Those fed up with high operating costs and living a “carcentric” life are realizing a new american dream, devoid of automobile ownership. Relying on walking, cycling, and public transportation for conveyance. How many here are carfree (by choice)?
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_WST_Cascadia_Scorecard.html
I’m carfree. I haven’t got a driver’s license, but I’m getting one, though.
I really like the idea of people being carfree. Round here it’s a bit difficult, due to lack of public transport and cycling roads. I used to bike everywhere, now I walk or ask my friends for a lift. But I’d like to be able not to rely on cars, somehow.
Yeah…
Right here. transportation planner so it comes with the territory. I’ll have to work out how hard that’ll be next time I move though.
true that
too young to drive, i uni everywhere now, though it takes a while on my nimbus 20 but i’m in no rush
i rode my bike for the first time yesterday after about 2 months of uni, it feels so zippy and quick but sitting on it feels really weird because the seat isn’t under you…
but yeah, ill probably go mostly carefree but there are moments when a car would be very handy (moving stuff etc.)
Yeah, but from the article: “The family does not go entirely without burning fossil fuel. On occasion, when the kids have to go to karate or swimming, she will rent a car for a few hours or half-day, Wilcox-Acevedo said.”
A huge amount of the total emissions from a car go into its manufacture. More people should go car free, and only rent when - or if - they need one. 
with cars here if you put the Hydrogen pumps out where people could use them, then car companies would start making the hydrogen cars and everything would start falling into place. Other wise the car companies wouldn’t/won’t put the cars out there because it would not be beneficial untill the pumps are out there for use.
I’m car free by choice just now, though being British I’m not living an american dream.
I’ve never been reliant on a car and haven’t owned one of my own since I was 21, but I’m going to get one in the next month or so.
I get everywhere locally by bus, or taxi and occasional trips to London are made by train. Once in a while I need to be in places that aren’t practical for travelling to by public transport and I’ll hire a car for the occassion.
But, the fact is that I want to get around more. I’ve lived in towns for 6 years now and while it’s nice to have all that I need in reasonably proximate and with sufficiently easy access, there are times when I want to spread my wings and go places, particularly at weekends. I’m a bit sick of no car, no journey.
At the same time, I don’t understand how people choose to get to work in their cars. Motoring can dehumanise people (see this thread). I couldn’t subject myself to it every morning and evening. Most weekdays my bus travels past a queue in the opposite direction and everyone looks so miserable behind the wheel. I’d hate to be that way.
I took Drivers Ed but then didn’t get a license for about two or three years after, just because I never drive…and now that I have a license, I still almost never drive. I prefer to walk or bike or unicycle everywhere instead.
Stop worrying about it. Join the carefree movement.
I’m carfree half the year, and heavily car reliant the other.
When at uni I live in the very centre of a city, I never travel anywhere more than half a mile away. Biking is far quicker than any public transport in this case.
When at home the nearest town is 8 miles, work is 11, the nearest train station is 2 and there are only 4 trains a day, and you have to thumb then down. My friends are spread round most of the country. I can’t really see how I could possibly go carfree.
I live in the country side.
I live 45 miles away from my place of work.
I also have to drive in my job.
I would love to be carfree, but as much as anything else I would never be able to get to my know favourite place for unicycling without a car. 
Are you familiar with Andres Duany?
This is part of a lecture he gave about how suburban sprawl has affected city planning, it’s impact on society, and most importaintly, the discouragement of pedestrianism.
Jagur (from Salem OR) is carfree. He has a utility bike for errands and shopping.
I’m using my bike more for errands, but I’m far from being carfree. I rode my bike to Fremont today to watch the parade and goof around. It’s about a 40 mile round trip on the Burke Gilman trail. Riding the bike saves over a gallon of fuel and wear on the car. Also means I can have an espresso and still come out ahead on “fuel” costs.
I drive everywhere in my gas-guzzling Jeep. I love the truck, but around $50 to fill up is awful, especially when I don’t earn a heck of a lot to begin with. I actually recently convinced my dad to let me get my motorcycle liscense, and am currently awaiting the two-day training/saftey course. I’m gonna drive a killer 1980 Honda C-70 scooter (top speed of 40 mph!! yeah!) that gets 110 miles per gallon.
that’s around $6 for gas that would cost $50 to go the same distance in mah Jeep.
Cycling 15 miles into town on poorly maintained roads is a little impractical down where I live, so driving is just about the only means of transportation to go get groceries. I was (mostly) carfree for a year up at the U of A, though, and will likely not be driving a car on a regular basis next year either.
Im carfree. Only time I need the car is to take my gf on dates. Other than that, stores are a block away from me, as with a starbucks, movie rental, ice cream shop, pizza, radio shack, fabric/crafts store, bank, and a few restaurants all a block away form my house. It works nicely.