Living Car Free in America

Today's skyrocketing gas prices have caused many people to ditch their large SUVs for compact cars or even hybrids. However, a portion of the population goes to even further lengths by living without cars altogether. Don't worry, my jaw dropped the first time I heard it too. We have all come to rely on our cars heavily, even for ridiculously short trips. For anyone who wants to save money, help the environment, or lessen our dependence upon foreign oil, this lifestyle change could be your best bet.

I found Michael Ray on Bikeforums.net, in an entire section of the forums devoted to those who manage to survive without the aid of a motor vehicle. Michael is 23, and currently resides in Rochester, NY. After crashing his car in July of 2006, he decided to wait a few months before purchasing another one. Now, almost a year later, he is no longer without a mode of transportation. However, he has traded the luxury of a car for the practicality and efficiency of a bike.

I conducted an interview with Michael to find out more about this alternative lifestyle. I was especially interested considering the harsh winters that the northeast can endure. The following is either direct quotes or paraphrased from the interview.

How long have you been living without a car?
July 15th 2006.

Why did you choose to live this way?
Crashed my car. I decided to hold off for a few months on buying a new car until the winter came. Then, once winter finally showed up, it was too much fun biking and I was saving an extra several hundred a month, so decided to just stay car free.

What is the hardest part about living this way?
There is an occasional inconvenience when it comes to longer trips or when you need to transport large/heavy objects. Generally in these cases I can use a combination of panniers and a large backpack, but some times I end up having to rely upon my friends for rides. Also, moving was a bit of a hassle, it definitely made me re-examine what I really needed to live, and what I never used but before just couldn't go with out.

What do you do if you want to go on a long trip?
Well, if it's long enough I fly, so there is no real change there. Otherwise, I'll either use Amtrak or rent a car. 9 times out of 10 I use Amtrak, but occasionally due to the timing of the trains, or because I want to bring my bike with me, I will rent. However due to being under 25, I try not to rent due to the prohibitive cost for me to rent.

How do you get to work?
Bike. When I first became car free I used the city bus for a bit, as well as the occasional ride from a co-worker. But once my legs could handle 5 days a week of riding that stopped almost completely. Currently I'm at 96% bike commuting to work for the year.

How far away is your job?
Currently by the shortest route my job is 7.5 miles from where I live. However I normally take a 10.5 mile route, and will occasionally take an 18 mile route. These distances are all one way, so the round trip can be anywhere from 15 miles to 36.

Do you bike competitively?
No, after biking through the week, and chasing after a Frisbee for 2-3 games a week I tend to be a bit too sore to consider racing, however I do 30+ mile rides on some weekends for fun. So far my longest is 60 miles, but I'm trying to get up to a century(100 miles) in the near future. Additionally, because I don't bike competitively I don't have a good road bike, which keeps me from biking competitively, it's a vicious cycle.

Approximately how many miles per week do you bike?
Well, as of June 5th, I broke 2,000 miles for the year. So at just under 23 weeks, that's right about 90 miles a week. In the winter my riding was mostly just commuting/grocery shopping so closer to 80 miles a week, now that it's nicer I'm probably just over 100 a week.

Do you have any interesting stories that have occurred because of this lifestyle?
My favorite is from the winter. I came up to a red-light and was behind a car with kids in it. I'm wearing full winter gear, including a skull face mask. The youngest kid, maybe 12ish, turns around, sees me, and immediately locks all the doors in the car. The very next day, I'm in a similar situation at the same exact light, and the kids in the car in front of me all start waving and giving me the thumbs up.

Additionally, on pretty much any snow-storm day, I show up to work, unlike any where from 1/3 to 2/3 of my office depending on how bad the storm is. Everyone in the office thinks I'm crazy for showing up.

At my job, I started out as the only bike commuter back in August (I waited a few weeks before I got a bike) since the spring 5 other people have all started commuting. None of them are car-free, but they've said that seeing me do it every day, rain, snow or shine, made them realize that it commuting at least is doable, and potentially even easy.

Michael has compiled a long list of advice and suggestions for anyone attempting to live without a car, or just to bike to work.

Do you have any advice/suggestions for someone interested in undertaking this lifestyle?
1. It's fun.
2. It helps keep you in shape.
3. For your first bike, get a used bike, I spent 400 on a Hybrid bike, and while it was a decent first bike, I now regret the decision because I could have gotten a similar bike used for 100-200 and kept the other money towards the purchase of a better bike once I figured out what I'm doing.
4. Get a rack and panniers (saddle bags). I used a backpack for several months and once I switched I noticed a huge difference, less soreness in my back, and much less sweating.
5. If you live in a snowy or icy area for the winter, Studded tires are a must. I only really needed them for about 2 weeks total in the winter, but for those 2 weeks, biking would have been suicidal with out them.
6. Lock your bike. Even if your just going in for a minute, even if you can see it thru the window, even if you live in the middle of no-where. It's worth the 2 minutes to lock it up, so you don't have to spend time and money shopping for a new bike.
7. Find a good LBS (Local Bike Shop).
8. Try craigslist, eBay, or the internet in general for any thing you might need unless you really want to support your LBS, more often than not you can find it cheaper. Personally I tend to use my LBS because I found a good one, and I'm not patient enough to wait on shipping times but if money's an issue, or time isn't, you can save quite a bit by going online.
9. The 5 things I never go with out are:
a. Helmet - obvious
b. Gloves - I fell once with out them, scrapped my palm raw.
c. Lock - No one likes getting their bike stolen
d. Glasses - For the sun, as well as the bugs/pollen in the air
e. Water bottle - Hydration is key.
10. Other things to consider:
a. Mr Tuffy tire liners - while they add a bit of weight to the wheels, if you already have panniers, and who knows what else weighing you down, you're not going to notice them, and they reduce the chance of getting a flat by a lot. For example, I had 3 flats from August to September, I've had 0 since then after putting in the tire liners.
b. Fenders - I personally don't use them, however practically every other commuter does. They're great for stopping spray from hitting your shoes and legs
c. Lighting - if you ride after night you'll want a front headlight as well as red blinkies for your back and possibly sides.
d. Patch kit - no one likes pushing a bike due to not being able to repair a flat
e. A bell or horn - you normally need one to be street legal

Hopefully this interview will educate and encourage others to adopt this lifestyle. For more information, check out the Living Car Free Forum.