I want to sell my car and bike everywhere I go!

New Jersey Fever wrote:

I'm 19yrs old, college freshman and want to do this when I graduate and am living on my own... Does anyone think it will be something I may regret, with the exception of shit weather

Why don't you get back to us in 4 years when you plan to put this plan into action.

adventures in bohemia won't seem so appealing in a few years

Why is commuting by bike considered a bohemian lifestyle? I know plenty of people who are rather well adjusted who rarely drive (myself included).

The U.S. seems to have this negative image of bicycle commuting. Look at European cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam where the bicycle mode share is in excess of 15%. These certainly aren't just hipsters and bike messengers.

$100 per month on gas, a $300 car payment and $100 insurance payment? In many U.S. cities you'll pay almost as much to park your car every month as you would spend on a nice bike. Why does someone have to be bohemian or a hippie to recognize that this is a waste of money? It just makes sense to me.

Have fun paying $4/gallon for gasoline this summer, marijuologist.

I've been doing it for a long time (going on 20 years). But I do so because I love bicycling, not to set an example. Because I love it, weather can't get shitty enough to negatively affect a ride (disclaimer: I live in L.A., and the shittiest weather is like a very mild east coast Spring).

It's a good idea to not drive a lot. You might want to keep the car for emergencies or road trips to the mountains. Just keep a portable jump starter handy if you don't use the car a lot.

Dude, nobody cares if you ride a bike or not. Do whatever you want. What a pointless thread.

Biking instead of driving's a fine and admirable thing. And if you live in civilization it's not only possibly but in fact practiced by zillions.

But you're asking about 4 years from now? What's next - rate my week-by-week mileage plan every week for the next decade?

Jan 2012: 84, 86.5, 78, 87 ...

Your idea is great at the age of 19. But, we live in America so, lets get a few things established:

1) 95% of women will think your a f***ing wierdo or really cheap. If they don't have a problem that you are carless and they are willing to drive you around their friends will think your nuts and their family will too. That's just how our culture is, period. Unless you live in a major city, women will expect you to have wheels and if you don't, you are classified as either a loser or cheap. How will you take women out?

2)Where you live will have a huge impact on your biking. Riding a bike in New York City is vastly different than say, Podunk Idaho.

3)

Your idea is great at the age of 19. But, we live in America so, lets get a few things established:

1) 95% of women will think your a f***ing wierdo or really cheap. If they don't have a problem that you are carless and they are willing to drive you around their friends will think your nuts and their family will too. That's just how our culture is, period. Unless you live in a major city, women will expect you to have wheels and if you don't, you are classified as either a loser or cheap. How will you take women out?

2)Where you live will have a huge impact on your biking. Riding a bike in New York City is vastly different than say, Podunk Idaho.

3)Have you thought about how the weather will impact you? It will get either really cold or really hot during the year. If you are riding to work, you will either have your balls frozen to your leg or drenched in sweat - will your job allow you time to shower? How far will you have to bike to work, etc.

4)Your biking will have an influence on your social life. Are you fine with driving to say, a bar or place to eat? You'll have to carry your helmet and other gear with you. Will all the social places have a decent spot for your bike? If your in the city and your bike is somewhat decent you better watch the f*** out, that's all I have to say.

5)Can you handle being 'that guy'?

Do you need to be congratulated,awarded a medal or what?

Eric B. wrote:The U.S. seems to have this negative image of bicycle commuting. Look at European cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam where the bicycle mode share is in excess of 15%. These certainly aren't just hipsters and bike messengers.

I spent a lot of time in Zurich over the winter and even when it was colder than s**t out people biked to work. Not a few people, the rack outside the building I worked was nearly full every day. The trams and buses had bike racks. I noticed numerous business with "bike check" rooms.

The other thing I noticed was very few people in Switzerland needed pants with "Wide Load" pre-printed on them that beeped when they backed up.

I think people that ride a bike everywhere don't want to date those 95% of women that think people who bike everywhere are weird.

I bike everywhere to weed those women out and get easy access to the 5% that isn't so damn superficial.

Biking would do a lot of people good because it:

a)helps burn calories

b)gives them a sense of space and time (cars sure don't)

c)helps to preserve (or at least not degrade) the planet we all live on

It's not about being superficial. It's our culture in American, for better or worse. If you don't live in a major city and don't have a car people, especially women, will think your either a loser, cheap or a tree hugging weirdo.

It's the same as living at home when you are mid to late 20's. It's may be the best thing for you (financially speaking) but it carries a certain stigma in this country.

Some of this obviously depends on where you live. In NYC owning a car would be the exception. I would like to sell my car, but I have three children. I cannot transport them on a bike. I only live 2 miles from work and could commute, grocery shop, etc. very easily and rent a car on the occasions I wanted to travel out of town.

I did this for a while. The weather thing, being in the south, was a real issue, especially in the summer. Also, be sure you can safely lock the bike up. Consider groceries and other items (books, mail, glass) that is not really easy to transport without some sort of storage; 2 miles isn't far to walk with stuff, but, sometimes walking isn't an option. I would go with a hybrid or at least a road bike with some sort of clipless ATB shoes. People in cars are much less open to folks on bikes and you have to be very comfortable hopping in and out of your pedals. In a pinch, trying to slow down, get your balance, not run into a curb or street sign and navigate regular clipless shoes...is not easy and pretty much bound for disaster. Think practically and carry basic utilities (tires, tools, etc). Lastly, kids walking 2 miles to get here and there is not a big deal. I lived in Brooklyn (Prospect Park) and could get to just about anything, except a large grocery store), even with slow kids in tow within 20-30 minutes on foot. I'd do it, especially with the cost of gas, parking, and the hassle of having to move cars to let the street sweepers hit the curbs every morning before 8am sharp.

There was a story in the FW Star-Telegram a few years back about a guy who biked 50 miles round-trip to work each day. It started when his truck wouldn't start, and he was po'd. He made a comment about riding his bike to work, and his wife laughed at him. That did it as he jumped on his bike and headed to work.

He kept doing it and went through 3 bikes the first year. He said that the savings in gas was eaten up by his grocery bill.

I have a 60-mile roundtrip, but I figured out that it would only cost me an extra hour of travel time. My problem is that I can't find a way to get past DFW airport without being on a major road. I could make the rest of the trip work by using minor roads or sidewalks.

You had 2-3 kids too many.

Southern Man wrote:

Some of this obviously depends on where you live. In NYC owning a car would be the exception. I would like to sell my car, but I have three children. I cannot transport them on a bike. I only live 2 miles from work and could commute, grocery shop, etc. very easily and rent a car on the occasions I wanted to travel out of town.

New Jersey Fever wrote:

Top three reasons:

1. Gas Prices/I will obviously save a lot of money

2. Better shape/Burn more calories

3. Enviornmental friendly

I'm 19yrs old, college freshman and want to do this when I graduate and am living on my own. I want to be a physical education/health teacher and think this is also a good example. Does anyone think it will be something I may regret, with the exception of shit weather

Dude, if you can't get by without a car in college, you have NO chance in getting by without a car when you get to the real world.

ok.. do it, then. i haven't had a car at my disposal since i was a senior in high school. now i live in detroit and ride my bike everywhere. when it snows, i walk. i live close to where i work and i live less than a mile from the grocery store. you can only pull this off if your city has a good bus system or you live near the places you go all the time (like work and the food palace).