Originally Posted by
erbfarm
I really tried to make a go of living car free in my rural area last summer/fall......but w/ close to 3 feet of snow on the ground, ice covered roads, and sub zero wind chills, I just had to give up for the winter. The other thing factor, besides climate, that I'm struggling w/ is surface area....meaning, how far apart everything is in your daily/weekly round. In my little town, I can get to the grocery store, hardware store, pharmacy, church, library etc. within 5-6 miles easily. But it's anything else but the basics that presents a problem. I play ice hockey and the rinks are at least 17-25 miles away. The nearest wholefoods grocer is 43 miles away. Work is 35 miles away. Our nearest family members are 45 miles away. I'm wondering if there is a minimum "city size" that would make more of these things available in a smaller radius? A city of 500k would do it for sure, but would 250k work? Or even without a larger population, a real college town would probably do it also. Just wondering what the location is of most cyclists who are car free.
If I were in your situation, I wouldn't be car-free, either; that would require a level of commitment that isn't reasonable. Maybe car-lite would still be an option, though.
Where I live, being car-free is so easy I'm surprised more people don't do it. Seattle is a large, densely-populated urban area with decent (but not great) public transportation. Almost everything I could ever need or want is easily within ten miles of my house. Getting to the airport without a car can be a challenge early in the morning or late at night, but otherwise it's not bad. Occasionally you encounter hostile drivers, but generally, if you're not an idiot or a person who thinks Critical Mass rides are a good idea, the city has a bike-friendly culture. If you're into touring, this is a great area; last summer, I rode my bike from my front door to the San Juan Islands, Port Townsend, and Victoria, BC with minimum hassle. Really, the only actual challenge, other than the very hilly terrain, is the occasional (once or twice a year) snow storm.
I guess what I'm saying is this: many large urban areas are ideal for car-free living. Some of these large urban areas are actually pretty nice. If you're not totally committed to living in a rural area, maybe it's something you might want to consider.