Originally Posted by
gerv
I think the yes/no decision on needing a car is pretty simple. Add up the number of doctor visits. Factor in the number of family and friend visits. Multiply this by the average cab fare.
Then compare to the cost of an automobile, factoring in all expenses.
In your case, the car might win out, but in other cases, perhaps not. In my experience (years ago...) I went through several length periods without a car. I found the pre-school period to be a lot easier than when the kids start interacting with others.
Had I lived in a city with good infrastructure support (including Zip cars, services close by, other parents in the same boat...) the later years might have been easier.
I am not talking about my case (I don't have any children). I was asking from curiosity. Even though walking and transit aren't particularly viable alternatives in most of the country the bicycle is. Indeed, even though I own a car, it is not how I get around and do most of my errands, including visits to my doctor. Many, perhaps most, folks could get by without the need for a car just about anywhere in this country. When I encountered this thread I was surprised that no one recommended an infant child carrier. And some searching on my part failed to turn one up--apparently they don't exist for bicycles. That lack would seem to make bike based car free choice difficult or impossible for many young parents. Again I am curious to hear from actual parents in that situation as to how they cope.
Originally Posted by
B. Carfree
If we take that from a geographical standpoint, then it is accurate that most of this nation is indeed relatively sparsely developed. However, since we are talking about people and where they live, this should be looked at from a weighted average based on population density. Looked at that way, your contention is not in line with reality. Simply put, the overwhelming majority of Americans live in places that have pretty high population densities and adequate public transit and walking infrastructure; there's a lot of land in Wyoming and Montana, but not many people so those few people's transit woes don't mean much to most Americans.
I have lived and worked in most of the US, and would have to disagree with your claim that the overwhelming majority have adequate public transit. There are very few places in the country where relying on public transit would not consume a significant portions of a person time during the day. But again, I don't want to hear from folks whose experience is decades old (if it exists at all) with transporting infants. I am curious as to how actual car free parents of infants do so today, and if any are outside of the handful of locations where non-bike options are viable. Perhaps even more importantly, does anyone actually manufacture and sell a carrier for a bicycle that can safely carry an infant?
Originally Posted by
B. Carfree
Even when I lived in Texas with a child under age two, we had no problem getting around town and to the physician's office without resorting to using a car. This isn't as difficult as you seem to imagine it is, but it is on the other side of the looking glass for many people who have been convinced that their car addiction is necessary. It wasn't that long ago that a typical American household had one car for two adults and three children. In many of those households the car was used by the breadwinner to commute and the other parent handled those physician appointments and such without a car. It's amazing how far we have fallen in just two generations of marketing.
As I said in the previous paragraph, historically being able to transport infants to medical and such was much simpler. For a variety of reasons including the fact that families and communities were less spread out. My experience with one car families was clearly different then yours. When the car was needed to perform household errands the house spouse would bring the other spouse to/from work and then have use of the family auto. The only exception to that general rule was when I lived in one of the few areas with an extensive transit system, New York.
And it isn't marketing to doubt that walking is a viable transport for most of the country... It is a fact of the choices people have made and the way they have developed our urban areas. Heck, your own case is an example. It wasn't very long ago that you were claiming to put 15,000 miles on your bike per year since you use it for your transportation needs. That is curiously close to what the average car owner puts on their automobile per year. I doubt there are very many people who can claim anywhere near that amount of mileage while walking for transportation per year...
Again, I have no interest in debating this with those espousing theories. I would just like to hear from ACTUAL parents who are CURRENTLY car free with infants and how THEY do it (and where)... I have some young friends who are about to be in this situation and are considering whether they need to buy a car.