tandempower

How much did you pay for it, and in what year? If you bought it new for, say, $16,000, you have paid $1000/year assuming no financing costs. $360 insurance plus $120/year fuel plus $1000 for the car already adds up to $1500/year. Now what about tires? And you've never replaced the brake pads? What about tune ups? Have you replaced the timing belt? Registration is what, $100/year? Do you have to get an inspection?

$360/year for 15 years adds up to $5400. $120/year for 15 years adds up to $1800. Fifteen years of registrations adds up to $1500. So if you spent $15,000 on the car plus $8,700 for insurance, fuel, and registration, that adds up to over $20,000. How much of that would have spent on bikes and bike maintenance in that time? What would you do if you had the rest of that money in a savings account now? Buy a car to drive to the movies on rainy days?

linberl

While I get your point none of it is relevant to me now. All those expenses occurred while I was working and were minimal compared to my income. I'm retired now and all I care about are the costs I incur NOW as I have a fixed income. My current expenses with my car are the only meaningful ones. I had no intention of going car free, nor a reasonable ability to do so, while I was working; I needed a car. So for my current reality, all that matters are the costs I have now. I'm dumping the car because I don't use it much, have to drive it just to keep it charged. I will need to find a solution to the rainy day movie with friend situation and would prefer that not cost me more than the car costs me CURRENTLY, otherwise it would make sense to keep the car. I do my own maintenance, and there is hardly any when you only drive 400 miles a year; I set the car up mechanically before I retired so tires, etc., are all just fine . Whatever I spent on the car in the past is gone and is completely irrelevant to my situation today. To stick to my retirement budget I have about $600 I can move into alternative modes of transit if I eliminate the car.

Mobile 155

timtak

I stopped usign my car about 6 years ago and scrapped it about 2 years ago. I know. I should have done it sooner. I have found I need:

A luggage rack on my (road) bike.
A change of clothes (and hopefully a shower) stashed in all the place I go to, or the same in my bag.
Bike shoes and normal shoes stashed, if possible, in all the places (home, work, other home, and car) that you arrive/depart from
Cleat protectors for when you do have to walk in road shoes, or use mtb shoes, or clipless pedals.
A large rucksack is a must. Remove the top bar of one of those old fashioned framed rucksack or otherwise prevent it from come up too far so that you can't raise your head. Maybe it is possible to cut the top off the piece of plastic (?) board inside modern non-framed rucksacks. I'd like panniers too.
Cheap tubes/tires in quantity, and spares of both for emergencies (Chain Reaction's Lifeline range are good!)
Super high visibility wear and lights because you will be cycling in low visibility conditions
Rain wear, warm wear, super big gloves, and handlebar fairings since you you will be forced to ride in all weather
A visor on your helmet for the same all-weather reason
Padded handle bars
Research on low traffic routes and a smart phone for navigation
A wife with a car (blush)

Mobile 155

at last Diogenes can rest in peace. An honest man.

linberl

That's a good list. My bike is a sub-20 lb Bike Friday pakiT 16" wheel folding bike, so in emergencies, where I can't repair on the road, I can either get to public transit or call an Uber. The bike will fit anywhere. Even if I have my trailer with me, since it's a Burley Travoy and also folds up super tiny. Both can fit in any car trunk. Or I can strap the bike to the trailer and walk if there's no other option. I really think it's going to work out great and I am looking forward to not having the responsibility of an auto. That said, we have Gig car share now in our area so if I ever do need a car, it's easily available (and I can ride my bike to it and fold and stash it in the car). It's just a matter of minimizing the cost when it's not just me to get around, but I"m sure it will work itself out.
I like the idea of a helmet with a visor - my eyes tear up all the time even with wrap around sunglasses. Will look into it, thanks!

tandempower

How far do you (and your friend) live from the movie theater?

tandempower

I wonder how many cups of fancy coffee Starbucks has to sell to afford the land-clearing costs to build a new cafe. Conversely, I wonder how hard it would be to get customers to sit and use wifi and drink coffee in a treed area that is left undeveloped.

Maelochs

Get another Bike Friday and carry it in the trailer as a spare.

linberl

Lol! I have a second one, but I think I'm gonna sell it. I can do most repairs on the road =)

linberl

Around 25 miles round trip. We like to frequent this one theater because it's an old style independent beauty, the guy who owns it is very cool and keeps prices down to the benefit of the neighborhood. But on really rainy days we may just decide to go see our show at a "chain" theater that is closer because the increased ticket price is still probably cheaper than taking Uber or car share. We'll just play it by ear, I guess.

tandempower

Or get some nice, breathable-fabric rain suits and ride 12 miles in the rain. If it's hot, use a poncho for better ventilation. Cycling in the rain is not bad if it's not too cold. Of course, if the movie theater is air-conditioned, you'll freeze if you go into the movie wet, but that's a different problem entirely.

linberl

That works for me, I have a great "people's poncho" specifically for cycling, but my friend does not bike....thus the need for passenger transportation. A side car with roof would be nice =). I toy with the idea of something like a Transit Elf (enclosed velo mobile) but it doesn't really make sense in terms of cost vs. usage.

tandempower

Would your friend consider stoking a tandem?

Mobile 155

linberl

I doubt it. I would have to buy the tandem and don't have room to store it and I'm also not sure I would want to ride one here in the city. I find riding my little Bike Friday works well because it is so nimble, but a tandem just seems unwieldy and possibly dangerous in traffic. In any case, I don't have to worry about it until November =).

tandempower

How about if we clear ALL the natural land to turn that number into 5 quadrillion with 9 billion employees and have everyone driving around to different coffee shops all day every day? Would that be enough 'productivity' for you finally?

tandempower

A tandem takes wider turns because of the longer frame, but otherwise it rides like a regular bike, whether there are two or just one person riding. You could easily ride to pick up your friend and then tow them as the stoker, unless they have some logistical limitation like being disabled or very large/heavy, etc.

There are models that break down and re-assemble fairly easily. It might not be as easy as a folding bike, but I watched a video of a couple who cycled the Himalayas on a tandem for their honeymoon where they seemed to be able to pack and unpack the bike in luggage pretty easily.

Mobile 155

You asked, I answered. Did I touch a nerve? You listed some expenses someone else might have and said they would have it all in savings. I showed that wasn't necessarily true. Then You tossed the cost of building a business that supports people's lives and the answer ticked you off? Oh well.

I-Like-To-Bike

That was your mistake if you expected anything responsive in return, ya know, like constructive.

Mobile 155

You sir keep pointing out my obvious errors. I will have to copy these as reminders.

tandempower

I just try to think of ways to clarify how relative economics is by exaggerating a situation where non-essential business is expanded to provide everyone with all the work and money to drive around everywhere drinking coffee and engaging in other relatively meaningless paid activities. I understand why some economic activity and productivity is necessary for people to live, but for some reason you can't really grasp my perspective that it would be better to reduce the amount of time we spend working for managers and reduce the amount of land we clear and develop and pave.

Maelochs

Funny how stuff people don't do is "meaningless' and the stuff they care about is essential .... not really funny, I mean.
Nothing so selfish as a self-righteous crusader.

linberl

Some good ideas, but I don't want another bike. In fact, I have two and want to sell one, lol. I am the opposite of N+1. Trying to simplify and unclutter. We will figure something out when the time comes, I am sure.

timtak

This is the one that I have, from China for about 30 USD
https://tinyurl.com/timtakhelmet
they do not sell the yellow ones any more. I may get another white one soon. It lasted me about two years. The standard grey visor is too dark except for bright sunlight. I generally always use yellow.