Artkansas 

My parents were enablers more than inspirations. I was pretty rough on bicycles as a kid. But they kept replacing them, so I kept riding. But they never knew how far I rode as a young'un. I eventually told my Dad last year. He was pretty surprised. He google mapped some of the places just to see how safe some of those places were.

phoebeisis

I was a bit unclear.They/we don't want to be fat,but they love food and don't exercise+ eat lots of fast food and lots of soft drinks+ fair amount of beer.

Now why don't folks in the south like to exercise? I don't know.
Of course most exercise isn't fun-bike riding is fun but many forms of formal exercise certainly aren't fun.
And it is HOT and MUGGY here 7 months a year (over 75 yesterday after being in the 30's 5 days ago)-so for most folks that rules out riding to work.
I just don't know why folks in the south are more overweight?
Perhaps it is as simple as the temperature humidity?
But in general the south is poorly educated-and to some degree there is still an anti-education bias
A writer- national columnist-Rasberry??-suggested that blacks had gotten the anti education bias(and other mores) from the "po southern whites" they interacted with "not trusting college boys" is a theme in many movies based in the south
They were big on grains(farmers) and lived on the edge especially after the civil war-so over eating-perhaps it is a natural response to near starvation buried in their cultural memory??
But french love to eat-and they aren't fat-and safe bet fair numbers of them were close to the edge during WW2-but that was just 5 years-the south was devastated after the war-and hit by various natural problems-floods drought crop pests malaria yellow fever

Obviously I have no idea why we are fat and don't exercise(it is HOT and you sweat IMMEDIATELY when you walk outside 7 months of the year-maybe the simplest explanation is IT)
Just don't know the why.
But that chart-thanks to Bcarfree-makes it clear-the south is more overweight than other parts of country-but I see a clod weather state(MICHIGAN?) is as "fat" so there goes the "too hot to exercise" hypothesis-
and it isn't clearly poverty-since my guess is the cold state-Michigan- is more affluent?

Ekdog

@ Phoebiesis: How is all of this talk about obesity in the South relevant to this thread? Why don't you start a new topic if you think this is relevant to carfree living?

CbadRider

A new thread has been started for this discussion, please take this topic to the new thread.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ar-free-living

CbadRider
Forum Admin

mconlonx

Um... thinking... I know of a couple guys who are car free, but only run into them at the bike shop. Where very often, they know more than I do about something extremely obscure. Compared to the population at large, they are 'freaks', outliers.

When I lived in the city, I knew a lot more, but they never made a big deal about being car free because cars just weren't a part of their lifestyle. They never gave up a car and so never seemed to adopt car-free as a self descriptor. If asked about cars, the usual answer was "What would I want a car for?", not because they were trying to do good in their lives or in their greater living environment, just because it would be more of a hassle for them than not having one. I stay in touch with one guy, so there you have it: I know and associate with one voluntarily car-free adult in my free time.

enigmaT120

I don't think I know any car-free people except virtually, on this forum.

Roody

I think author J.H. Crawford is pretty cool. (He wrote a couple books about carfree design.)

I like the way he explores the past (by studying old photos) and the present (by traveling and living in various carfree places). This gives him a vision of the future--his designs for building new carfree cities, and rebuilding old cities to make them carfree.

J.H. just moved himself and his Carfree Institute to Nepal. He also publishes the Carfree Times.

https://www.carfree.com

gerv 

Interesting. When I first started hanging around this forum, I didn't know any carfree people either. Suddenly they started appearing. Also I know many cyclist types who have cars but rarely use them. They are often out there, in your vicinity, but you haven't run into them yet

Artkansas 

One BFer I think should be nominated is tsl. He doesn't come into the LCF forum much, but his lifestyle is pure car-free. He's professional, intelligent and helpful.

ro-monster

I'd say that about 30-40% of the people I know are car-free, including several who have never had a driver's license. Back when I owned a car, the percentage of car-free people I knew was even higher, but I knew a lot more poor people back then, too.

howeeee

Ralph Nader is phoney self promoter, I wouldnt believe he is car free unless I see it for myself,

Zedoo

A different type of inspiration is Eric Knysz. He was convicted of killing a cop at a traffic stop. He had a few hours left on his driving license suspension, and driving with a suspension would have put him in jail. Don't be as stupid as Eric Knysz. He will be carlite for a long time, but not any type of free.

gerv 

There is definitely a car-free culture here. The group isn't enormous but it does exist and it's growing.

And for the most part this carfree group is comprised of some pretty neat individuals.

Artkansas 

Well according to Wikipedia, Nader claimed that he owned no car.

Roody

wtf?

Zedoo

The part I missed is Eric Knysz's wife is pregnant. She is doing 2-5 years for accessory and car theft.
https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/i...charged_i.html
https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/i...d_for_her.html

Carfree and pregnant is a challenge I had not considered before.

Artkansas 

Here is Wild Bill, a 52 year old car-free pizza delivery guy.

https://www.bikeforums.net/vimeo.com/98270731

bbeasley

Jim T. from Hammond, La is my inspiration. I met him when I began cycling as an adult at age 53. He's led group rides for years, always quick to offer great advice or help the new cyclist. He just turned 72, is very fit, and will challenge for the lead of a 30 MPH sprint when we contest our city line at the end of a 50 miler. Like me, Jim rides to the start of the ride.

Zedoo

Gandhi. He walked.