no motor?

Driving hasn't been fun for me in a long time. I sold my motorcycle last summer because that wasn't fun either, and I loved motorcycling for many years and many miles. I'd rather clean the litter box too - there must be a lot of us cat caretakers here!

cydisc

I look at my bikes and my truck as transportation tools. I will select whichever one is appropriate for the journey. For most cases, I will grab a bike. If I can't accomplish what I need to do in the time allotted, I will go with the auto. I enjoy using either one and am thankful for the luxury of having the choice.

gmule

X 2 I used to love driving but now I hate it. I have even let my registration lapse a couple of months ago. I am still debating on biting the bullet and selling my car and down sizing to just my wifes car. Every day I get closer to posting it on craigslist.

PaulRivers

Well, I guess you have to expect a lot of "I hate my car" responses in the commuting forum.

I've found that I really appreciate driving in non rush-hour traffic now as well. It's so nice...so many things l like about driving:
1. I don't have to change any clothes whatsoever
2. I don't have to worry about going through the "bad" part of the bike path late at night
3. I can call people on the cell phone while I'm driving
4. I can just throw any extra cargo I need in my car without having to consider how can/might strap it to my bike.
5. Related to #4, I can make quick stops on my way at Target or whatever and pick up stuff I need
6. Weather is nearly a non-issue in my car - I don't have to wear a rain coat around just because it might rain, either
7. I can listen to music. Technically I could listen to music on my bike but it's just to much of a hassle, especially since I'm usually not in the mood for half the songs on my ipod so I want to skip over them - it's a lot harder to skip through music while riding my bike than while steering my car.
8. I'm not constantly trying to adjust my "fit" on my car because no matter what I do, some part of my body is unhappy after a ride

'course there's things I don't like about driving either, like rush hour, the fact that I get no exercise, taking my car to the shop, paying for a new car (OMG it's a ton of money), having to remember to fill up on gas.

TheRealNicola

+1. If i go long enough without driving, I'll find ways to sabotage myself so i don't drive.

Metricoclock

it only happens to me when i get to drive out of the city and really open up the throttle. I hate driving around town, and the only time i get out of town is when i'm heading to my parents.

bhop

I'm the same. I only drive my car a couple times a month now, but it feels much nicer when the boost on the turbo hits than when I used to drive it every day. The drives tend to be in times when traffic is low though, or else i'd just ride my bike. I can't stand sitting in stop and go traffic.

jmonsw21

I'm a highschool senior and I've been wanting a car for the past 2 years. Just the other week my mom was telling me she thought she could get me one but she ended up backing out of it. Honestly, I don't find myself disappointed at all! I've been getting around on my mountain bike for years and I just recently got a road bike. I'm saving up money to turn my mountain bike into a commuting machine or maybe getting another road bike specifically for commuting. It really is a beautiful thing! On the other hand, the rainy season here in Miami just started, in fact, its pouring outside right now! I don't know what I'm gonna do with all this rain all summer. I don't think it'll be very safe with the way people drive. BLAST, I just worried myself.
Anyways, I think its pretty funny how this thread started off with a guy talking about enjoying car driving more and it turned into a car hate thread! WOO!

Grim

I LOVE driving my cars when it doesn't involve rush hour traffic.
My second vehicle is needed to tow our camper. It is a BIG PIG suburban with a 454. Exactly the same engine and transmission you find in 30ft motor homes. It is a 1988 and all it has done all its life is pull campers. That's what the guy I bought it from did was pull his 28ft Airstream and we bought it to pull our 22ft Airstream. It has 90K on it. It gets about 1200-1400 miles a year other then when we travel and we are mid restoration on the camper for the last 2 years.
My wife is a Stay at home mom so our primary is also not driven much. Tank of gas lasts 2-3 weeks in it and it only has a 17gallon tank. My insurance company always asks us to take them by the Agent to verify the miles because they are so low.
My pleasure vehicle is a 1970 Convertible LeMans. It hasn't moved 10 ft is 9 years and I had to push it that 10ft...sideways on a jack. The motor is on a stand.

uke

I also enjoy (non-city) driving. In particular, I enjoy listening to music on long rides, and seeing how many miles I can squeeze out of a tank of gas.

degnaw

cough https://www.cleanmpg.com/cmps_index.php?page=hypermiling

It's not as fun with an automatic transmission.

RogerB

99% of motorists favor alternative commuting modes for other people.

I use cars for recreation, also. Would be cool if all of my commuting and errands were by bike, and I had nothing but a "toy" cage in the garage for weekend fun. I miss autocrossing.

Moonshiner

No. I don't fantacise about my car.

Then again. I drive a 1996 minivan that's rusted, has spent shocks, broken ABS brakes, broken windsheild wiper motor, and pulls to the side. The whole world is glad when I don't drive.

gerv 

I find driving a car now gives me a slightly claustrophobic feeling... the air is stuffy and my feet are stiff from not moving.

screwdriver

I can't get over the fact that some of you full time bike commuters ride in all kinds of weather. I read a post where someone from a North Central state was talking about buying tires with studs in order to ride on the ice and packed snow.

dlester

We have two cars, and one of them goes the majority of the time without ever being started up. She takes it once every couple of weeks for an errand just so it doesn't go totally dead.

I haven't driven during a weekday in a very long time. I do still drive on the weekends for certain things, but it always feels strange getting behind the wheel. If my kid was a little older we would be able to do all our stuff on weekends without using the car, but he is in that little 'tween' age where he is too big for a back bike (what we did last year) and not quite big/mature enough to be riding everywhere with me. That is coming though. He did 7 miles with me yesterday at the park. By next year I bet I barely use the car at all unless I have to go out of town for something.

kmcrawford111

What do you mean "if"?

My thoughts about this: what I have learned in becoming car-lite is an appreciation for the enormous amount of energy oil provides, and consequently just how perposterously wasteful American life is. When I listen to all the crybaby moaning about how "expensive" gas is, all I can think of is how utterly spoiled we are by still having cheap and plentiful oil. I don't think gasoline was truly expensive at all, even at 4-5 $ / gal and I wouldn't think it would be expensive at $20 / gal. Even poor people in the US can somehow afford to drive everywhere all the time - all you need to do is look around you to see that. Here is suburbia, the ratio of drivers to cyclists seems to be something on the order of 200:1! This crybabiness is mostly a function of the threat to the cheap-oil-cosseted suburban way of life, as far as I see it - the temporary ability for America to generally afford commuting vast distances by car.

My wife and I share two cars. My truck gets used very little - it was used about 300 miles last year! It sat unused for two or three months in late summer, and then it wouldn't start. My friend (who runs a truck repair shop) was kind enough to replace the starter for me, and he's told me to drive it at least once/mo. and once/wk. in the winter, and I do. But it drives me insane. Our other car is a Prius and I drive that as much as possible when I do drive. About half the time now, I'm driving my truck mainly to drive it, though I will go run some errands so it isn't a complete waste. This is the point where I think it would be great to be in some kind of car-sharing club, but there's nothing like that here as far as I can tell. My goal is to commute 90% of the time by bike year-round, and I'm right there now. Often in the other 10% when I don't bike (almost always for severe weather) I am able to take the Prius. If it isn't available I take the truck. This is the only reason I still have it. It is paid off, but I still have to pay taxes and insurance of some $42 / mo. - I'd be much less peeved if pay-as-you-drive were an option, but it's not. It's completely unfair. Honestly the truck does little more than take up a lot of space in the garage - it's used for bike storage more than anything else.

I hope to be down to one car before the not-distant future arrives. That would be splendid.