Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Living Car Free
Reload this Page >

Returning to BikeForums, returning to car free

Notices
Living Car Free Do you live car free or car light? Do you prefer to use alternative transportation (bicycles, walking, other human-powered or public transportation) for everyday activities whenever possible? Discuss your lifestyle here.

Returning to BikeForums, returning to car free

Old 03-07-18, 04:16 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: N. Indiana
Posts: 27

Bikes: Specialized Sirrus, Workcycles Kruisframe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Returning to BikeForums, returning to car free

Hey all.

I was on this forum a number of years ago under a different username, do not even remember what it was. At the time I was living in DC and was without a car, moved around a bit and got a car again during the moves. Moved to my current place in N. Indiana a few years ago and replaced the car I had been driving with a new car. Fast forward to not too long ago and in the several years I owned the car I had averaged about 1000 miles a year total on it. And then got in an accident while travelling. Car got totaled by the insurance company and I decided to give up on owning a car unless I decide it just is utterly untenable for me.

Currently own just a Specialized Sirrus from '05 or '06 that I've equipped with trekking bars over the original straight bars, but I've got a Workcycles Kruisframe on order, so hopefully I'll get that within the next few weeks and that can take over commuting and in town duties and use the Sirrus for longer rides until I can get a better dedicated road bike. I actually today replaced the bar wrap on my bike, first time I've done it myself, here's hoping it doesn't unwind, the bike store installed wraps I had before started loosening pretty quick.

For living, where I am is actually pretty good, a couple groceries within a couple blocks, work is about 1 mile away and I can easily walk even when I don't feel like riding. My town itself isn't that huge, maybe 5 miles across the most populated areas of town so really it isn't bad getting around on bike. I am unfortunately out of practice on the bike and the winds right now are killing me.

Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself. Hope to stick around for awhile.
ReclusiveOne is offline  
Old 03-07-18, 10:06 PM
  #2  
Prefers Cicero
 
cooker's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto
Posts: 12,870

Bikes: 1984 Trek 520; 2007 Bike Friday NWT; misc others

Mentioned: 86 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3939 Post(s)
Liked 112 Times in 87 Posts
Good to have you back, whoever you were!
cooker is offline  
Old 03-13-18, 08:38 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,452

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,448 Times in 1,822 Posts
Sounds like an ideal situation to be car-lite or car-free.

Is it also the kind of town where a lot of specialized stuff is pretty far away? is there Uber/taxi/bus service if you need to visit 'the Big City" (or the nearest large town)? Or is pretty much everything you will ever need already somewhere in town?

I haven't lived in a walkable town in along time. Having a good bike in a town like that feels like being Superman--you can get anywhere so quickly, a bike is almost as fast as a car.

I don't envy you (my own life is okay, too), but I appreciate the situation you are in and I am glad for you and glad you enjoy it.

The only drawback? You don't get to cruise by traffic jams and smile at irate drivers.
Maelochs is offline  
Old 03-13-18, 09:17 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
 
Jim from Boston's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times in 171 Posts
Originally Posted by ReclusiveOne
Hey all.

I was on this forum a number of years ago under a different username, do not even remember what it was. At the time I was living in DC and was without a car, moved around a bit and got a car again during the moves…

I decided to give up on owning a car unless I decide it just is utterly untenable for me...

For living, where I am is actually pretty good, a couple groceries within acouple blocks, work is about 1 mile away and I can easily walk even when Idon't feel like riding. My town itself isn't that huge, maybe 5 miles across the most populated areas of town so really it isn't bad getting around on bike. I am unfortunately out of practice on the bike and the winds right now are killing me.

Anyway, just wanted to introduce myself. Hope to stick around for awhile.
Originally Posted by Maelochs
Sounds like an ideal situation to be car-lite or car-free.

Is it also the kind of town where a lot of specialized stuff is pretty faraway? is there Uber/taxi/bus service if you need to visit 'the Big City"(or the nearest large town)? Or is pretty much everything you will ever need already somewhere in town?

I haven't lived in a walkable town in along time. Having a good bike in a townlike that feels like being Superman--you can get anywhere so quickly, a bike is almost as fast as a car.

I don't envy you (my own life is okay, too), but I appreciate the situation you are in and I am glad for you and glad you enjoy it.

The only drawback? You don't get to cruise by traffic jams and smile at irate drivers.
I’m a big city devotee, and I perennially post about Boston. Actually, as an early morning reverse commuter on pleasant routes, I don't encounter traffic jams in my direction.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Boston is probably one of the most Car-free cities in the world, and having a car is often detrimental. We live near the transportation hub of Kenmore Square. Our easily accessible Car-free /Car-light modalities at home and work are:
  • subway and Commuter Rail
  • taxis and Uber
  • car rentals, including Zipcar
  • shopping and personal services within walking distances
  • a convenient place to stay overnight at work
  • my cycle commutes are on pleasant routes in the reverse of the usual commuting direction.
Nonetheless we own a car (with a deeded parking space). We bought it after the second child, and it became too hard to take a stroller on the rush hour subway while escorting the first one to school. Even though I’m the main breadwinner, it’s my wife’s car, and I have to negotiate to use it, now also with my adult son.

I’ve been an avid cyclist for decades, so that and other Car-free transportation is fine with me.
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Actually, about a month ago, my wife (hardly cycles) and I discussed going down to DC for a few days in the Spring. I do tout Virginia and southwards as having spring in March; we don't really get that kind of weather until nearly May.
Washington DC is my second favorite city as a place to live (and visit), Philadelphia third. I even like Detroit (my hometown), and Chicago is cool, though far away.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 03-13-18 at 09:33 AM.
Jim from Boston is offline  
Old 03-13-18, 03:04 PM
  #5  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: N. Indiana
Posts: 27

Bikes: Specialized Sirrus, Workcycles Kruisframe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Maelochs
Sounds like an ideal situation to be car-lite or car-free.

Is it also the kind of town where a lot of specialized stuff is pretty far away? is there Uber/taxi/bus service if you need to visit 'the Big City" (or the nearest large town)? Or is pretty much everything you will ever need already somewhere in town?

I haven't lived in a walkable town in along time. Having a good bike in a town like that feels like being Superman--you can get anywhere so quickly, a bike is almost as fast as a car.

I don't envy you (my own life is okay, too), but I appreciate the situation you are in and I am glad for you and glad you enjoy it.

The only drawback? You don't get to cruise by traffic jams and smile at irate drivers.
I suppose it depends on your definition of specialized. I don't do much myself that I would really consider requiring specialized stuff. We have a decent movie theater in town (not my thing really, but its there), a number of good local restaurants within easy access and if you want to get to the very far other side of town (still only about 7-8 miles) you can get to a number of bigger chain stores that aren't on my side of town (there are a number of strip malls all right by each other on that side of town). But I've got Walmart, a big home improvement chain, a groceryand most things I really NEED on my side of town within about 2 miles. and downtown is about 2 miles into town and our downtown is pretty decent with a number of small local shops and restaurants down there.

There is a small us service in the area that can get you to a few neighboring towns, and the buses even have bike racks if you need them. Amtrak is one of the stops in the neighboring town, convenient for seeing family who also live near Amtrak. Their schedule isn't super convenient, but its quite inexpensive to ride and not a bad choice when needed.

As for traffic jams, nah, at lights I normally just take a place in line, trying to thread the gap between cars and curb only to have them deal with passing you right after the light turns green just isn't worth the hassle. At least not to me.
ReclusiveOne is offline  
Old 03-13-18, 04:35 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,452

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,448 Times in 1,822 Posts
Yeah, sounds like you have about everything you would need to live a good life.

Can't take a bike on Amtrak? I'd buy a gun and hold up a train in protest! (Let me know if you are planning to, so I can be on hand to get the exclusive story ... we can both get our 15 minutes ... )

For that i might even consider one of those ridiculous folding bikes. I suppose if the folks at the other end don;t mind you coming, though, they might be willing to pick you up.
Maelochs is offline  
Old 03-13-18, 07:12 PM
  #7  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: N. Indiana
Posts: 27

Bikes: Specialized Sirrus, Workcycles Kruisframe

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Bikes on Amtrak? It depends. Some trains have limited bike spaces on board, others don't. I've looked, briefly, at the two lines that run nearby and, if I recall correctly, one line has spaces for bikes but the other does not. I think the one with bike spaces still only allows something like 6-8 bikes at a time and there is a $40 reservation charge to reserve a space (which is mandatory I believe).
ReclusiveOne is offline  
Old 03-21-18, 01:02 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
linberl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 3,460

Bikes: Trident Spike 2 recumbent trike w/ e-assist

Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1321 Post(s)
Liked 374 Times in 288 Posts
Originally Posted by Maelochs
Yeah, sounds like you have about everything you would need to live a good life.

Can't take a bike on Amtrak? I'd buy a gun and hold up a train in protest! (Let me know if you are planning to, so I can be on hand to get the exclusive story ... we can both get our 15 minutes ... )

For that i might even consider one of those ridiculous folding bikes. I suppose if the folks at the other end don;t mind you coming, though, they might be willing to pick you up.
Folding bikes are NOT ridiculous! *stomps feet and harrumphs ;-). My Bike Friday is awesome and millions of Bromptons have been sold.
linberl is offline  
Old 03-21-18, 06:08 PM
  #9  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Canada, PG BC
Posts: 3,849

Bikes: 27 speed ORYX with over 39,000Kms on it and another 14,000KMs with a BionX E-Assist on it

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1024 Post(s)
Liked 57 Times in 49 Posts
Originally Posted by Maelochs
Yeah, sounds like you have about everything you would need to live a good life.

Can't take a bike on Amtrak? I'd buy a gun and hold up a train in protest! (Let me know if you are planning to, so I can be on hand to get the exclusive story ... we can both get our 15 minutes ... )

For that i might even consider one of those ridiculous folding bikes. I suppose if the folks at the other end don;t mind you coming, though, they might be willing to pick you up.
Really...?
350htrr is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bikeforumuser0019
Commuting
76
10-24-16 03:24 PM
konsole
Living Car Free
26
12-23-15 11:01 PM
Loose Chain
Fifty Plus (50+)
53
08-18-11 11:50 PM
ALLSTOTT
Living Car Free
9
02-02-11 03:19 PM
nanter
Living Car Free
6
05-04-10 11:42 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.