uofiblue

It's about time to begin the old job search for a job once I graduate college. As I begin, I'd like to get a job and move somewhere where living car free (or at least car-lite) is a very viable option. A lot of the most obvious choices (large cities) such as SF, Seattle, Chicago etc. don't really appeal to me. I was raised on a farm in a small community of about 1900 people. I know that living somewhere that small is unrealistic, but are there any smaller-than-the-monsters out there that offer someone a viable option to be car free? Also, what are some good resources that I could look at for finding this kind of information. I've tried the search function on the site and maybe i'm just using the wrong keywords, but I don't see any information of this type up anywhere. Thanks!

dane_bikes

If you live in the suburbs of a major city it is definately possible. Its not the farm-life, but its not the city. I live in the Philly burbs but there are still busses and trains to take in addition to your bike. Plus many transportation systems have bike racks on busses and allow bikes on trains on non-peak hours. This way you have the option of traveling farther faster. Plus in the suburbs stores are closer that in rural areas but not as congested as city areas. Just my suggestion. I've used my bike as a primary source of transportation in the city and in the suburbs. I've never done the rural thing so I can't speak for the ease/difficulty of it.

kf5nd

I think this kind of question is very fine-grained, and difficult to answer. It's akin to asking, "So where can I ride my bike around where I live?" I dunno... it depends! It depends on where exactly you're starting from, where exactly you're going, and what your skill level is.

We can make pronouncements about the top ten big cities and their level of bike friendliness, and we might be sort of correct... but, when you ask, "which cities with populations 50,000-150,000 are bike friendly?" you're going to get stereotypical answers... like Davis CA and Madison WI. Sure, everyone knows those places. But what if you don't get a job offer there?

I submit that no one is collecting data on smaller cities, and the only way to know how bike-friendly a small city or town is is to go there and ride on likely commute routes. Like after your job interview, do a test commute from the job site to your likely neighborhood(s).

I'm pretty sure you'll find where to live, where not to, and you'll be well on your way to having the Fourty Year Old Virgin lifestyle. Yay!

Alekhine

Small towns/small cities work too. It doesn't have to be a megalopolis.

It all depends on what you need around you culturally & commercially, and the availability of housing and jobs.

I live now in a small city in California, about 60 miles north of San Francisco, and there is a symphony orchestra, vineyards, state parks of great size, and there are both jobs and housing - although the cost of housing and rent is way out of hand in this state. You really pay to live in California and enjoy the year-round cycling, etcetera. Though I'm leaving here later this year for another country entirely, I've found this place to be pretty okay overall, albeit a little strip-mallish for my tastes.

My cousin Rachel lives in Morgantown, West Virginia, and while she isn't car-free at all, I've been there and could easily live in that town without a car, or any town like it. The surrounding Appalachian countryside is lovely too, I must say.

Alekhine

Hehe, pretty much the same thing I was thinking, and we were writing our posts simultaneously.

Platy

Look for cities that have a light rail transit system.

r8ingbull

Alot depends on your lifestyle also. For myself personally I wouldn't make use of many big city features (theaters, plays, museums etc). I prefer to spend my evenings after work in silent recreation. Stuff like riding to the lake and swimming, hiking, playing with the dogs, light gardening. So a small city is perfect. The one I live in has 6,000 people, over 40 restaurants, two hardware stores, both marts (that I never use), 4 movie screens, dozens of lakes, one of the nicest small downtowns, a huge new library, high speed internet, farm markets, bookstore, and new brewpub. Pretty much everything I need. All within bike distance. The town is 95% grided streets all with curbs (swept everymonth). perfect carfree for me. I live less than two minutes from downtown (and work) by bike. Housing is much cheaper, since you don't need a car and cheap housing you can make alot less salary. My house is a decent 800sq on one acre for under $70k. It fits my lifestyle but probably not others.

Dahon.Steve

You stole my thunder.

Goto www.lightrailnow.org and see what cities use them. Find a job on one side of the line and find a place to live on the other side of the stop. You may even become car and bike free as I am. The bike is only for weekend enjoyment.

Roody

You might want to do initial research on "Places Rated" and similar books available in most bookstores. A Web site specifically rating cities for carfree livability is another resource. A Google search on carfree livability will give other ideas on what to look for.

That said, I really believe that carfree living can be done in most places if you're smart and adaptable. For me, good public transit (light rail is only one form, busses are just as good, IMO) is very desirable. I use public transit only once a month or so, but it's good to have it.

Platy

Yes, as best I can tell you originated that concept. It is right on the money.

bragi

Have you thought about a college town? They're not huge, but still have opportunities for college grads, and they also tend to have public transportation and bike-friendly attitudes. Madison Wisconson, Boulder, CO, Bellingham, WA, and Eugene, OR, all come to mind, but I'm sure there are dozens of others to choose from.

dirtyphotons

this sounds really cynical, but i wouldn't tell any potential employers that i plan on commuting by bike. obviously, the facilites (showers, lockers, etc) are a consideration, but you can clean up for work in a men's room sink if necessary. sadly, a lot of so called "professionals" are turned off by the idea. there was a recent thread all about someone losing a lucrative career opportunity because they said they planned on commuting by bike. most employers are more understanding, but its not worth losing a job offer over something so stupid.

jamesdenver

Was thinking the same thing scrolling through the posts. Even a small college town like Durango Colorado is very bike friendly, and you see bikes in front of all businesses, bars, and restaurants and all hours of the day and night.

Larger college towns like Fort Collins, CO would have more employment opportunities...

maddyfish

Gotta recommend my town, Ft. Thomas, Ky. It's an easy ride to downtown Cincinnati, Oh. Lots of bikes on the road, no crime, lots of entertainment.

Jerseysbest

First, look for a job, then see if you can bike there. There's no one city that'll fit all your needs.

Different cities have different jobs unless you concentration was very general ('liberal arts').

AlanK

Yeah, I think mid-size cities are probably the best happy-medium. The pace of life is more relaxed and livable, but there are also enough culture attractions so that you have something to do. The major drawback is public transit - all the cities I know of with decent PT are larger cities.

That said, it really depends on what your work and living situation is, and the kind of lifestyle you want. If your residence and work are reasonably close, it's certainly feasible, but it might limit your options. For instance, right now I live in Seattle, but am getting some training that will hopefully lead to more job options...

Right now I'm considering the Bellingham, WA area. While it's certainly possible to get by without a car, the city has very limited public transit, so it's very difficult to take advantage of all the outdoor recreational opportunities without a car. There are some opportunities reasonably close, but getting to the north cascades (about 20 miles east of the city) would probably require a car (you could bike, but it would take most of the day, and you'd probably be exhausted by the time you got there).

Then again, you could always rent one...

Pampusik

This is a difficult decision and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. You might be better off delaying the question and going to grad school. That'll buy you a couple years to make up your mind... although some people continue on through a postdoc until they decide where to live with their bike...!!!

Artkansas 

You don't say what you plan to do for work. I'd say go where the work is. It may well be that a small town can support you if you get your income from the web or some such place. I've lived in huge cities like L.A. and smaller cities of about 10,000. Car free was viable. Go where you want to, and you will find a way to do it car-free.

AlanK

This is only good advice if you get a practical education. There are so many liberal-arts degrees that are basically useless (even graduate degrees) in the real (work) world. Unless someone else is paying for it (parents, grants, etc.), in many cases graduate degrees are nothing but a waste of time and money.

I've met so many people with masters degrees in things like anthropology, english lit, history, art, and other L.A. fields who own tens of thousands of dollars, but still work at relatively low paying jobs (mostly office/clerical work). These poor souls will probably spend most of their adult lives paying off student loans.

Pampusik

That's right. Too many times I see people that study for jobs that existed or were designed 20 years ago (e.g., accounting, management, law, radiology, computer sciences). Those jobs can be easily outsourced to India or replaced by software. Make sure you go get a practical education and invent a job that is applicable and relevant for today through 20 years from now.

AlanK

I was actually referring more to liberal arts type degrees that never were very useful (art, history, anthropology, etc.). There will probably always be at least somewhat of a need in fields like medicine, law, and technology; though the demand can vary greatly depending on variables like location and economic cycles. For instance, here in Seattle there is a glut of persons trained in IT/high tech fields, but this is also a growing industry and jobs are still plentiful (though not as much as they used to be).

becnal

Live someplace with decent public transport; get a folding bike.

kf5nd

Did you have your sarcasm turned on there?

Because there is a boom in accounting now due to Sarbanes-Oxley. So you're wrong on that score. In some markets there is a real lack of computer science skills.

Are you seriously suggesting that radiologists aren't doing OK? Sorry, I don't have pity on medical specialists. What, they can't afford as big a boat as 20 years ago?

danimal

i like jerseybest post: finding job opportunities/offers is harder than finding a town/city that it's possible to bike everywhere...i've lived in the southwest for most of my life (with a brief stint back east) and while most people don't think of places like phoenix, tucson and albuquerque as particularly bikeable, most streets have bike lanes and the weather is never too cold (too hot is another story).

i went to college in tempe, az and had a car that i used once a month to get groceries/visit my parents. i just moved to santa fe, and while the drivers are completely incompetent, it's a small place that's not terribly difficult to live carfree in, and the weather's fairly mild all year....getting back to my original point; i've always found a way to be 90% car free wherever i've lived. (and in 2008 they complete the light rail between albuquerque and santa fe, so no more super-shuttle to the airport!)

AlanK

Yea, I'm not sure where he was coming from. While some radiology and basic medical technology is being outsourced, they will still always need people to take X-rays, etc for patients in this country. And while computer skills are in demand, the pay is much higher for programmers/engineers than it is for people with basic computer skills.

And even if demand does drop off a little in these fields, they are professional/career oriented, so you'll be much better off than most liberal arts majors