Hello to all, I hope I am posting on the right forum. I am new here, was researching car-free driving and came across this forum, so I thought I would stop by and try to find the answer to my question. But before I go into it, a tiny history lesson might be needed,

I am in my last week of drivers ed. I have driven twice before, once with an instructor, and one with my dear mother. Both times were fairly well, cept for when I had a fender-bender that wasnt my fault at all.
I have six more hours to go before I can take the tests and get my license. But just today, when we were watching one of our many videos in class, I had a thought "Anything else?"

Can someone please tell me, does it cost more or anything to have car free style?

Done right it costs less, alot less. The sacrifice is mostly time, and trips under 15-20 miles in many cities thats almost a tie during the morning or afternoon rush in many cases. Also depends on YOU, some bikers are hardier than others, some faster, some slower. Some can haul big loads, some cant. Some have issues with traffic, some dont. Trying to handle a family with small kids could be a problem, but I know some that do it. Where there's a will there's a way. People lived car free for centuries, why would now be any different?

I agree with Pedex. There are many variables. If you live in a large city with fairly cheap, accessable public transportation then you can ride a bike/walk/take public transport with minimal cost compared to owning a car. If you live in a smaller city that has little access to public transport, it becomes a little more difficult (though not impossible). At that point many would suggest intentionally seeking housing near common shopping locations (grocery and such). That will make it easier to do basic weekly shopping trips. Large purchases, unless you're very adventurous are often easier to purchase online/through stores that offer home delivery.

You really end up planning your outings more. If you know rain is possible for the next two days, then it is probably better to head out and take care of shopping today. Take it from someone caught in the rain with shopping bags, no fun walking several miles in the rain with paper shopping bags!

Overall though, you can easily save a great deal of money. I use maybe $50 every 2-3 months on public transit and next to nothing on maintaining my bike, and nothing on walking. Compared to my friends with $3-400/month car loan bills, $300-600/6 month car insurance bills, regular vehicle maintenance bills, and the $2.50-3.50/gallon gas prices I easily save a good $500/month by not having a car.

_why would now be any different?_ uh, we had more time back then?

Really we did? When may I ask, where days longer than twenty four hours? It is how we CHOOSE to use our time. People back in the day, had responsibilities, they had children, they had jobs. What they did not have, are cars to get them places quicker, dishwashers and robot vacuums cleaning for them, "fast food" etc... When I was a kid, I managed to walk/bicycle, or hop on the bus from about the age of ten to get anywhere I needed to go, even in elementary school I was allowed to walk by myself.... in queens ny by the way, so no one is forcing us to take on the role of soccer mom and such.

We had more time back then?? When did they get rid of that 25th hour in the day?! Dang it I want 25 hours in a day.

Honesty though. That argument has never made sense when people have tried using it. Even if taken the way people try to make it mean. I mean what? Were people just lazing around for 10 hours a day in the past? I think its fairly superior of us to assume that we are the busiest generation of people to ever inhabit the Earth.

Congratulations on "having a thought" while in class, especially havin a thought that isn't quite in line with the values of Driver's Ed. I bet that doesn't happen to some of your classmates! Your thoughtful and questioning attitudes give me hope for the future.

I agree that carfree transport will almost always save you money. If you have a car, each bike trip will save you a little money. Commuting by bike to work or school might save you more than $500 a year, for example.

If you don't have a car at all, the savings will be enormous. Going carfree will potentially save you more than $5,000 a year, or a quarter million dollars over your lifetime. You'll also be doing a lot of good for your health and the planet. Man I wish I'd put aside a quarter million dollars for my retirement. With good investment, I'd be a millionaire by now.

Now I'd like to ask you a question. What, if anything, have they taught you in Driver's Ed about sharing the road with bicycles?

Yeah, what they said. On a purely personal level, it's a question of time. Over distances of only a few miles, and in heavy traffic or where parking's a problem, bikes are actually faster than cars. If you're going 10 miles or more, and you can drive on a fairly open road, then a car will be much faster, easier, and more convenient. And then there's the environmental impact to think about. In my case, not having a car hasn't really changed my lifestyle at all, except for saving me thousands of dollars every year and freeing me from the vexation of being stuck in traffic. Overall, unless you live out on a farm somewhere, I highly recommend life on a bike. (I mean bicycle here, the kind you have to pedal...)

No, no. What he means is that there is less time until the end of the universe. Billions and Billions of years have been wasted already. Woe is me!

I use my savings to fuel a cigarette and whiskey habit that's probably around 8K a year. The up side is that I probably don't have to think about retirement...

We had more time back then to be on the internet and watch TV.

somehow, at some point it becomes uncool to ride a bike. Later, when people have all the money to spend on status symbol bikes, it becomes cool again. Bike have always been cool for me. Whether or not I was cool, I care not. I'm car lite, so I know my wife and I safe some money every month since I rarely take the car out.

Hey be care-free, your a kid, what forum did you think this was?

I've found that 90% of the "problems" associated with being car-free are easily solved by having a Bob Yak trailer and corresponding dry-sac. Of course, I don't have the dry sac, but those big plastic Ikea bags are just as good.

Get an Xtracycle. Your girlfriend can't ride on a BOB Yak. If I had an Xtracycle in high school I'd have pimped it something awful. I've yet to hear described a burden that can be yak'ed that can't be Xtracycled, and you get a back seat that you can surf on.