First day of NOT owning a car tomorrow

[mrjemm]

I have recently become a car owner, having primarily used a motorbike for years. For some time the bicycle had been my primary transport, and the mobike was for longer journeys. Now that's the car's job, and though I'd like to do without it, and probably could, there are numerous things I can't feasibly do without it- carry a kayak, or tools/parts/materials to and from the (sailing) boat I am doing up.

My congratulations are with you on going car-free, I am sure it'll be great. I look forward to returning to that state before too long. In the meantime I'll try not to think too ill of myself and others who use cars.

[horizon]

Car driving is the preserve of the avoricious and self-interested......

That statement is utter bunkum

It is bunkum, of course. But it is also true that when you cycle you start to see the motorised world in a different way: it starts off as you start off cycling, a bit at a time and you begin to wonder at the strangeness of motoring. And then as you cycle more, and indeed get rid of your car, it slides into astonshment and anger and you rage at the utter lunacy of it - the carnage, the deaths, the filth, the stress, the obese children, the ruined landscapes, the cost to society, the ludicrous commuting and all those people trapped in their little bubbles of bewildered isolation. And then you know that the lunatics are running the asylum and then you write posts like Valbrona's.

[horizon]

there are numerous things I can't feasibly do without it- carry a kayak, or tools/parts/materials to and from the (sailing) boat I am doing up.

To which many people will reply (with the greatest respect): that simply isn't true.

[meic]

Car driving is the preserve of the avoricious and self-interested......

That statement is utter bunkum

I think it is true for people like myself who understand what they are doing.
Then perversely I had to reinstate the car for the greater common good as others replaced my 46mile journeys with their 90 mile journeys.
Unfortunately once you have the thing sat on the front ready to go and it costs much less than public transport* to use, so you get back into using it more.

*Public transport that is neither right here or running for hours or days at a time.

So I have plenty of "good" excuses to hand but the fact is, looking at it with a wider viewpoint of time and geography, Valbrona is right. Though most of the guilty are not looking at the big picture.

[The Mechanic]

I was not aware that the CTC had become a campaign against cars organisation. Did I miss that vote? Nor was I aware that there was an extra membership class - that of "Cyclist who doesn't own a car and is therefore the only proper cyclist" category. Does that qualify for a lower annual fee?

I think you're under the misunderstanding that this forum in any way represents CTC policy. It's a collection of people whom will sit somewhere on the bell curve of opinion given any subject.

Or are you suggesting active moderation of subjects and posts to ensure they meet CTC policy?

Not in the least but I would expect this forum to reflect the attitudes of the membership somewhat. It is that that makes me wonder whether I want to be a member of a club in which other members hate me because I own a car. I have always understood clubs to be for people of reasonably like minds.

[Malaconotus]

It is bunkum, of course. But it is also true that when you cycle you start to see the motorised world in a different way: it starts off as you start off cycling, a bit at a time and you begin to wonder at the strangeness of motoring. And then as you cycle more, and indeed get rid of your car, it slides into astonshment and anger and you rage at the utter lunacy of it - the carnage, the deaths, the filth, the stress, the obese children, the ruined landscapes, the cost to society, the ludicrous commuting and all those people trapped in their little bubbles of bewildered isolation. And then you know that the lunatics are running the asylum and then you write posts like Valbrona's.

^^^^^^ This!!!!

Quite beautifully put, sir.

[kwackers]

Not in the least but I would expect this forum to reflect the attitudes of the membership somewhat. It is that that makes me wonder whether I want to be a member of a club in which other members hate me because I own a car. I have always understood clubs to be for people of reasonably like minds.

Not sure why you think that...

By "reasonably like minds" read "cyclists".
There are all sorts on here. Weekend warriors, utility cyclists, car hating greens, Clarksonites with unused cycle carriers bolted to their 4x4's and people who think nothing of flying their bike half way around the world for a quick bike ride...

Very few of those groups include me but I think we're much better for the variety.
IMO taking offence at the views of a handful of folk on a public forum of an organisation with tens of thousands of members because they don't match your own is at best a little inward looking.

(Probably a bit harsh - but you get my drift.)

[eileithyia]

As a cyclist and car owner I sit in the middle, but do not like 'pure' cyclists condemning for my car ownership.
I have been cycling since I was taught as a child but only joined the wonderful CTC community at 18 as I started cycle touring and some commuting (warwick nurses' home back to Cov on my days off).
As a cyclist I see idiotic journeys being taken by the car owning non-cycling public and have seen how children's waist bands have expanded (swimming at the local pool when the schools are in is an education), as a health worker I have seen how young women are getting fatter and fatter, the woman with a high BMI was a rareity in th e80's now it is becoming the norm. I stand amazed as I hear my work colleagues pronounce that they would not walk half a mile to work or cycle slightly further.

As a shift worker and parent I know how impractical it is to travel outside of normal hours on public transport or to get to some places without the use of a vehicle. Tryworking full time in Preston and getting home then travelling to Coventry to visit family for the weekend without the use of a car and needing to transport child, tandem, kit, ex husband, and be back again in time for work......!!!!!!!!

I wish that it is easier to travel around our country with bike and public transport most continental countries have bus services that take bikes, even if it ran at a useful time I can't see the 125 Stagecoach bus taking me and bike to Preston on Easter Sunday!

Having had 2 spells of not working or being able to drive due to injuries, it is easier to be car-less when not working, you can get up and travel at time when public transport is operating, it is easier to just walk down to the local shops rather than dash in and out on your way home from work complete with extra encumberance of the polluting car.

Even despite being shift workers we both use bikes as often as possible for work, and often vehicles sit unused at the house, i would have gladly had a job nearer home when I first moved north, but the local hospital was not hiring at the time and various attempts to find a job there have not been successful.... these days better the devil I know.....

But I do despair at those who see the car as the only form transport at least those of us who use a bike for some of the time are better than they are.

[The Mechanic]

Not in the least but I would expect this forum to reflect the attitudes of the membership somewhat. It is that that makes me wonder whether I want to be a member of a club in which other members hate me because I own a car. I have always understood clubs to be for people of reasonably like minds.

Not sure why you think that...

By "reasonably like minds" read "cyclists".
There are all sorts on here. Weekend warriors, utility cyclists, car hating greens, Clarksonites with unused cycle carriers bolted to their 4x4's and people who think nothing of flying their bike half way around the world for a quick bike ride...

Very few of those groups include me but I think we're much better for the variety.
IMO taking offence at the views of a handful of folk on a public forum of an organisation with tens of thousands of members because they don't match your own is at best a little inward looking.

(Probably a bit harsh - but you get my drift.)

I know lots of people who have opinions different from mine but I don't think many of them would admit to "hating " me because of it.

[meic]

Eileithya
I dont know.

The version of me that takes the child on an 18 mile trip to town by bike and trailer is commendable.
The version of me that takes her in the car on that trip because it is late, too cold, raining hard etc is possibly excusable.
The version of me that drove 60 miles to ride an Audax yesterday is self indulgent*.

*As this meant taking a share of a finite resource and polluting the environment, that means selfish.

[Si]

I was not aware that the CTC had become a campaign against cars organisation. Did I miss that vote? Nor was I aware that there was an extra membership class - that of "Cyclist who doesn't own a car and is therefore the only proper cyclist" category. Does that qualify for a lower annual fee?

I think you're under the misunderstanding that this forum in any way represents CTC policy. It's a collection of people whom will sit somewhere on the bell curve of opinion given any subject.

Or are you suggesting active moderation of subjects and posts to ensure they meet CTC policy?

Not in the least but I would expect this forum to reflect the attitudes of the membership somewhat. It is that that makes me wonder whether I want to be a member of a club in which other members hate me because I own a car. I have always understood clubs to be for people of reasonably like minds.

Surely you do not really believe that the views put forth in this thread by one or two individuals (who may or may not be members of the CTC - the forum's open to anyone) really represent the views of the CTC as a whole? Come now, that really would be going the extra mile to find fault with the CTC. Would it not be more sensible to debate the issue with those that put forward the view that you disagree with, rather than going down the peculiar side-track of blaming the CTC for it?

[mrjemm]

Eileithya
I dont know.

The version of me that takes the child on an 18 mile trip to town by bike and trailer is commendable.
The version of me that takes her in the car on that trip because it is late, too cold, raining hard etc is possibly excusable.
The version of me that drove 60 miles to ride an Audax yesterday is self indulgent*.

*As this meant taking a share of a finite resource and polluting the environment, that means selfish.

(The following isn't aimed at you Meic, I am just using your quote as a lead).

Most things we do are selfish, or at least self-indulgent. All forms of travel (read tourism) are; unless you're rowing a coracle made from dead granny's hide'n bones to get there, a trip overseas is using a share of finite resources. We all do a little bit of self-justification (but I think that's what you're hinting at, Meic).

And when Hugh and Katie take little Herman and Kilda to St Bogley's in the morning, it's little scrote one and two which are the yah's big crime, not the Audi. (Please excuse my little personal rant moment).

Having a car is not such a big bad faux pas as what you do with it. Bringing back to myself as an example; I own 1 petrol (mobike) and 2 diesel (boat & car) engines, but only one can be used at a time, and that time is likely less combined than my pedalling time, but that time is considered. Yes, driving is a pretty nasty thing, and some forms of it are truly obnoxious, but sometimes it's needed. And sometimes, it's a useful tool for doing something you enjoy too.

[JohnW]

Car insurance runs out at midnight and I have given it a lot of thought and I have decided to get rid of the car................

Welcome back to the human race.

You'll do it - all you need to do was decide. I've led a full professional life and a full family life (two daughters through university and now both teaching), I'm retired now and do all the family shopping (only two of us now though) and all my lone journeys on the bike - except long distance train journeys to visit family - and I've not missed out on anything.

It's all a frame of mind - you'll do it - congratulations and good luck - oh, and remain resolute.

[patricktaylor]

Good luck to the OP. Good stuff!

Car driving is the preserve of the avoricious and self-interested......

That statement is utter bunkum

I think it's bunkum too. Even when someone manages without owning/driving a car themselves, they (and most of us) want a lifestyle that relies on people driving in some form or another. One individual's personal car use is a tiny proportion of the car use they generate in other ways.

[ukdodger]

Congrats. I gave up my car in 2008. I just got cheesed off with all the problems car ownership brings. Fuel cost, traffic, parking, MOT's, repairs, road rage. insurance, depreciation. Have to say I've never missed it and turned my garage into a workshop for making bicycle frames. If I want a car I hire one. Since 2008 I've never spent more on hire cars than I would have on car ownership costs. In fairness I live close to shops and live alone. Ninty percent of everything I do can be done on a bike. For me it was liberating. Good luck and dont weaken