Family Ditched Car Completely for a Better Life

you’d think the mom wouldn’t weigh a metric ton if they biked everywhere.

docter > bike / taxi / ambulance depending on the rush..

bit weird the mother is biking a tricycle they are terrible at cornering and here in the netherlands tehy are only used for eeh… “challenged” people.

BTW, in belgium they have a few cities where you get free public transporttation cards (for bus/train/metro) if you don’t own a car (on your adress)… this in a effort to cut down pollution and traffic jams.

We grew up without a car – probably not such a big deal in the UK but it meant we were very organised since you had to be at the station to get the bus or train into town.

You do save a lot of money – enough to keep us in decent vacations and computers, back when computers were expensive and it’s only grudgingly my husband and I have a car now.

As for emergency trips – there’s always the taxi and you can get bookshelves delivered -No problem

But yes – Helmets are a must when cycling!

Not driving a car allowed me to retire at age 57. You save a LOT of money. Add up insurance, depreciation, repair, plus gas. It usually comes to $10,000 per year.

what if there’s an emergency?

Taxi.

What if it’s medical?

Ambulance.they’re free…in the UK.

Also,yes the Mother might be quite large but one of the fittest strongest people women I ever met was a big fat lass. Looking like paris hilton is not the same as being remotely fit.

You can be a fat person and be strong as an ox.

I used to cyle everywhere when I lived in Australia, but the UK roads are too narrow the weather grim and the drivers insane.

also they only make helmets up to a very small head size, and they prescribe the shape of your head, upshot, lots of people can’t get one to fit.

Well, the dude’s not exactly Charles Atlas himself.

The idea doesn’t work in a winter climate, unless you’re close enough to work. But not a lot of people are that close to their work any more.

I would do that except for 3 things:
1. My wife’s and my bikes were stolen by some neighborhood kids.
2. Where we live there aren’t sidewalks because…
3. We live in a more rural part of the city and the nearest grocery store is almost a 10 – 15 minute drive.

Good for them though for making that change. Just get them some helmets.

This reminds me of a friend of mine who told me her life improved exponentially when she got laid off and went on unemployment. She got to exercise every day, she got to spend time with friends, read, and do other things. Sure, if you give up doing things with your life you have more time for leisure, we know that.

Plus I know many people who don’t have a car because they live in NYC or other cities. Car-free living isn’t all that novel, there’s this place called Brooklyn, see, and it’s almost entirely free of cars and it’s a paradise of goodwill and generosity and you get to keep all this money instead of spending it on cars…

>

I love riding my bike, but there’s no way in hell I’m gonna’ turn my 45 minute commute into a 2-3 hour bike ride over back country roads where people drive 30 mph over the poasted speed limit. I’d have to wake up at 3:30 a.m. just to get to work on time.

Must be nice to live a few miles from work. I’d ride there every single day.

Besides the fact that I live 20 miles from work, to go outside in the summer here in Phoenix and ride a bike is ridiculous. Some people tolerate 117 degree sunlight better than others, but not me.

#1 They did weigh more, the article states he was 355 before getting on his bike. I think they are typical of many Americans and were living very car-driven, impulse-driven lives. It’s a start.

#2 It isn’t for everyone, unfortunately urban/suburban design of this country is based on getting away from everyone… biking 30 miles isn’t realistic. I bike to work in NYC, but don’t if it’s 90 out, 90% humidity, or in the winter… I can subway it otherwise but I save a bit on cash and get some excercise. It’s not an “all or nothing” biking decision.

#3 “Brooklyn as paradise”… hehe, yeah, if people can afford 1500 a month rent, sure life is probably good. Most Americans can’t, and most cities aren’t designed like the better parts of NYC… one of the few cities a car-less existence can work. Many don’t have very good public transportation. I am happy to not have to pay insurance.

#4 Drive less, but be AWARE of bikes… I’ve had close calls with braindead morons nearly clipping me about twice a day. I blame that on automaton TV-based unawareness of reality. Just biking once in a while and actually relating to a living breathing 3D world makes a difference believe it or not.

Hoorah! Two Less Cars!

Geez… Nobody’s saying that EVERYBODY has to ride their bike to work. But can you imagine what a difference it would make if the majority of people who lived in urban areas with good weather ditched their cars for bikes?

I applaud these people. It’s pretty brave to ride a bike in today’s society, inhaling the stinking fumes of the SUV drivers who couldn’t care less about the environment or their own bodies (many of whom, I suspect, commented on this thread).

I don’t own a car, not even a bicycle, I live in a city, my school is in the other side of the city, and (OH REVOLUTIONARY!) I just have to adjust my times to those of our (shitty) public transport. It’s not like it’s some big feat :/

People love to point out when bikers do not wear a helmet, but what about automobile drivers/passengers not wearing helmets?

Various statistics that I’ve seen cite automobile accidents as the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries. If that’s the case, why aren’t automobile drivers/passengers wearing them?

Sure, give bikers a hard time, but go out and buy yourself a helmet if you drive a car. And tell all of your friends, family, and coworkers too.

Also, be wary of too much hype: http://bicyclesafe.com/helmets.html

P.S. Yes, I’m a biker.
P.S.S. Yes, I wear a helmet.

It’s disappointing to see so many people immediately write this off. Yes, it means you have to make different decisions with your life. Maybe we’re not all meant to live in McMansions 40 miles from work, though.

I lived car-free in Silicon Valley for 6 years and it was great.

Chris, automobile passengers SHOULD be wearing seatbelts and have airbags. It would be my guess that most brain injuries resulting from auto accidents occur in situtations without one or both of these. Bicyclists, on the other hand, don’t have the protection of a large metal-framed car around them.

Of course it’s great that these people are doing this, for a number of reasons (health, environmental, financial, etc.). It’s just that it isn’t practical for most people. Naturally if you live in a big city with a subway system, etc. it would be easy. But in suburban or rural areas, there’s too much sprawl to realistically get from one place to another safely or punctually. And in most areas, especially at nighttime, you’re practically asking to be run over or mugged. It completely depends on the region you live in and your lifestyle.