Living Car Free - What happened to all the carfree posters?

I just noticed there were 4 threads with new posts in LCF in the last 24 hours. Two of the threads were obviously about cars and had nothing to do with living carfree.

When I looked at the stats on the main forum page, there were more viewers in Hybrid bicycles and Utility Cycling.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

I think gas got cheaper and the weather got colder. But we happy few soldier on!

Well, i sold my car 2 or 3 months ago, i just don't talk much.
i have been car free off and on all of my life, this is just the first time it was by choice.
If i own a car, it's just to easy to be lazy and drive.

One of the beauties of this forum is that it's always been very inclusive towards anyone who's working towards minimizing car use (as opposed to banning it from their lives forever), interested in proportional transportation alternatives, and allowing the real world to get in the way of the titled Holy Grail of living. I for one have always been extremely appreciative of that.

No doubt, the conversation is going through a normal evolution as new topics are brought up and old ones temporarily die down. And I'm certain that the wheel will continue it's turn and the 'absolute car free' postings will start to proliferate again.

I've found my comfort zone, if you will, with living car-free. Now I'm just waiting for someone else to need to pick my brain. Otherwise, I don't talk much about it.

I've found my comfort zone, if you will, with living car-free. Now I'm just waiting for someone else to need to pick my brain. Otherwise, I don't talk much about it.

That's my situation, too.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

Like me, many may have been turned off by all the constant quarreling and decided not to post rather than have harpies attacking them no matter what they say.

Thanks sykerocker, that's a nice attitude. I admire 'car-free', but I think for a lot of people, getting there could start out by being 'car-lite', and maybe they never get to 'car-free', but at least this is a place to think about it, talk about it. I started the thread about insurance discounts since I figured if anyone had tales to contribute, it would be here, and it was my first post to this forum. Artkansas, too (I really hate sifting through all the nit-picking and quarreling sometimes that I see in some forums). I like the idea of being car-free, but I'm married to a motorist. And since we have a car, that means we use it. My philosophy is that we should only use it when we need to, though (and I know I've set myself up with the word 'need').

The good news is, although we may not be ultra-orthrodox, it works both ways; I've managed to get my motoring husband to take a bike for most short trips, which he never would have done if he hadn't married a cyclist. Maybe someday we'll both be cyclists, with a car that usually stays in the garage. That's a compromise I'd be pretty happy with.

Like me, many may have been turned off by all the constant quarreling and decided not to post rather than have harpies attacking them no matter what they say.

Please consider posting more. There are some of us out here who look forward to hearing what you have to say. Just try to ignore the attack dogs.

@Artkansas: the harpies can be stinky and it is annoying especially if you are serious and not trolling.

Do not let the negativity turn you away.

I just noticed there were 4 threads with new posts in LCF in the last 24 hours. Two of the threads were obviously about cars and had nothing to do with living carfree.

When I looked at the stats on the main forum page, there were more viewers in Hybrid bicycles and Utility Cycling.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

Wait a second.. I thought my post on the future of auto maintenance had a lot to do with living carfree. There are more people on who are reading this forum that drive but lurk regardless because many like the idea of going car free. These are the people I posted for because the days of inexpensive motoring are coming to an end. I happen to believe this abuse of power by the auto manfacturers will force millions to become carfree.

One of the beauties of this forum is that it's always been very inclusive towards anyone who's working towards minimizing car use (as opposed to banning it from their lives forever), interested in proportional transportation alternatives, and allowing the real world to get in the way of the titled Holy Grail of living. I for one have always been extremely appreciative of that.

No doubt, the conversation is going through a normal evolution as new topics are brought up and old ones temporarily die down. And I'm certain that the wheel will continue it's turn and the 'absolute car free' postings will start to proliferate again.

Amen?:p

Been car free, currently doing my best to stay vehicle light. May work back to car free one day.

Aaron:)

Finished up the xtracycle build Monday, yesterday was the first commute day with it. Its a big help and big step, for me, to never needing to use my car but for emergencies. That reminds me, I need to go out and unhook the battery.

I should be fully car free by summer. :)

I notice that a lot of times the forum statistics say something like "14 viewing, 3 members and 11 guests". I really hope that a lot of those lurkers decide to start posting. We always need new stories, bold ideas and just plain "fresh meat." It only takes a few seconds to register, and it costs nothing. If you spend a lot of time lurking here, it's only fair that you join in the discussion to help keep it all going. :)

...There are more people on who are reading this forum that drive but lurk regardless because many like the idea of going car free...

Hello.

Hello.
Hi, wanders, welcome!

Hello.

Kewl another North Carolinian!

Aaron :)

I notice that a lot of times the forum statistics say something like "14 viewing, 3 members and 11 guests". I really hope that a lot of those lurkers decide to start posting. We always need new stories, bold ideas and just plain "fresh meat." It only takes a few seconds to register, and it costs nothing. If you spend a lot of time lurking here, it's only fair that you join in the discussion to help keep it all going. :)

From what little I know about how forums work, some of those visitors maybe search bots.

Aaron :)

Wait a second.. I thought my post on the future of auto maintenance had a lot to do with living carfree. There are more people on who are reading this forum that drive but lurk regardless because many like the idea of going car free. These are the people I posted for because the days of inexpensive motoring are coming to an end. I happen to believe this abuse of power by the auto manfacturers will force millions to become carfree.


Well, I may have been exaggerating ... sorry..

I looked at the 4 threads posted to in that 24-hour period and two of them seemed like car threads. Then I had a :wtf: moment... one of the threads had photos of an Opel or somesuch.

We ought to have more bike "porn" type photos in LCF. Sort of a response to car lust. :rolleyes:

Hello.

Hey, wanders... you have more overall posts than I do... why do you lurk in LCF?

Well, I may have been exaggerating ... sorry..

I looked at the 4 threads posted to in that 24-hour period and two of them seemed like car threads. Then I had a :wtf: moment... one of the threads had photos of an Opel or somesuch.

We ought to have more bike "porn" type photos in LCF. Sort of a response to car lust. :rolleyes:

Ask and ye shall receive....how many pictures do you want?:D:thumb:

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/31871/2647563410066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

Aaron:)

Hey, wanders... you have more overall posts than I do... why do you lurk in LCF?

As Steve mentioned in his post, I like the idea of not having a car but with a wife and 7 year old, the best I could do would be car-lite. My car is on the verge of dying and I came here to see how people that
have given up their vehicles manage without them. When it does finally croak, I'm going to put off
replacing it as long as possible.

There's some really good stuff here and some things I never considered are addressed in places or at least have me thinking. ie - mulch for the yard, getting the dog to the vet, child.........

I commute to work a couple times a week during warm weather(17 miles one-way). I've done it in 18 degree weather just to see what it was like. Not pleasant but doable.

I haven't posted much here because of the fact that I have no experience living car free and before I ask a question I wanted to see if it had been covered in an earlier thread.

Cheers.

From what little I know about how forums work, some of those visitors maybe search bots.

Aaron :)
Well I think the bots should feel free to chime in too!

As Steve mentioned in his post, I like the idea of not having a car but with a wife and 7 year old, the best I could do would be car-lite. My car is on the verge of dying and I came here to see how people that
have given up their vehicles manage without them. When it does finally croak, I'm going to put off
replacing it as long as possible.

There's some really good stuff here and some things I never considered are addressed in places or at least have me thinking. ie - mulch for the yard, getting the dog to the vet, child.........

I commute to work a couple times a week during warm weather(17 miles one-way). I've done it in 18 degree weather just to see what it was like. Not pleasant but doable.

I haven't posted much here because of the fact that I have no experience living car free and before I ask a question I wanted to see if it had been covered in an earlier thread.

Cheers.

No problem, but keep in mind that most of the "regulars" here are carlight also, rather than carfree. It's hard to be carfree in some countries (especiaslly the USA), so many people just do the best they can given the old-fashioned infrastructure that they're stuck with.

...I like the idea of not having a car but with a wife and 7 year old, the best I could do would be car-lite...I commute to work a couple times a week during warm weather(17 miles one-way)...
Car-lite is a worthy goal, as is bike commuting. You'll have to develop contingency plans for when the one remaining family car breaks down, for when you are physically impaired or the weather is difficult, for sudden emergencies, and so forth. You'll learn how to maximize whatever local retail and professional resources are available. There are many helpful tactics to learn, like what things can be ordered for delivery to your house, or what bike parts & tools you need to have on hand so you don't have to transport an inoperable bike to the bike shop. If you have local taxi service or public transit of any kind, you'll develop the basic skills you need to use them efficiently.

Most important, car-lite living now will give you the insight & experience to make life choices to better enable carfree living in the future -- when those rare opportunities eventually present themselves.

Ask and ye shall receive....how many pictures do you want?:D:thumb:

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/31871/2647563410066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

Aaron:)

That's a good start. Maybe we could also do "muscle" bikes.

http://oldroads.com/fdbdown.asp?1009

Although my back hurts just imagining myself sitting on this one.

That's a good start. Maybe we could also do "muscle" bikes.

http://oldroads.com/fdbdown.asp?1009

Although my back hurts just imagining myself sitting on this one.

Neat CCM choppers are a bit unusual in the Southern US, more Schwinn Stingrays or Raleigh Choppers.:p

I really like the tiger tail, I remember when you could get one free with a fill up at Esso.:eek: Part of the "put a tiger in your tank" ad campaign.

Aaron:)

My solution for car-free was to build a big old heavy-duty trailer with a lockable contigo container....but I have an electric bike to pull it around with, might not work so well with muscle power alone.

Hey Platy. *waves*

My solution for car-free was to build a big old heavy-duty trailer with a lockable contigo container....but I have an electric bike to pull it around with, might not work so well with muscle power alone.

Hey Platy. *waves*
Hey wernmax. *particles* (haw haw snork) I guess we're just about ready for Mad Max, if it's gonna be on bicycles!

My spare time was spent reassembling my favorite bicycle that had been gone for almost six months for a frame repair so no time to post much. It was a lot of work but I wanted it perfect in the end. Yeah, too much attachment to material things I suppose but if you're going to be attached to something material what better choice than a bicycle? Here she is all built up again. 132117:D

Like me, many may have been turned off by all the constant quarreling and decided not to post rather than have harpies attacking them no matter what they say.

Yeah, it is sort of sad ... I enjoy your posts though ...

I admire 'car-free', but I think for a lot of people, getting there could start out by being 'car-lite', and maybe they never get to 'car-free', but at least this is a place to think about it, talk about it..

I agree. Although I found this website after I went car-free, I started out as car-lite. I'm sure if I found this website 8 months ago when I started biking that I would have gone car-free a lot sooner.

Here's my story from the introductions: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?357256-Living-Car-Free-Car-Lite-Introductions/page11

So if anybody has any questions about living car-free, I'd be happy to answer them. It's definitely the most liberating feeling I've ever had. I understand that it's more difficult for some people to go car-free, though. All people have different situations, i.e., families, pets, and jobs that are relatively far to commute. So car-lite is definitely a great substitution for those and other situations.

My situation is perfect for being car-free, though. I'm a student and I live downtown near campus. Everything I need is relatively close for biking. Even though I bike out to the suburbs to see friends, go out, etc., it's still been a great experience. Another great thing about being car-free here in Cleveland is that the buses have bike racks on the front of them. And since I'm a student, I don't have to pay for public transportation.

Overall, I recommend being car-free for anybody who thinks that they can handle it.

I've already posted this bike porn, but I apparently haven't uploaded any winter cycling photos yet this year, so this is all I have so far:
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs235.snc1/8221_1213574870476_1561942119_30565680_1880562_n.jpg
Unfortunately, the derailleur is pretty fried and the bearing in the headset are starting to seize up regularly, so it will soon be time to decide whether I want an over-haul or to build new. Either way, this Diamondback will always be my baby as it was my first bike, and is the only piece of transportation that has treated me well (all my cars were lemons, and motorcycles aren't exactly fun to ride). In fact, it was my luck with this bike combined with my bad luck with motorized transportation that convinced me to go car-free in the first place.

still car free
I've been really busy
wrenching
I've got a 5 day support gig with a team coming to town for a training camp
etc, etc...

here are a couple of pics of my Hunter 29er MTB
I've been riding it a bunch, along with my dummy

the hunter I've been using as a road bike riding with my velo brethren, etc...

still car free
I've been really busy
wrenching
I've got a 5 day support gig with a team coming to town for a training camp
etc, etc...

here are a couple of pics of my Hunter 29er MTB
I've been riding it a bunch, along with my dummy

the hunter I've been using as a road bike riding with my velo brethren, etc...

The Hunter is cool. A custom bicycle designed for fat tires and disk brakes? What's with the double top tube?

BTW, a little bit of my winter is being devoted to resuscitating this 1972 Fuji Special Road Racer.

http://bikes.javazoid.com/images/72FujiNoWheels.jpg

It has the original leather seat and I've laced up a new set of wheels for it. I'm also hoping to use some green cloth tape on the bars

The Hunter is cool. A custom bicycle designed for fat tires and disk brakes? What's with the double top tube?

BTW, a little bit of my winter is being devoted to resuscitating this 1972 Fuji Special Road Racer.

http://bikes.javazoid.com/images/72FujiNoWheels.jpg

It has the original leather seat and I've laced up a new set of wheels for it. I'm also hoping to use some green cloth tape on the bars
Thats a cool old Fuji, when i was kid, I spent a bunch of time fixing bikes like that.

The Hunter is a 29er MTB
and I'm using a MAVIC SpeedCity wheelset, which is retails for about $430. and if you buy the MP3 program that MAVIC offers, you get 2 years crash replacement. the total comes to around $460 here in Cali

I'm a sucker for retro cruiser style
and i love the aesthetics of curving tubes, otis guy type dropouts, etc...

this bike is actually very performance oriented.
it can take a MTB tyre like a Rampage at 29x2.4" all the way down to a road tyre, 700x23c wide

lately I've been running those creme color Fat Franks, I just like the retro look. when they wear out, i may try the red versions they make.

in August, I rode it from Portland to Ventura, Ca
and along the way, when i got to Arcata, Ca, I stopped to race 12 Hours of Humboldt MTB race
where i did

12 laps
92 miles
over 16,000ft of climbing
placing 3rd.

this bike is a morph
i also used it to complete my 3rd Double Century of 09' which was The Eastern Sierra Double

plus I've taken it on bike tour from Monterey to LA a bunch of times, in various configurations
from racks and panniers to just using a set of custom bags from Carousel Design Works... no racks.

I'm still car-free for now... been that way for what? 5 or six years now?

Times, they are a-changin', though.

I'm working on a divorce, got an awesome girlfriend, working on getting my life fully back on track.

Unfortunately, getting my life back on track will involve me fixing the Mercedes I've had in storage for a couple years so I can drive it for work... they've really been wanting me to be able to visit clients.

I'm also needing to move from the apartment I'm in (we'll need a bigger place for her two girls)... hoping to find a place as perfect for getting around without the car as this one is, but I don't know how likely that is.

Whatever happens, happens.

I just noticed there were 4 threads with new posts in LCF in the last 24 hours. Two of the threads were obviously about cars and had nothing to do with living carfree.

When I looked at the stats on the main forum page, there were more viewers in Hybrid bicycles and Utility Cycling.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

I stopped posting here because, after five years of living car-free, I (gasp) bought a car, and didn't want to subject myself to anti-cager abuse.

Anyway, after a few months or so of driving almost everywhere, because of the novelty, I came to the realization that the bike was just as fast as the car in most cases, and way more practical and fun, so I stopped driving regularly and went back to the bike. However, I kept the car as a back-up. There are times when I need to haul heavy stuff, or I'm sick, etc., and I like having a choice. I know that makes me an apostate, but there you have it.

I would also attribute some of it to constant attacks of frozen dandruff from the skies leading to viral attacks making the victims attach one or two long slats to their feet and moving laterally along hillside concentrations of it while possessing odd smiles!

It's such a terrible affliction they will do it REPEATEDLY INTO THE DARK OF NIGHT!

Even persons who cannot walk can be infected.

Maybe it's time to change the name of the forum to reflect the content of the forum ..... from "Living Car Free" to "Living Simply" or "Alternate Living Styles" something like that.

I stopped posting here because, after five years of living car-free, I (gasp) bought a car, and didn't want to subject myself to anti-cager abuse.

Anyway, after a few months or so of driving almost everywhere, because of the novelty, I came to the realization that the bike was just as fast as the car in most cases, and way more practical and fun, so I stopped driving regularly and went back to the bike. However, I kept the car as a back-up. There are times when I need to haul heavy stuff, or I'm sick, etc., and I like having a choice. I know that makes me an apostate, but there you have it.

I missed you, and I hope you're coming back to LCF. I reaslly don[t think you're going to get hate from the people here. Remember that many of the "regulars" here have cars, like wahoonc nad many others.

Car Free is difficult for a lot of people
so simply in that fact, I suppose the Forum may not have masse appeal

however
for those whom are Car Free
I'd dare to say that a paradigm shift has already occurred
especially in the cases where a person has once lived a Car-Centric Lifestyle, and now has made the transition for whatever reasons.

thru this Forum, I've read a bunch of numbers, stats, sociopolitical conjecture... dare i say, bashing "cagers"<-- auto drivers

In my personal view, when speech is dictated in reference to an "anti" of anything, the reality is that the reference is still; to that theme

anti-car is still talking about cars

again, the simplicity of living a lifestyle devoid of immediate car use, has evaded our habitual speech patterns.
simply goes to show the depth of our Modern Era Industrial Lifestyle

its almost to suggest that being Car Free is such a sublime topic that the majority of Americans cannot fathom such a thing.

perhaps the reason this forum is not so popular, is that people simply do not "get it".
perhaps they'd like to, or they think they'd be interested, but the masse reality... they drive cars.

i know its crazy.
but they do.

2cent d-

I just noticed there were 4 threads with new posts in LCF in the last 24 hours. Two of the threads were obviously about cars and had nothing to do with living carfree.

When I looked at the stats on the main forum page, there were more viewers in Hybrid bicycles and Utility Cycling.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

IMO it's this lousy new forum format that we have today. This format reminds me of a visual cobblestone road and just a smooth.

IMO it's this lousy new forum format that we have today. This format reminds me of a visual cobblestone road and just a smooth.

Which I STILL am having next to no problems with in IE 7 but I DID HELP TO TROUBLESHOOT IT.

I wanted to find one myself before the holidays but as fate would have it my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer and being of meager means that probably quashed it even though it meant saving their resources by being able to travel there now and then?

Sometimes the answers aren't as simple.

What happened to the good old days when people came here to post about peak oil or urban design or simple LCF living?

This forum can be a little much for more moderate car-free cyclists. A lot of the threads here seem to be outright anti-car. I'm more moderate about my cycling; it works for me but I can accept that this lifestyle won't work for a lot of people.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I often feel that mine is not in line with the overall attitude on this forum so I usually don't post much.

I'm getting the impression that a lot of new people have started posting since this thread was started. Is it just me seeing this?

I'm getting the impression that a lot of new people have started posting since this thread was started. Is it just me seeing this?

Roody... perhaps they were waiting for your return. You seem to be a regular again. Regular viewers are up.... perhaps you should sell your mojo to Conan O'Brien.
:D

This forum can be a little much for more moderate car-free cyclists. A lot of the threads here seem to be outright anti-car. I'm more moderate about my cycling; it works for me but I can accept that this lifestyle won't work for a lot of people.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I often feel that mine is not in line with the overall attitude on this forum so I usually don't post much.

That's too bad. I don't think this forum is as militantly anti-automobile as it was , say, 3 or 4 years ago.

But by the same token, the objective of a group like this is to emphasize some of the negative aspects of the automobile-centric mentality. So, when someone start posting with photos of European sports cars (as happens on a fairly regular basis...), some posters get irate... after all... there are so many other place on the Internet to enjoy and share car pictures and impressions. IMHO It kind of dilutes the content...

Hi gang, I haven't been coming to the site much at all, and as far as car free I've been doing it for my whole life. I still check out the posts I just don't write anything.

That's too bad. I don't think this forum is as militantly anti-automobile as it was , say, 3 or 4 years ago.
Last 4 threads posted to on LCF prior to this post:


Why do you hate the car?

How (& when) will the age of oil end? Barely a blip? World-wide war & civil unrest?

Compare and contrast the bicycle and the car; cite advantages/disadvantages of each.

Just Curious-Does Temporary Switch Back To Dviving A Rental Car Makes You A Traitor?

enuff said.