Are you a car free zone?

hypersonic

I'm 10 days with out sitting in a car, weather has been great, so, so far so good. Any body else living car free and do you have any tips or tricks you can share.

Seweryn

hypersonic wrote: »

I'm 10 days with out sitting in a car, weather has been great, so, so far so good. Any body else living car free and do you have any tips or tricks you can share.

Yeah, just sell your car if you still own one and take it from there .

hypersonic

Seweryn wrote: »

Yeah, just sell your car if you still own one and take it from there .

as soon as the tax and insurance are up! ( <- this here is fighting talk)

Seweryn

hypersonic wrote: »

as soon as the tax and insurance are up! ( <- this here is fighting talk)

I am not for a fighting talk. That is what I did over a year ago. We now share one car at home since I started cycling to work.
You can live your life without owning a car, even if others tell you otherwise. It takes some discipline and you should learn how to maintain your bike regularly, etc., but it is great fun.

Used to cycle everywhere. Lost my job last year, new job since then has been generally 40km away so too much time involved in a commute with that for me, so I drive each day now.

I really miss a daily commute by bike though.

hypersonic

Seweryn wrote: »

I am not for a fighting talk. That is what I did over a year ago. We now share one car at home since I started cycling to work.
You can live your life without owning a car, even if others tell you otherwise.

ah no, what I was trying to say was the proof will be in the pudding and that until then I might be all talk.

Seweryn

Dónal wrote: »

I really miss a daily commute by bike though.

Daily commute really is the way of starting your day

http://vimeo.com/66032735

colm_gti

I sold my car on Friday, so I am, but I need to get a replacement asap...

hypersonic

Seweryn wrote: »

Daily commute really is the way of starting your day

http://vimeo.com/66032735

just watched that vid, and it reminded me I haven't been I a petrol station in months, I definitely don't miss petrol stations.

Seweryn

colm_gti wrote: »

I sold my car on Friday, so I am, but I need to get a replacement asap...

Make sure you comply with the Rule 25 .

colm_gti

Seweryn wrote: »

Make sure you comply with the Rule 25 .

Oh there's no worry of me disobeying rule 25 given my budget :P

Darkglasses

100% car free zone here. Easy for me with no family or dependents.

hypersonic

Darkglasses wrote: »

100% car free zone here. Easy for me with no family or dependents.

did you ever own a car? what do you know now that you wish you knew when you went car free?

Darkglasses

hypersonic wrote: »

did you ever own a car? what do you know now that you wish you knew when you went car free?

No I've never owned a car. I'm only in my early 20s, which makes it easier or harder depending on how you look at it/what your better half thinks of it.

hypersonic

Darkglasses wrote: »

No I've never owned a car. I'm only in my early 20s, which makes it easier or harder depending on how you look at it/what your better half thinks of it.

don't worry, she loves her car!

keizer

Is there a "Bike to Work Day" here? I see one listed for San Diego below that video.

smacl

Don't drive, never really did that much. My wife drives, and while I've no interest in driving, I feel I ought to a bit more at times to be less of a travel parasite. I built an office behind the house so no commuting either, and cycling is more about fun and exercise than transport. Most of my travelling these days is out of the country, so my carbon footprint is more ryanair than shell.

Dermot Illogical

I drove for 20 years, but haven't had a car for the last couple of years.

marketty

I'm not but i think its a great thing to aspire to. I've been making an effort to minimize car use the past couple of years but definitely couldn't do away with it completely.
Small changes can make a significant impact though without going the whole hog, especially if you have 2 cars in the house. Her work involves driving A->B->C all day so definitely need one car.
I'm cycling to work about thrice a week this time of year but couldn't do 5 days a week year round, just not practical. Trying to do several things in one trip is our best method for minimizing use, for example drive to work and swap around clothes in the locker for the days I'm cycling, do the shopping on the way home, then I don't really need to bring the car for the rest of the week unless its lashing or something.

Unfortunately will probably end up living further from work in the next couple of years so will be back in the car most days. Definitely going to look at car pooling though when that time comes.

colm_gti

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

I drove for 20 years, but haven't had a car for the last couple of years.

What?! Was I imagining things the few times I met you? :P

thebionicdude

I haven't had a car for years now, even when I did I barely used it. Two things in my favour, I live a 10min bike-ride from the centre of Dublin and I have two car rental places just down the road if I ever need a car to get down the country somewhere awkward. In addition, I can manage with just small trips to the small Tesco 500ms down the road. Not having dependents makes a big difference obviously.

The biggest problem with not having a car is that I will always need to scab a lift to races (must find a buddy nearby). As it stands I'm happy to bike out and back to the ICL in Batterstown or Brittas, but anything else means arranging lifts.

Of course, a car is great if you want to do a big shop. Also, in the dark and cold winter months having to cycle more than 20mins to meet friends can easily become unappealing.

Otherwise, so glad I don't have to ring around for insurance quotes, pay motor tax online, get an NCT, sit in traffic, watch traffic lights, move up and down 1st and 2nd gear, find and pay for parking or have to play dodgems with bad drivers.

Unfortunately, the way things have turned in Dublin now, locking an okay bike around town isn't as serene as it once was. I can no longer just lock her outside wherever I'm going as I used to do.

hypersonic

how many bikes do you own, I've two so far, a road and a town bike, but I'm starting to think about a 3rd for the shops etc
also I'm lucky that I only live 15mins by bike from work, if I wasn't so lazy I could probably walk.

Darkglasses

hypersonic wrote: »

how many bikes do you own, I've two so far, a road and a town bike, but I'm starting to think about a 3rd for the shops etc
also I'm lucky that I only live 15mins by bike from work, if I wasn't so lazy I could probably walk.

I have 3. I have an expensive, important road bike that I look after carefully. For sportives, club spins, and racing if I ever do it. I have a cheaper road bike, for use on wet days and bad weather, and going to friends houses. It is looked after more casually. And then at the bottom I have a beater mountain bike, for mountain biking, shopping, and leaving locked up in town.

All of the above, still cheaper than buying, insuring, and fuelling a car for a year.

buffalo

Dammit! I hadn't driven in months until yesterday, but you waited until today to start this thread? bah!

buffalo

keizer wrote: »

Is there a "Bike to Work Day" here? I see one listed for San Diego below that video.

Bike Week is coming up - next week I think. Wednesday might be B2W day.

hypersonic

Darkglasses wrote: »

I have 3. I have an expensive, important road bike that I look after carefully. For sportives, club spins, and racing if I ever do it. I have a cheaper road bike, for use on wet days and bad weather, and going to friends houses. It is looked after more casually. And then at the bottom I have a beater mountain bike, for mountain biking, shopping, and leaving locked up in town.

All of the above, still cheaper than buying, insuring, and fuelling a car for a year.

yeah I think that is a mistake I made, tried to get the road bike to be all three, square peg round hole, I'll probably mess around with the town bike for another while before I accept I need a cheap beatter bike with permanent full size mudguards and decent panniers for the shops. yay more bikes!

hypersonic

buffalo wrote: »

Dammit! I hadn't driven in months until yesterday, but you waited until today to start this thread? bah!

you could do a Bill Clinton on it, "I have no recollection of that incident"

tomasrojo

I mostly walk, cycle and use public transport. I'm not "car free", as such though, as I rent cars by the hour from GoCar when I need them. Last week I had to pick up a second-hand couch for my house, so I rented a van from GoCar. I think it cost me about €20 all told. I like the car-share model. It's handy to have access to a variety of vehicles, and if you don't drive much, it's a lot cheaper than ownership.

ghogie91

Seweryn wrote: »

Daily commute really is the way of starting your day

http://vimeo.com/66032735

Great video

I have been commuting to work by bike since the start of May, after I got over the initial newby mistakes in rain and bad weather regarding clothes etc I began to love it, loved it so much that by mid May I sold my car.

By the sale of my car I paid off my existing car loan which puts me +200 a month, I have got to my target weight of 69kg from 81kg, no longer have the tax of a 2.0 diesel (800 a year) and the insurance as a 21 year old on a 2.0 diesel (2100) a year also the 40 euro a week diesel I would put in it.

So I can say I now have no cabon footprint driving wise, I am fitter and will be racing very soon, I am up about €5500 which doesnt include servicing, tyres on the car etc. and as for repairs on the bike, the cost is minimal if any at all.

I also took advantage of the bike to work scheme and got a road bike for my cycling after I surpassed my initial mountain bike

Best decision of my life, very easily bitten by the bug and now cycle in any weather, seen the roads from a cyclists point of view. Upgraded lights, now cycle with a camera, seen my personal speeds on a bike increase dramatically along with the distance I travel. I have found countless new places on my travels and found myself learning exactly whats needed to do this everyday and have got all the necessary gear I need.

So its gone from nearly 20km a week on my bike from cycling to training or whatever to 160km minimum weekly cycling to just where I have to be, not to mention long training cycles or bordem cycles.

The thrill of cycling is unreal! I go to bed excited about getting up to cycle! Fresher in work, street smart now also, there would be nights where restlessness leads to a night time cycle just because I can.

Couldnt highly recommend it any more than I am to everyone!

endacl

Nah. Use a car for what I need to use a car for. Two days a week or thereabouts usually. And with a bootfull of music gear. Any recommendations for a pannier that could take 2-3 guitars in hard cases plus an amp or two?

tomasrojo

I manage one guitar in a hard case and an amp in the front pannier using a combination of a Brompton and a Bike-Hod. I guess a cargo bike would be needed for what you have.

endacl

tomasrojo wrote: »

I manage one guitar in a hard case and an amp in the front pannier using a combination of a Brompton and a Bike-Hod. I guess a cargo bike would be needed for what you have.

OK. Ya got me. I'm lazy.

Dermot Illogical

colm_gti wrote: »

What?! Was I imagining things the few times I met you? :P

That's a borrow :-)

Mycroft H

I live in the sticks and any work I get is short notice. I need the car really. Can't get by without it.

G rock

I sold my car while still in dublin, but just not practical to be without one in the sticks.

Was annoyed to have to get another

hypersonic

tomasrojo wrote: »

I mostly walk, cycle and use public transport. I'm not "car free", as such though, as I rent cars by the hour from GoCar when I need them. Last week I had to pick up a second-hand couch for my house, so I rented a van from GoCar. I think it cost me about €20 all told. I like the car-share model. It's handy to have access to a variety of vehicles, and if you don't drive much, it's a lot cheaper than ownership.

GoCar looks like a great option, must keep in mind the next time I need a car/van.

Dermot Illogical

hypersonic wrote: »

GoCar looks like a great option, must keep in mind the next time I need a car/van.

45c per kilometer, so very expensive if you go any distance. Excess of a grand unless you pay extra insurance up front, so you get to pay where someone else dents a door in a car park.
It would be cheaper to just get Hailo on your phone. Trip to Cork? You could charter a helicopter for less.
I have a gocar account, but don't use it as it costs stupid money.

Harrybelafonte

I survived for almost two years without a car (Well, there were two parked in drive, but I couldn't afford to run them). This includes having a dependent and travelling for work and a few other things. I relied on the cargo bike and public transport.

My findings over that time:

1. Time: The journey's to and from work were just as quick, but everything else took much longer and cut into more productive things.

2. Weather: Yeah, it's fine most of the time and you just get used to it, but somedays, not having the option was a killer.

3. Cost: Initial was high, from then on minimal, the greatest advantage was not having to pay for parking at work.

4. Sweat: Going to meet people, work, school etc constantly wet with sweat or rain also became tiresome.

5. Journeys home: 5.5 hours on bus, in car 3 hours.

6. Spur of the moment trips away: Never

The worst part of this that I found was that I (and many others I know who don't drive) quickly become parasites or charity cases (forgive me those who have admitted to being carless in this thread). I eventually felt like a student who loved proclaiming his refusal to have the evil of TV in his accomodation, but would conviently show up at someone's house every evening Friends was on.

I'm running a car again, get's me to races and all the other carp I have to do, but I manage to run it for under the price of a new bike and get a level of freedom that bike, walk, public transport alone can't afford me. Or at the very least, the option is there.

hypersonic

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I survived for almost two years without a car (Well, there were two parked in drive, but I couldn't afford to run them). This includes having a dependent and travelling for work and a few other things. I relied on the cargo bike and public transport.

My findings over that time:

1. Time: The journey's to and from work were just as quick, but everything else took much longer and cut into more productive things.

2. Weather: Yeah, it's fine most of the time and you just get used to it, but somedays, not having the option was a killer.

3. Cost: Initial was high, from then on minimal, the greatest advantage was not having to pay for parking at work.

4. Sweat: Going to meet people, work, school etc constantly wet with sweat or rain also became tiresome.

5. Journeys home: 5.5 hours on bus, in car 3 hours.

6. Spur of the moment trips away: Never

The worst part of this that I found was that I (and many others I know who don't drive) quickly become parasites or charity cases (forgive me those who have admitted to being carless in this thread). I eventually felt like a student who loved proclaiming his refusal to have the evil of TV in his accomodation, but would conviently show up at someone's house every evening Friends was on.

I'm running a car again, get's me to races and all the other carp I have to do, but I manage to run it for under the price of a new bike and get a level of freedom that bike, walk, public transport alone can't afford me. Or at the very least, the option is there.

So it's not a bed of roses then!
From what you're saying it is a lifestyle choice or at least you need a lifestyle that suits. You have to living very near the stuff you need, be flexible with the weather and be organized.
Are taxi's a viable alternative for when your stuck/nights out etc?

HivemindXX

endacl wrote: »

Nah. Use a car for what I need to use a car for. Two days a week or thereabouts usually. And with a bootfull of music gear. Any recommendations for a pannier that could take 2-3 guitars in hard cases plus an amp or two?

I assume you are joking but here:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/burley-nomad-bike-trailor-cargo-rack/

No car here. The main occassions when I feel the lack are (ironically) when I need to transport my bike somewhere far away that I can't get to on the train. I think the Go Car system could really enable people to completely cut the cord.

As far as tips go. Make sure you have the appropriate gear so that you aren't allowing the weather to dictate whether you go somewhere or not. Get enough cargo capacity to handle the occassional transport job, I have a rack and a set of Ortlieb panniers I only dig out when I need to (which is very rarely).

I don't think you need to live 'very near' to things. I live near the Grand Canal and almost all trips 5km or less are quicker and handier on the bike and that covers the vast majority of things I might want to do.

Alek

I can't event drive, so no car here too ;-) And I'm 33 to make things clear.

Two bikes - road bike for commuting and solo trips and semi-cargo van-bike Kona Minute for hauling groceries (weekload of food no problem), kids trailer or just to give my missus a chance to cycle along ;-)

Taxis, buses, ambulances and friends with cars for everything else. Super rare though, so no parasite feeling ;-)

Malari

I cycle to work so the car often doesn't move from one end of the week to the other, but I wouldn't be without it for groceries, longer trips, etc.

I treat my bike like a dog and never leave it locked up outside shops

tomasrojo

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

45c per kilometer, so very expensive if you go any distance. Excess of a grand unless you pay extra insurance up front, so you get to pay where someone else dents a door in a car park.
It would be cheaper to just get Hailo on your phone. Trip to Cork? You could charter a helicopter for less.
I have a gocar account, but don't use it as it costs stupid money.

To be fair, you're not really meant to do very long drives. It's really for jaunts and urban driving and carrying awkward loads. Avis or the like are a better bet for long or multi-day trips.

As for Cork, why not get the train and then use your GoCar card to hire GoCars in Cork!

Harrybelafonte

hypersonic wrote: »

So it's not a bed of roses then!
From what you're saying it is a lifestyle choice or at least you need a lifestyle that suits. You have to living very near the stuff you need, be flexible with the weather and be organized.
Are taxi's a viable alternative for when your stuck/nights out etc?

I think it's lifestyle and organisation. Depends on what kind of life you want to lead. I'm sure others would push that it's a fine way to live but I couldn't keep going like I was. If the child wasn't part of the equation I'd be happy cycling everywhere. I'd also be happy living off pizza and Ben &Jerrys and visiting the cinema and Lazer every night for the rest of my life so that doesn't real mean much at all.

rainbow kirby

28, no car, no driver's license. Use my bike and public transport. I'm a bit spoilt by living very centrally - it's only 15 minutes to work at most on the bike.

Tonyandthewhale

Never had a car, was never a regular public transport user (sometimes use buses to get long distances). Have been primarily relying on my bike to get everywhere I need to go since my parents got sick of giving me lifts in my early teens (22 now).

I'm not totally opposed to the idea of car ownership but I don't see it as an automatic thing like some people who reach 18/get their first job/have a kid whatever and decide all of a sudden they NEED a car and any other mode of transport is a sign of failure of eccentricity.