Life in America Without A Car
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Banned
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,155
From: Lewisville (Dallas), Texas
Life in America Without A Car
Originally Posted by article
The Dutch, I later learned, conduct 30 percent of all their trips—to work, for errands, socially—by bike. In America, that figure is less than 1 percent. We drive 84 percent of the time, even though most of our trips are less than 2 miles long....
....According to one survey, gas would have to hit $5 per gallon before a majority of Americans would consider walking or riding bikes as alternative transportation.
....According to one survey, gas would have to hit $5 per gallon before a majority of Americans would consider walking or riding bikes as alternative transportation.
Have hybrid, will travel.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 467
From: Stockton, NJ
Re: Life in America Without A Car
My workplace is 56 miles from home.
The nearest full service market is 18 miles from my home.
The nearest convenience store is 8 miles from my home.
I am 47 years old and very out of shape.
Gas would have to be $100/gallon for me to consider my bicycle for anything other than a leisurely trek.
And I live in one of the most densely populated states in the US.
The nearest full service market is 18 miles from my home.
The nearest convenience store is 8 miles from my home.
I am 47 years old and very out of shape.
Gas would have to be $100/gallon for me to consider my bicycle for anything other than a leisurely trek.
And I live in one of the most densely populated states in the US.
Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,155
From: Lewisville (Dallas), Texas
Re: Life in America Without A Car
I could not use a bike to work commute either - 25 miles.
While Europe still has a lot of general stores, etc. around the block, America has "big box" stores that require more traveling, esp in the Western states.
It was still an interesting article.
While Europe still has a lot of general stores, etc. around the block, America has "big box" stores that require more traveling, esp in the Western states.
It was still an interesting article.
my other car is a FJORD
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 446
From: small farm in minnesota
Re: Life in America Without A Car
when i was living in one of the minneapolis burbs, and was younger and less out of shape, i would bike about 11 miles to work several times a week. only in the summer 
Pretty Darn Active Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 387
From: League City, Texas
Re: Life in America Without A Car
Oh come on now people my dad used to walk 10 miles to school in the middle of winter up hill both ways...lol at least thats what he used to say.kevin
Conservative Socialist
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 878
From: Phoenix, AZ
Re: Life in America Without A Car
I don't doubt that 30% of trips could be reached by bicycle, but certainly 30% of trips could not be performed by bicycle and those trips likely don't make up 30% of the miles anyway. An example:
My commute: 20 miles, 5 days a week
Grocery store: 1.8 miles, 2 days a week
Blockbuster Video: 0.7 miles, 1 day a week
Dry cleaners: 1.8 miles, 0.5 days a week
Bank: 2.0 miles, 0.5 days a week
Church: 4 miles, 1 day a week
Now obviously that's not everything, but it's most of the stuff. In terms of days per week, we'll call that a trip, so that's 10 trips a week, 4 of which are 2 miles or less each way, so we'll say that's 40% of the trips in bicycle range. However look at the mileage. If you add it up, that's 110.2 miles (actually double if you count round trip, but nevermind) and the ones that are equal or under 2 miles account for just 6.2 miles, or 5.6% of the miles.
Sadly enough, taking my king-size comforter to the dry cleaners on a bicycle would not work, nor can I fit a 20x25" air filter on a bicycle along with 15 pounds of pet food, 30 pounds of kitty litter and 40 pounds of food and drinks, so my average grocery store run isn't going to work either. The bottom line is that it's easy to say 40% of the trips above are within bicycle range but that still doesn't mean that it's possible, nor does it mean they constitute any significant amount of mileage anyway.
What I will say however is that these short trips would be ideal for a pluggable hybrid, even one that could only do 4 miles round-trip in full electric mode. Because of the cost of batteries, PHEV's that can do a 40 mile commute are way off, but one that could do 4 miles shouldn't be so bad. Especially when you consider 0.5 miles each way for my trips is spent between 0 and 25mph just getting from my driveway to the first major road. A trip to the local Blockbuster Video or Walgreens would be entirely at or below 25mph except for about 500 feet of road. A low capacity PHEV should be able to do the whole trip on electric power.
My commute: 20 miles, 5 days a week
Grocery store: 1.8 miles, 2 days a week
Blockbuster Video: 0.7 miles, 1 day a week
Dry cleaners: 1.8 miles, 0.5 days a week
Bank: 2.0 miles, 0.5 days a week
Church: 4 miles, 1 day a week
Now obviously that's not everything, but it's most of the stuff. In terms of days per week, we'll call that a trip, so that's 10 trips a week, 4 of which are 2 miles or less each way, so we'll say that's 40% of the trips in bicycle range. However look at the mileage. If you add it up, that's 110.2 miles (actually double if you count round trip, but nevermind) and the ones that are equal or under 2 miles account for just 6.2 miles, or 5.6% of the miles.
Sadly enough, taking my king-size comforter to the dry cleaners on a bicycle would not work, nor can I fit a 20x25" air filter on a bicycle along with 15 pounds of pet food, 30 pounds of kitty litter and 40 pounds of food and drinks, so my average grocery store run isn't going to work either. The bottom line is that it's easy to say 40% of the trips above are within bicycle range but that still doesn't mean that it's possible, nor does it mean they constitute any significant amount of mileage anyway.
What I will say however is that these short trips would be ideal for a pluggable hybrid, even one that could only do 4 miles round-trip in full electric mode. Because of the cost of batteries, PHEV's that can do a 40 mile commute are way off, but one that could do 4 miles shouldn't be so bad. Especially when you consider 0.5 miles each way for my trips is spent between 0 and 25mph just getting from my driveway to the first major road. A trip to the local Blockbuster Video or Walgreens would be entirely at or below 25mph except for about 500 feet of road. A low capacity PHEV should be able to do the whole trip on electric power.
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,797
From: Atlanta, Ga
Re: Life in America Without A Car
There is one adult person I know of that doesn't own a car in our rural community. He bikes everwhere he goes. He says that he doesn't mind biking the ~25 miles to the nearest city and appears to be fit and trim.
I've boasted my 65MPG trips to him but he's quick to show me up, as he has spent zero dollars for either gas or insurance for several years.
He also appears to be an under-the-bridge dweller, but I didn't ask.
I've boasted my 65MPG trips to him but he's quick to show me up, as he has spent zero dollars for either gas or insurance for several years.
He also appears to be an under-the-bridge dweller, but I didn't ask.
now Insight, had an HCH
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 589
From: Northwest Florida
Re: Life in America Without A Car
Hey, I think your dad and my mom went to school together as she has the same story EXCEPT in the winter she had to walk in neck deep snow while killer geese pecked at her head. 
I had a friend who would bike EVERYWHERE he went. He had even attached a trailer made out of an old bathtub on the back that he would tow everywhere he went even if he didn't need to carry anything. He just liked having the extra weight. He lived about 7 miles one way from work. His truck was about 4 years old and had 4,500 miles on it, condition was like brand new.
When I lived in Guam I biked about 2 1/2 miles each way to work, it was pretty hilly too. After getting caught in a few rain showers out of nowhere, the brakes getting wet and not being able to stop, and finally the last time I hit a curb sending me over the handlebars I had enough. I decided it was safer for me to drive the few miles. I gave it a try though.
I had a friend who would bike EVERYWHERE he went. He had even attached a trailer made out of an old bathtub on the back that he would tow everywhere he went even if he didn't need to carry anything. He just liked having the extra weight. He lived about 7 miles one way from work. His truck was about 4 years old and had 4,500 miles on it, condition was like brand new.
When I lived in Guam I biked about 2 1/2 miles each way to work, it was pretty hilly too. After getting caught in a few rain showers out of nowhere, the brakes getting wet and not being able to stop, and finally the last time I hit a curb sending me over the handlebars I had enough. I decided it was safer for me to drive the few miles. I gave it a try though.
Originally Posted by texashchman
Oh come on now people my dad used to walk 10 miles to school in the middle of winter up hill both ways...lol at least thats what he used to say.kevin
Decreasing Miles Driven
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10
Re: Life in America Without A Car
HypoMiling (reducing car miles) by bike can help your HyperMiling, by eliminating the short trips that kill the gas mileage average.
When I first started trying to reduce car use, I would find myself with keys in hand, opening the car door. Now I automatically head for the bike. I just went almost 7 months on 5 gallons of gas. We have two cars, but the other car is also partly displaced by bikes, and I only drive it when my wife and daughter are along.
Most of our family in-town trips are on a tandem with trailercycle or kid trailer. For the grocery store, a single wheel Bob trailer can carry 70 lbs, a Burley kid trailer 150 lbs. Panniers are good for smaller loads. Bike clothes (other than a bright colored jacket) aren't needed for most in-town rides.
Bike commuting has got to be the easiest way in the world to impress people. I get positive comments all the time, mainly from people who don't realize how easy it really is.
When I first started trying to reduce car use, I would find myself with keys in hand, opening the car door. Now I automatically head for the bike. I just went almost 7 months on 5 gallons of gas. We have two cars, but the other car is also partly displaced by bikes, and I only drive it when my wife and daughter are along.
Most of our family in-town trips are on a tandem with trailercycle or kid trailer. For the grocery store, a single wheel Bob trailer can carry 70 lbs, a Burley kid trailer 150 lbs. Panniers are good for smaller loads. Bike clothes (other than a bright colored jacket) aren't needed for most in-town rides.
Bike commuting has got to be the easiest way in the world to impress people. I get positive comments all the time, mainly from people who don't realize how easy it really is.
Conservative Socialist
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 878
From: Phoenix, AZ
Re: Life in America Without A Car
What part of the US do you live in? It sounds like wherever you are, it must have pretty nice weather for a huge portion of the year in order to go 7 months without hardly ever using your car.
