Living Car Free - new term: "car fast"

a limited period of time where you cleanse yourself of car usage, to purify your transportation soul (:

I guess I'm on a permanent fast.

Our former mayor didn't use that term but he used the concept. He would continually try for car-free days. This was not always possible, but he went out of his way to try. It was refreshing to see him trying to lead by example in this area.

I am not sure the term fits. A fast has to end at some point and going back to eating food is considered getting back to normal. So if you were to replace food with the word car once the fast was over getting back to normal would be driving. Not a good concept from a car free standpoint. :eek:

I agree with Robert. A fast is usually with food, something that you absolutely can not LIVE without. A car is not like that at all and the term sends the wrong message. It makes living car-free seem impossible and sacrificial which it is not.

As others said fasting is probably the wrong word, but however we can get people to have car-free days works for me.

I have a car. I haven't driven it since last weekend. I'm going to have to drive again this weekend. :(

Car holiday is probably a better description. :)

How about;
I aspire to be car fast but to get that fast I need a holiday from my car. :)

Car holiday is probably a better description. :)

Yes, but if I might add it should be a term with a lot of positive identification. Much like a good commercial you shouldn't even mention the competition.

car holiday is cool, but not as "tough" sounding. which might not be a desirable attribute as you guys mention. i like the tough / challenge aspect though, because i like the idea of being able to do something difficult.

"human-powered week"

Put your car out to pasture week.

When I see the words "car fast", I think of street racing, drags or drifting. I don't see the term catching on to mean an absence of car.

I like car holiday also. But I notice alost the entire English speaking world uses the same term we use on this forum: carfree.

"Car fast" to me means travelling approximately the speed of a car. E.g. With a 10mph tailwind, my bike commute is car fast.

"Car holiday" seems appropriate for a time period without car usage.

ICE Negative? I doubt many people would get it, but that's OK with me. :D

ICE Negative? I doubt many people would get it, but that's OK with me. :D

With the dreaded release of electric cars this year, this one may have a short lifespan.

Put your car out to pasture week.How about take your car for a walk behind the woodshed day?

The classic example of fasting for a cause was Ganghi. He would fast till he achieved his goal be it to stop violence or to promote unity. It worked because the people respected him and didn't want to see him die. I am afraid Nish 2575 if we accepted the idea of a fast most people, 90+ percent in the US would not only assume we were fasting but they would hope we did indeed just die off. There wold be signs on the back of Texas pickups that would say, Let those little suckers fast till we can't hear them anymore. The whole word just dosen't sound very "tough" somehow.

Put your car out to pasture week.

Is that Pasturizing it?

Car Fast...sounds to me more like how much people are attached to their cars than doing without them.

Aaron :)

I am not sure the term fits. A fast has to end at some point and going back to eating food is considered getting back to normal. So if you were to replace food with the word car once the fast was over getting back to normal would be driving. Not a good concept from a car free standpoint. :eek:
For those who observe Lent, there is the concept of temporarily giving something up for religious or spiritual purposes. Traditionally it's meat, but it can also be a behaviour or an activity. The "car fast" concept described here could be part of a Lent observance.

For those who observe Lent, there is the concept of temporarily giving something up for religious or spiritual purposes. Traditionally it's meat, but it can also be a behaviour or an activity. The "car fast" concept described here could be part of a Lent observance.

If you understand lent, it only works if you give up something you love or at least like more than what you are doing. It does no good to give up Okra if you don't like Okra. Is that what is wanted by the car free idea? To give up something for something you like less? And after lent you get to go back to what you were doing, using, eating before.

If you understand lent, it only works if you give up something you love or at least like more than what you are doing. It does no good to give up Okra if you don't like Okra. Is that what is wanted by the car free idea? To give up something for something you like less? And after lent you get to go back to what you were doing, using, eating before.
That's pretty much the way I understand it too. For those who love driving, giving up driving for a period of time is a sacrifice. It's also possible the Lent sacrifice may translate into a long-term lifestyle change.

That's pretty much the way I understand it too. For those who love driving, giving up driving for a period of time is a sacrifice. It's also possible the Lent sacrifice may translate into a long-term lifestyle change.

Could be I guess.

I guess I'm on a permanent fast.

+1

I go car fast when I roll down Hooters Hill.