which is usually the last thing I want after a long day at work.

As someone who is car-lite I can honestly say I love driving...I am a fairly introverted person, and I enjoy driving to work as much as riding. I love being able to close myself off from the world around me and have a few minutes every day just to myself...cars give me that. Bikes force me to interact more, which is usually the last thing I want after a long day at work.

Who do you all interact with while you're riding a bike? Why would you feel "forced" to interact more on a bike? If you're that introverted, isn't it a good idea to exercise your ability to socialize with others anyway?

I'm not trying to pry or criticise, I'm just curious. I'm pretty introverted too, but I've never found riding a bike to be a burden. I never really felt obligated to talk to anybody while I was riding, anyway.

Who do you all interact with while you're riding a bike? Why would you feel "forced" to interact more on a bike? If you're that introverted, isn't it a good idea to exercise your ability to socialize with others anyway?

I'm not trying to pry or criticise, I'm just curious. I'm pretty introverted too, but I've never found riding a bike to be a burden. I never really felt obligated to talk to anybody while I was riding, anyway.

While biking I feel more in-tune with my surroundings. While in my car I feel like I really am in a 'cage', but that cage lets me feel a little more closed off from the world. I know it sounds strange, but I like that time when I am closed off.

Right now I work a 40 hr/week job, I am studying (with other people) to go to night school to get a master's degree, I have two roommates and a girlfriend. My commute is really the only time I have to be alone. The rest of my day IS exercising my ability to socialize...

I've thought about that a lot, actually. I'm very vigilant about not letting the car becoming a regular habit. It's kind of funny: I now have a device that the vast majority of people use compulsively without a thought, and I'm treating it like it's heroin or something.

It's undoubtedly do-able to own a car but very rarely use it. I'm one of this breed. We have a family car, but the only time it seems to move is when my son borrows it.

There are a bunch of downsides:
- you need to move the car regularly. A vehicle that isn't used deteriorates. If it were possible it might be a good idea to share it with a group of friends or some family members.
- events that you previously could have avoided because you didn't have a car, are now on your radar. You can now go bowling with your work friends.
- you won't be driving this car much, but the insurance bill will arrive regularly. If you are lucky they might drop your rate 10% if you don't drive (ever) to work.
- you can now no longer legitimately respond to LCF polls like "How long have you been carfree?"

Seriously, I think your car ownership might be ok, but it would be much better if it were shared with a larger group rather than sitting in the driveway... a car per person isn't likely to work too well.

While biking I feel more in-tune with my surroundings. While in my car I feel like I really am in a 'cage', but that cage lets me feel a little more closed off from the world. I know it sounds strange, but I like that time when I am closed off.

Right now I work a 40 hr/week job, I am studying (with other people) to go to night school to get a master's degree, I have two roommates and a girlfriend. My commute is really the only time I have to be alone. The rest of my day IS exercising my ability to socialize...

I am the same way. It's exactly like exercise, and you can only do it for so long before you tire out. Luckily (in this case, anyway) I live in a rural suburb, so I can ride my bike without interacting with a lot of people, once I get out of my neighborhood.

I commute to work on my bike an average of 3 times a week from April to November and am car-light. This past month I rode my bike to work every day instead of driving because I was on the early shift the whole time. I hadn't driven my car in over a week, when my husband went on a business trip a couple pf weeks ago and left his car parked near the local train station. I had to walk to where the car was parked and bring it back home. As soon as I got into the car, I felt confined. I was so used to feeling the breeze riding my bike, I forgot what it was like to be in a car. It was then that I realized why cyclists feel that cars are like cages. I would much rather be on my bike, feeling the wind and seeing things that I would miss while driving, than sitting in my car.

Cars really are cages

...The thing that brings me here, though, is my impression of driving a car after a long hiatus. Driving totally sucks as an experience...It didn't take me long, though, to re-discover, on a visceral level, that driving does entail serious costs that have nothing to do with economics. When you drive, your connection with the larger world is severely truncated, to a degree that actually kind of alarmed me. You see the world go by, but you're not even remotely in it. It's like you're watching a movie of your own neighborhood. There are literally hundreds of things that you simply fail to notice as you whiz by at 40 mph with the radio on. You see other human beings, but you can't communicate with them very well, because both you and they are surrounded by tons of steel and glass. If you drive everywhere you go, you think this is normal. But it's not. It's not normal at all...

I recall a lecture by a psychiatrist that a very, if not the most potent stressor is immobilization. So even if a cager is moving fast, he is not moving at all. Add to that the stresses of the drive, e.g. the watchfullnes (or lack therof) for driving hazards, driving with a deadline, etc, and there certainly is a high non-economic cost you pay a lot of money to endure.

I got a fast kit car back on to the road years ago after it had been off the road for a year. It was a soft top and very quick. The first time I drove it to work on a lovely summer day,instead of having a big grinn on my face, I realised that I would sooner by riding my bike or rollerblades. Not been into cars since then!
Now I spend money on other things.

Bragi you are correct that the automobile is a anti social machine. There are pros and cons to this. I don't blame u for wanting to be car-lite in a automobile dominate society. I am car-lite myself and will always be car-lite unless a costly repair interferes with my dream of owning a home. I know that you know what the bicycle is capable of and confident that you will use that cage responsibly. I have biked to work for years now and can't imagine driving there. However when i go see family across the state or go backpacking in the ozark mountains my automobile comes into the picture. No harsh feelings or worries. Be well and stay in the saddle most of the time!

My one brief experiment with being carlight rather than carfree was a failure. I ended up driving more than I planned, due to my inherent laziness. I very mauch admire people who are able to be carlight, but I'm not one of them. :(

My one brief experiment with being carlight rather than carfree was a failure. I ended up driving more than I planned. :(


For me it made most sense when I was married. She got the car, and I got to use it when I absolutely needed it.

- events that you previously could have avoided because you didn't have a car, are now on your radar. You can now go bowling with your work friends.


You say this like being socially connected is somehow a bad thing. In fact it is quite the opposite. The book [U]bowling alone[U] is devoted to the harm that is being done to our society by the modern trend of social disconnection. He summarizes with two main culprits, long commuting time and television. If your commute is puting a serious dent in your social life, no matter how you go about it, then you really should rethink what you are doing.

How did you get hurt, why does it persist, and what are you doing about it?

I went around a corner on a soft surface and the bike went out from under me and I came to a full stop, from about 35mph, immediately, in a sitting position. This happened in the 90's and I was really not able to ride a bicycle without extreme pain for several years. It is better, I can now ride. It still hurts though.

I have never done anything for it. Although I had medical insurance at the time, I could not afford to use it. I now have full primary care through the VA so I may tell the doctor there. But, it has been so long I really don't expect them to do much.

For anyone who's had to cut back on their cycling for whatever reason and is worried about gaining weight, I'd suggest keeping a food/exercise diary. I lost a significant amount of weight over a 2-year period and have kept it off for 4 years. For the rest of my life, I will always use a food/exercise diary, as well as weigh and/or measure portions of food--no more eating anything straight from the bag. Also, check the labels on everything before you buy it--if you see the words "partially-hydrogenated" be worried--that's transfat; it's in most processed food or processed food mixes. I set my food/exercise diary up in an Excel worksheet so it would do calculations for me and I could have hyper links to my favorite sites for determining calories in specific food as well as calories burned through exercise.

You say this like being socially connected is somehow a bad thing. In fact it is quite the opposite. The book [U]bowling alone[U] is devoted to the harm that is being done to our society by the modern trend of social disconnection. He summarizes with two main culprits, long commuting time and television. If your commute is puting a serious dent in your social life, no matter how you go about it, then you really should rethink what you are doing.

OK.. being anti-social is not a good thing, but.. come on... when your colleagues have an evening of bowling planned, you need an out.

For anyone who's had to cut back on their cycling for whatever reason and is worried about gaining weight, I'd suggest keeping a food/exercise diary. I lost a significant amount of weight over a 2-year period and have kept it off for 4 years. For the rest of my life, I will always use a food/exercise diary, as well as weigh and/or measure portions of food--no more eating anything straight from the bag. Also, check the labels on everything before you buy it--if you see the words "partially-hydrogenated" be worried--that's transfat; it's in most processed food or processed food mixes. I set my food/exercise diary up in an Excel worksheet so it would do calculations for me and I could have hyper links to my favorite sites for determining calories in specific food as well as calories burned through exercise.

Congratulations... I certainly like to hear that someone has discipline. My greatest fear is losing a few weeks biking, but the truth is I bike 5000 miles a year and I'm still nearly 30 pounds overweight. Maybe I should keep a diary.

- you need to move the car regularly. A vehicle that isn't used deteriorates.

Holy crap, nobody told me this. A mouse built a house in my engine and could have been very costly if I hadn't caught it (literally and figuratively).

I get so pi$$ed off while driving, it is so bad for my blood pressure if nothing else. I'm also severe ADHD, so much like an overactive housepet, I need serious exercise or I'm hell to deal with. This makes bike-commuting much more obvious for me.

In my town (and I suspect many others) you really can get from one end of town to the other about as quickly on a bike as you can a car due to congestion, timed lights, and slow speed limits. I love my car for weekend trips with my wife to Portland, Bend, etc, but that's the extent of its use. (Except for when my wife wants us to go places in town, haven't really sold her on the bike-insane-lifestyle yet)

You say this like being socially connected is somehow a bad thing. In fact it is quite the opposite. The book [U]bowling alone[U] is devoted to the harm that is being done to our society by the modern trend of social disconnection. He summarizes with two main culprits, long commuting time and television. If your commute is puting a serious dent in your social life, no matter how you go about it, then you really should rethink what you are doing.

Some say cycling is bad because it forces you into social interactions. Now you seem to be saying it's bad because it removes you from social interactions. These are both pretty extreme and unwarranted assumptions, IMO.

OK.. being anti-social is not a good thing, but.. come on... when your colleagues have an evening of bowling planned, you need an out.

Tell them you'll bowl with them this time, but they have to go on a bike ride with you next time.

Some say cycling is bad because it forces you into social interactions. Now you seem to be saying it's bad because it removes you from social interactions.

No, I said


If your commute is putting a serious dent in your social life, no matter how you go about it, then you really should rethink what you are doing.

I went around a corner on a soft surface and the bike went out from under me and I came to a full stop, from about 35mph, immediately, in a sitting position. This happened in the 90's and I was really not able to ride a bicycle without extreme pain for several years. It is better, I can now ride. It still hurts though.


I can feel for you there. One time, about 40 miles into a century on my recumbent, I had paused, and was attempting to start up again on a steep hill. I tried to start at an angle on the street to reduce the effective grade but I didn't have enough power dialed in to get rolling and fell sideways downhill, landing on one hip. Boy did that hurt. The only way to get some help though was to ride to the next sag stop. I did, and it hurt less after I pedaled a little. So I kept on to finish the century.

But I could barely climb off the bike, and sitting squarely enough to drive home afterwards was excruciating. For the next 6 months, I was off the recumbent, it hurt too much to ride, though ironically, riding my Hard Rock gave me no pain. Two years later, I can still notice it on occasion.

I am car lite also. My wife won't let me get rid of our minivan. The wife and kids don't share my dream of riding everywhere, she thinks it would be too difficult. There are weeks where I won't drive at all and the van just sits in the driveway. Since my last oil change in March, I have ridden my bike over 3000 miles and my car doesn't even have 1000 on yet. Most of that is from vacations. So I think if you really want to be car lite and put your mind to it, you can.

I have all the leg room and head room I need on a bike.


The book [u]bowling alone[u] is devoted to the harm that is being done to our society by the modern trend of social disconnection. He summarizes with two main culprits, long commuting time and television.

Friends are just strangers who demand your time and money.

I am dealing with that right now. I developed an inner ear situation (still in diagnosis stage) that leaves me a bit unsteady with exertion and I can lose my balance when I cough, hit a large bump or have to make a quick maneuver.
Don't know if it would work out for you or not, but maybe a recumbent trike might be easier balance-wise?

Don't know if it would work out for you or not, but maybe a recumbent trike might be easier balance-wise?

Thanks. I currently just ride short distances and spin on a trainer. I'll have to check out the recumbant if I can't get this figured out.

I spent the last 2 summers walking from Mexico to Canada. At one point I got a ride in someone's car and realized that the car makes long distances seem short and short distances seem long. So 10 miles is really quick and easy (takes 4 hours to walk) and 1 mile is so quick that it seems impossible to walk that far (takes about 20 minutes to walk a mile). Driving a car then becomes self-reinforcing. I find that like a form of imprisonment because you end up thinking there is no other way to do it.

Ah, I've had quite the opposite situation. I used to bike a bit to school and back. For my internship, I had to drive (it was 35 miles through traffic, each way), so I let my riding wane. Once I got back on my bike, I find that I actually ride faster and more controlled now.

Then again, I spent the time not riding in the gym, so I suppose that helped my body more than riding every day.

Since my brother and I bought a car a few months back, I've had a similar experience. At first I actually drove it quite a bit. It's small, has a manual transmission, and handles well, so it was pretty fun to drive. But the novelty quickly wore off, and I soon remembered why I stopped driving in the first place. I still drive it some on the weekends just to give my body a rest from riding all week, but most of the time it is NOT enjoyable. I don't mind being in the car while my brother drives, though.

It rained this morning and we are expecting showers much of the week. When I walked in, one of my coworkers said, "It's going to be a rough week for you, huh?" I was confused at first, until I realized he was referring to riding in the rain. I'm so used to doing it (and I don't mind it at all) that I initially had no clue what he meant, because to me it beats driving to work any day.

I don't have a car but do have a motorcycle. However, I consider myself motorcycle lite because I mostly bicycle to work and shopping.

Anymore, my motorcycle only gets ridden on occasional weekends when I might join friends for a backroad cruise.

Also, riding in cars, especially in the back seat, stresses me out. I believe it would help if I could open the window and hang my head out in the breeze dog-style. However, alot of new cars' rear passenger windows only open minimally if at all. Car sickness soon follows and this adds to my already high anxiety. The whole experience really sucks for me.

For 5 years I've been car-lite, but I recently experimented with car-free for 2 months. It was semi-unintentional; my car broke down, (on the way to a 300k brevet, ironically) so I just didn't get it fixed for 2 months.
95% of the time I didn't mind being car free. I don't do a whole lot of bar-hopping or other such socializing, so there wasn't much of an effect to that end. I typically use my bike for errands, and I had been riding 4 days a week to work. Adding the 1 extra day for my work schedule was difficult because of how that day is structured for me. My company has 3 sites I must visit on Friday and they're all 8 to 14 miles from my house... in opposite directions. It was a big strain on my coworkers (and therefore, on me) to not have my (relatively) immediate availability between sites for those 2 months when previously I had been making multiple trips back and forth on Fridays.
I just got my car back last Thursday, and drove it to work on Friday. It will most likely sit in the garage until this Friday when I take it to work again. Although I have it, I don't find the temptation there to hop in the car instead of riding my bike.

As I'm riding my bike as a main transportation now, I see how much I miss my car and not actually the convenience of it. I mean, it's nice to be able to show up to work in my uniform and suite jacket and not be out of breath (asthma is a beast). But still having my first car several years later, the what I feel when I am driving the car is the same. I love my car, haha, older car but really beautiful and timeless design. Its transmission is not working at all, but everything else works just fine. I go out to start it up and I hear the loud V8 fire up and I just miss it...

I plan on keeping my commuting to bike for as long as I can, I used to do it recreationally so it's not a big change for me. In March I will be able to fix my car and finally accept my promotion so I can start going to school.

When I'm in my car, I don't feel the same way I do on my bike. It's nice to be out in the fresh air and like the OP said, feel more connected with the world in a real way. When you are in your car, you are closed off from what is going on outside.