Dahon.Steve

Here's another carfree hero whose celebrating 20 years without a vehicle! Michael Dougherty became carfree in 1998 and figures he saved $200,000 in that time. To make things even more interesting, he did it without the use of a bicycle! His mode of travel are a good pair of walking shoes. Incredible.

When I think about, I'm approaching 20 years carfree myself. I inherited my father's car in 1987 but had the vehicle towed to the crusher in 1999 or 2000 because it was money pit. If I live to be Michael's age (70 years old), I will be 40 years carfree!

Yes, I intend to receive a full page on the CBC!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north...ment-1.4890425

wolfchild

What is so heroic about being car-free ??...Why bother to celebrate it ??...Being car-free is just a normal state of existence for millions of people around the world. There are millions of people in this world who don't own cars and they never brag or boast about their lfestyle and never have any celebrations it. Should we throw a party for every car-free person out there ??

350htrr

People usually do NOT brag about being "car free" , as it is looked down upon in general, (or more like looked up to, to own a car)... and... those millions who don't own a car, I would suggest usually "aspire" to own a car in general... IMO Now if they are so poor they don't know where their next meal is coming from then they would not aspire to own a car I would suspect...

I-Like-To-Bike

Perhaps as heroic as being TV and/or cable free; or maybe smartphone free! How about a big celebration for people who don't own a dishwasher?

BTW, I am celebrating the $100,000+ that I don't spend every year on an expensive boat. Yaaa for us boat-free people!

tandempower

I wonder how many animals he saved from being roadkill in 20 years.

reishi

I know plenty of car owners who I'd consider hero's for the earth and champions of sustainability. You have to take in consideration the persons entire lifestyle, livlihood, purpose and direction.. and not just owning or not owning a certain device or one specific possession. If you have the privilege and luxury to live car free by choice, good for you. Some people have jobs not within walking distance or where public transportation does not go, kids that need to be driven to school and other functions, etc.. I consider people who Carpool and use public transportation as sustainability heros too. In America it is a pretty big deal to live car free. I've tried it for a year by necessity. A good friend of mine has been car free for several years by necessity. Owning a car now, i would not voluntarily get rid of it even though i could live without it. The time I save by not having to walk or bike everywhere i feel is well worthwhile spent writing my elected officials on local transportation and sustainability issues, attending public sustainability events and meetings, etc.. I think the ridicule you have to put up with all year long by car owners who think youre somehow below society by not driving everywhere you go is probably equally burdensome as having to ride your bike in the snow to get some groceries.

wolfchild

In my 30 years of driving I never killed an animal with my vehicle...In my 12 years of cycling I killed two squirrels with my bicycle.

Dahon.Steve

I guess since the car is so part of our culture, an adult male without one for 20 years is an anomaly. Maybe it was a slow day for the CBC but the article hit home personally because I will be carfree for about the same amount of time in a couple of years. I guess he reminded me of myself.

I-Like-To-Bike

I suspect that much if not all ridicule a frequent cyclist allegedly has to put up with all year long by car owners may be induced by gratuitous proselytizing and hectoring of said car owners by the halo wearing cyclist, just as any burden caused by voluntarily riding his bike in the snow to get some groceries is a result of the cyclist's own action.

I-Like-To-Bike

I suspect so.

Dahon.Steve

Agreed.

Those in this forum who are liberated from auto ownership with the help of a bicycle makeup a very small portion of the carfree population. Most of those who are carfree are exactly like Michael. They are using human transit.

tandempower

I don't judge people according to whether they drive or not, because people are all individuals. I just know how much roadkill I've seen in all the time I've ridden a bike and I doubt much if any of it was killed by non-motorized vehicles. I also have seen many white painted 'ghost' bikes set up as monuments to cyclists who were KIA and I doubt that any of those were killed by other cyclists or anyone else moving around without a motor. I'm also aware of how much pavement covers the ground and how much of that pavement would be needed if motor-vehicles were only used sparsely, by necessity. Most of the people who drive to work are doing so because the economic geography of areas has evolved with people driving around to various opportunities. If the same area evolved for a few decades with people avoiding driving out of necessity, patterns of human geography would adapt to cycling/transit/etc. and people would scratch their heads thinking about why so many people used to drive everywhere in the past.

tandempower

I ran over a snake with my bike once and it slithered away but probably died of internal injuries later, I'm guessing. I told myself it was inevitable at the time, but years later I saw a guy on a bike bunny hop over a snake that slithered into the bike path in front of him. I don't personally see myself bunny-hopping a bike at all, but I don't think there is anyone who could suddenly jump a car or truck over an animal or pedestrian to save their lives, except maybe the Dukes of Hazard.

JoeyBike

I have no idea. But...Next year on April 15th i will be car free since 1989! 30 Years, woohoo!!. Probably throw a party!. Then go buy a used car. 30 years is enuf.

(Disclosure: My wife owns a car, and I rent them fairly often. I am not a car hater in general. I just don't like the expense or keeping them serviced).

takenreasy

It's clearly a personal thing but for me cars suck. I still own three (mainly due to "adult" kids) but drive only once a week for currently unavoidable long distance travel. However, as I frequently warn my insurance company, I will one day own none.

prathmann

Seems hard to believe. No little splats (other than bird poop) that you ever had to clean off your windshield or that were stuck in your radiator? Of course I've also killed quite a few animals that I've inadvertently inhaled while cycling.

radroad

Fake news! He rents cars regularly:

"Dougherty said he isn't against cars entirely and often rents one himself. He just thinks car ownership isn't worth it."

ironwood

I was car free from birth to the age of 22. How come there was no mention of that on national TV?

I-Like-To-Bike

Heck, that is nothing. I've been car free whenever I am not driving or being driven in a car/truck for over 71 years.

radroad

Yeah, the guy rents cars on a regular basis and drives all the time. Not exactly "carefree." Read the article first.

jon c. 

There are likely at least a few hundred thousand people in NYC who fit that description.

I-Like-To-Bike

There are eight million stories in the Naked City, there must be at least a few hundred thousand about them in NYC, the OP has posted about one of them.

Maelochs

I celebrated more than 20 years care-free by buying a car. Totally worth it. I also bought a good battery charger, because the cars sits a lot .... but when i need to go several hundred miles in several hours hauling a load of gear ... my legs just aren't up to it.

This article was comical, because the guy wasn't even close to "car-free." But the whole idea that people should be praised for doing what they like to do .... Achievement Awards for Everyone!

I have gone for decades death-free! Where is my party?

wolfchild

...and nobody even pays any attention to their car-free status... No TV coverage, no celebrations, no stories written about them....they're just a speck of dust in the universe like everybody else.

Walter S

As is the whole planet in a universe with hundreds of billions of galaxies each with hundreds of billions of stars and even more solar systems and planets strewn thru 15 billion years of history.