Machka 

Machka 

But ... there is no car-free movement. Hard to monitor something that doesn't exist.

I-Like-To-Bike

Myth. Actually a fantasy dreamed up on this very list for the purpose of stimulating another "discussion". IMO this fantasy, doesn't even rate being called a myth since it probably is not promulgated anywhere but on this list and only by a few of its posters.

I-Like-To-Bike

That's you. Hopefully you don't really spend someone else's money on investigating your own fabricated fantasies. Can be a real problem; read newspapers for further details.

cooker

The "car-free movement" is an informal cabal of activists working to exclude cars from designated areas of cities. "Car-free living" is a bit different - it's mostly individuals doing their own thing.

StarBiker

Are you sure they just don't think you are nuts, and that's why they are so nice?

cooker

Newspapers articles like this?

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2...the-automobile
Cities are going car-free around the world - Business Insider

I suspect execs at GM and BMW read articles like this and try to strategize what to do about it - don't you?

Mobile 155

Just to get it out there. To me one of the myths I believe was brought to me when I found this Forum. I thought living car free was about living off grid, or living green or just plain living without contact with cars. However it became clear it wasn't quite that cut and dry. Looking at the definition of car in an online dictionary I found this. "
noun
noun: car; plural noun: cars
a road vehicle, typically with four wheels, powered by an internal combustion engine and able to carry a small number of people.
"we're going by car"
synonyms:automobile, motor vehicle, vehicle;
I wondered how people could avoid riding in a car 24/7 365. Now it seems as if some more or less do even if they will now and then ride in someone's car, take a taxi or Uber or Lyft. Have pizza delivered or security patrol their area in a car. The answer is most do not live sans car but rather with less car so they "really" aren't free. And that as it has been said is simply doing as the person wants. I realize most consider LCF a state of mind still I see posts about how to get free rides in a car, ride sharing in a car, how future Autonomous cars will aid in LCF started and participated in by people that advocate as a person living LCF.

All of that is fine but to me the definition is blurry. LCL sure I can understand but calling yourself LCF the day after getting a ride to work with a friend or going shopping in a car with a family member sounds different than car free to me. But I have always felt that way. And yes this is a bit of a minor rant.

To sum it up one myth I see is that you will learn about how to be car free by coming to this forum. Because all it would take would be to not use a car at all and you would be free indeed.

I-Like-To-Bike

Various urban planners planning or thinking about setting up car free zones (or bike lane networks) here or there (mostly NOT in North America) does not make a movement of people desiring to live car free unless by movement you mean a group of urban planners in Europe or China when discussing the so-called"car free movement".

The hassles of driving and parking in around Times Square due to a traffic restrictions hardly inspires commuters or tourists to Manhattan to become car free or is a sign of a so-called movement of any significant people who plan to live car free.

350htrr

I agree 100%, there is some latitude to be car free, but some people on here seem to think, they are car free because they do not own a car while technically true, but then have a pizza delivered every week... take taxis, and so on... NO, that is a Myth, they are not really car free. IMO...

McBTC

Do I suspect an article about the city of Madrid "starting to go car-free," will cause automobile manufacturers to do something about it? Nope. My guess is as a seller of automobiles you spend your time thinking about how best to provide value to those who need and can afford personal transportation--e.g., you probably don't waste time trying to address the needs of old ladies in rest homes who need to get to hair parlor on the second floor once a week.

Mobile 155

I know to some it is nit picking however it seems as if so often people try and change the definition of a word to fit their belief system. Once that has happened they can stuff a lot of non related things in the basket and say it is LCF. How is the use of AC or forced heating a LCF issue when people that aren't CF can just as easily deal with those same issues without it being related? So I am not surprised that the hot topics have little to do with living without cars and run towards other issues. I am surprised at some that claim to be something that they are not and are surprised that the conversations more towards what interests other people that aren't that same something, CF. Still I find it interesting to see the written gyrations that are justified by tossing in three letters into the conversation, LCF.

jon c. 

I doubt it. I don't expect they see this as a serious threat to their business.

I-Like-To-Bike

Not a bit. Do you seriously suspect that they give a dang or are you just making conversation for promotion of this alleged LCF discussion?

cooker

Earlier I told Machka we would only discuss the definition of "car-free" in this thread if that's what people wanted to talk about.

Well, Machka, apparently it is what they want to talk about!

cooker

I do think that, but that's fine, we don't have to agree or continue to discuss it.

What would you like to talk about?

cooker

I hate to say it, but isn't this one more of these vague, exaggerated claims that doesn't actually apply to any one here?

I-Like-To-Bike

My new granddaughter, born Tuesday night 8lbs, 9ozs. Luckily we had our car handy and ready to go when my son called and told us his wife was going into labor and we need to get to his house, 80 miles away as soon as possible to watch our 2 year old grandson, while his parents await the delivery of their daughter in the hospital. Her parents had been lined up to come in for the task but her father came down sick. We drove there in less than 2 hours and good thing we didn't wait around as our granddaughter was born 90 minutes after our arrival.

cooker

Congratulations.

cooker

I wouldn't either, but it does tend to indicate that we are both a bit suspicious that they would have some slight negative feelings about it, or be put off a bit in some way, perhaps thinking the candidate is bit odd. Once hired, perhaps we would feel a little more willing to risk it - after a few months, maybe, in my case.

What would you have done if you had such an interview when you didn't own a car? Rent one? Take a cab? Get a ride from someone?

I-Like-To-Bike

Do job interviewers really ask people how they arrived at the interview site? I suppose they might question if the prospect walked in wearing exercise clothing, helmet and backpack and probably would not be understanding if the prospect stated that he had no other clothes to wear.

cooker

I wouldn't be wearing the helmet, but I might be carrying it, and the backpack I brought my change of clothes in. What about you - would you go to a job interview by bike, especially at an automotive place? If they noticed, would they care?

I-Like-To-Bike

IMO, a lot more different than "a bit". I think a person would have to delude themselves first before he/she ever could convince anyone else that these two groups are closely related.

StarBiker

Unless you are riding what the non cyclist thinks is a recent, expensive bike, and you are wearing all the gear people will look down on you. Mostly in the suburbs.

People making a lot of money are not riding bikes to work.

McBTC

Even high paid professors at the University of Irvine (in California not la-la-land) who live in on-Campus housing that have garages (see Irvine Campus Housing Authority)... e.g.,