Anyone Ditched their Car Completely for a Bike?

[PH]

Those who can do without a car all year round I applaud the effort.

Oh sure we could all get up and take a bow, but the thing that comes through in this thread and many other conversations is that for the majority of people who are living without owning a car, they don't feel they've given anything up, there wasn't much effort. There will be some eco warriors among those and there's no doubt that it is an environmentally friendly thing to do but for me the things I'd have to give up to own a car far outweigh anything I've given up by not doing so. It's this idea that it must be such a sacrifice that stops people from even considering it.

[Graham]

Most people choose convenience over climate disruption, environmental destruction, fouling the air we breath, etc. . . . . . .

That is an easy choice because of the lack of immediate cause and effect.

Because most people choose to take the benefits, this has skewed the whole framework of human societies in that direction.

Never mind : I'm alright Jack. It will be the future generations that have to deal with the consequences.

There is nothing in our DNA to stop us from proceeding in this manner. It will continue until it becomes self-limiting.

PS. I'm guilty too. I run a chainsaw & use gas central heating , etc. . . . .

[The utility cyclist]

Those who can do without a car all year round I applaud the effort.

Oh sure we could all get up and take a bow, but the thing that comes through in this thread and many other conversations is that for the majority of people who are living without owning a car, they don't feel they've given anything up, there wasn't much effort. There will be some eco warriors among those and there's no doubt that it is an environmentally friendly thing to do but for me the things I'd have to give up to own a car far outweigh anything I've given up by not doing so. It's this idea that it must be such a sacrifice that stops people from even considering it.

But that then means that isn't everyone who has given up a private vehicle is it (care to put a figure on that 'majority'?) I can't know everyone's circumstances but I personally think that many will have given up things or had to radically change what they do because of their decision, yes you get used to the change and it becomes part and parcel of what you do (like cycling to work instead of driving, or to the shops or whatever) but would one feel that you still haven't given 'anything' up, are you absolutely sure about that?

I would imagine that some that had a car and gave it up will still think there are times when just having the convenience of a car to just go out and do X on a given day or for an occasion would make life that little easier just once in a while.

ATEOTD for some it is a sacrifice that is too far because it would make their life very difficult at times, oft beyond their physical capabilities. There are situations where the use of a private motorvehicle simply cannot be done by bicycle (by any given individual) and using public transport works out far too expensive* (unless you have a bus pass) or massively inconvenient to the point that the situation/s or events simply have to be avoided/curtailed altogether.

Could I give up my car, yes i could, however throughout the year I would have to make sacrifices and give things up in my life that I'm not prepared to do, simply because I could not make up the loss of the car by using a bicycle and public transport would not be feasible/possible.
I make plenty of other sacrifices for environmental reasons, I take action/s that most would say are fairly extreme to have as little footprint on the planet as I can manage, I don't have an extravagent lifestyle (except bicycles I suppose) and the 20-30 journey's I make a year I think about intently to see if I can avoid using the car.

*running a car need not be expensive

[[XAP]Bob]

We are renting a car in a few weeks - first time in several years that we've felt the need to have two cars in the household.

Cheaper and more convenient than any public transport options - and that's bonkers.

I'd suggest that The number of households with two or more cars who could manage with just one is quite large

[Vorpal]

The hardest parts about giving up the car for us were:
-some of things that we want to do or see become an expedition with an overnight stay, and expensive train tickets & 5 hours or more travel, but by car they are a day trip with 2 or 2,5 hour's drive on either end. Yes, we could without entirely, or take fewer such trips, but it's something we lose.
-Mr. V isn't so keen to cycle as I am, and he won't go out and socialise, especially in the evening, if he can't drive. He needs to go out, and we need him to, at least occasionally.
-Mr. V doesn't like lugging heavy stuff around without a car, so I end up buying all the heavy stuff; cat litter, gardening supplies, paint, etc. It's not a big deal, just inconvenient.
-Some things we buy are *much* cheaper at a place a few miles away. It's on my way to and from work, but I don't usually take the trailer when I go to work, so the logistics are awkward. With a car, I can just stop on my way home on day that I drive to work.

There is more, but it's honestly not that I demand the convenience of a car all the time, but these small things add up. Also, using the extra travel time to go anywhere, adds stress. It's more of a problem for Mr. V than me.

[[XAP]Bob]

Could you take the trailer to the shop, lock it up all day, then grab it on your return?

Would probably want a friendly shop that could pop it in a store

[PH]

But that then means that isn't everyone who has given up a private vehicle is it (care to put a figure on that 'majority'?) I can't know everyone's circumstances but I personally think that many will have given up things or had to radically change what they do because of their decision, yes you get used to the change and it becomes part and parcel of what you do (like cycling to work instead of driving, or to the shops or whatever) but would one feel that you still haven't given 'anything' up, are you absolutely sure about that?

It's anecdote rather than data, based on the people I know or have met who cycle instead of owning a car. A sample size of maybe 40, about 10 of who I know fairly well. Out of that 40, 2 are proper tree huggers, the rest don't have a car because for a variety of reasons they prefer not to. I add to those anecdotes my own 18+ years experience, at any time prior to that I too would have considered it a huge sacrifice. Yet in this time I doubt there's been more than half a dozen occasions when I missed not having one, on two of those occasions I've made fairly long taxi journeys, for what felt like a lot of money till you compare it to the cost of motoring.
I also know a few people who gave up the car for a period and then went back to owning one. Obviously they missed something and it didn't work out for them. I'm not critical of people who own a car anymore than I praise non owners. Why would you applaud me for doing what suites me? because it's something inherently good? What happens if next year it suites me better to have a car, would that then be bad? The only thing I am critical of is the idea that the decision is predetermined and doesn't require any thought because there are no alternatives to what has become the norm.
Soapbox - Yes
High Horse - No

[Eton Rifle]

Since changing jobs and swapping my 2-hourly plus daily car commute for a 12-minute bike ride each way, I have started to think about it. At the moment, the car rarely gets driven at all during the working week. At the weekend, it's only used either to take my daughter to dance class (otherwise it is a long bus journey with two changes) or for a bit of shopping.

Living in Bristol, we do not, of course, even think about driving in the city and always use public transport.

Thing is, once summer comes, we will head out for camping trips and other days out and you really need a car for those. I do a bit of solitary camping/fishing in Wales where public transport does not practically reach, even if I could cart the camping/fishing gear with me (which I can't). The simple fact is that the public transport infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, is now so poor now that a car is often the only practical option. I guess car hire is an option and I might give that a bit more thought. I don't like driving anymore and certainly have no emotional attachment to cars. The fixed costs of running a car are quite high when you tot them up and I'm sure the money could be better spent elsewhere - on more bikes, for example.

[[XAP]Bob]

You might be surprised what you can haul with a bike - particularly if you get a little assistance installed (even if that is on a trailer...

[Rossco8854]

Most people choose convenience over climate disruption, environmental destruction, fouling the air we breath, etc. . . . . . .

That is an easy choice because of the lack of immediate cause and effect.

Because most people choose to take the benefits, this has skewed the whole framework of human societies in that direction.

Never mind : I'm alright Jack. It will be the future generations that have to deal with the consequences.

There is nothing in our DNA to stop us from proceeding in this manner. It will continue until it becomes self-limiting.

PS. I'm guilty too. I run a chainsaw & use gas central heating , etc. . . . .

The very reason I am giving up my car and turned vegan 7 months ago after being a meat 2/3 times a day person, learnt that animal farming has a higher emissions than anything else. If you have any interest check out cowspiracy documentary, it literally changed my life in the hope it can change the lives of future generations

[Cyril Haearn]

We are renting a car in a few weeks - first time in several years that we've felt the need to have two cars in the household.

Cheaper and more convenient than any public transport options - and that's bonkers.

I'd suggest that The number of households with two or more cars who could manage with just one is quite large

.. with one is quite large - maybe one could replace two small vehicles with a big one

Having a car but using it rarely is not so bad. I did not use mine for 2 months in a snowy winter. Guess it rusted a bit and the battery went flat of course

Didn't cycle for 2 months either, walked everywhere

[honesty]

We don't use our car throughout the week. I cycle and my wife walks to work. My daughter goes in the trailer to school. Soon she'll be riding her own bike or walking.

Asda delivers our shopping so it's not needed for the food shop.

The car gets used at the weekends, down to the relatives or off to whatever were doing.

I have looked seriously at the cost of running a car against just hiring one at the weekend when we need it. I think if you are only using it infrequently over the summer ditching car ownership and hiring when you need it is the way to go. For us it didn't quite work out, but bring on shared driverless car clubs and I'm right there.

[PH]

I have looked seriously at the cost of running a car against just hiring one at the weekend when we need it. I think if you are only using it infrequently over the summer ditching car ownership and hiring when you need it is the way to go. For us it didn't quite work out, but bring on shared driverless car clubs and I'm right there.

I looked at shared usage and one of the problems understandably is that everyone seems to want it at the weekends.
I get a great weekend rate with a small local hire company for one of their car sized vans, this is just the opposite where most commercial usage in Mon-Fri. Doesn't work of course if you need more than 2 seats... I've never tried but wonder what rate you could negotiate for a regular hire?

[amediasatex]

We have gone *almost* car free, in that we do not use a car for day-to-day life, both my wife and I commute to work by bike, use the bike for local errands and shop by bike using either panniers or a trailer when it's a big one. A decent utilitarian bike, with racks at both ends can carry a surprising amount of stuff, throw a trailer into the mix and you'll be really surprised what you can do, well you lot might not, but 'normal' people will be surprised

We do still own a car though, we are both mountain bikers and I still regularly race, so >90% of the trips the car is used for are either travelling to races, or travelling to places that we either can't get public transport to, or are too far away to ride to (and still ride around + home).

Because we still own a car it does inevitably get used to some other trips like going on holiday or transporting furniture that's too big for the bike trailer, if we didn't have the car though I'm sure those trips would be covered either by borrowing or hiring a car for the handful of times a year it's necessary.

So as far as day to day living goes we find it quite easy to be car free, but would struggle to get to races and events without it, so I think we are striking a good balance of only using the car for those kinds of trips.

[LollyKat]

When my husband and I got married in 1975 neither of us had a car and we didn't feel the need to get one. Nor could we afford one. We were both keen cyclists and that was adequate for most things - public transport and the occasional car hire covered the rest. My father-in-law actually offered us his old car but we politely refused. Ten years later we had two toddlers and I was finding it such hard work managing them on buses - no space on them for buggies in those days - that when a friend offered to sell us his car we bought it.

Even though we then had a car for years it was reserved for family use. I have always found driving rather stressful and my husband is not that keen either, so we chose our house location carefully with cycling in mind. The primary school was within walking distance and the children got the bus to secondary school.

Our third and last car, which we'd had for over 20 years, finally died a year ago and we haven't replaced it. The children have grown up and moved away, public transport has improved and some good cycle paths have appeared - we live very close to one of the national Sustrans routes, and within 5 miles of work, trains, healthcare and all the shops we need. There is also convenient car hire place nearby though we've only used it once so far. Large panniers look after most of the shopping, garden waste goes on the compost heap, the recycling plant can be reached via a cycle path... The best garden centre is unfortunately out of town on what has become an unpleasantly busy road, but that has encouraged me to sow more plants from seed. I've thought about getting a trailer but not sure I need it with a trick cyclist like this in the family!



Frankly, not having a car feels quite liberating!