I don't want to drive my car anymore

eSurfer

100 W
Joined
Feb 5, 2016
Messages
170
Location
Newport Beach, CA
Anybody have a similar experience as this?

One of our two cars blew a transmission and was too old to invest the money to repair, so we junked it. We decided to try to get by with one car. Did that for about 6 months and it was always a pain and sometimes a total train wreck; needed another vehicle. Being a teacher and not making tons of money, I was hesitant to go into debt to buy another car, so I decided to get an eBike and attempt to get by with commuting my short distance to work on the eBike, and letting my wife have the car. Would I be miserable with this arrangement? I was unsure, but it was worth a go.

After the first day of commuting on the eBike, my attitude changed drastically; I was surprised at how much I loved going to work on the bike. Only took a couple minutes extra to get to work because of being able to avoid traffic and stop lights. It turns out to be so much fun that it has spilled over onto most other outings I do. Now, I avoid going anywhere by car when I don't have to. I would rather go by bike.

Car = stress and pollution
eBike = relaxation and fun
 
I'm guessing Newport Beach is relatively flat, if yes (and you are less than ten miles from work) then you are the best possible candidate to stick with an ebike long-term. Take a look at longtail cargobikes that have a 20-inch wheel in the back, there are several to choose from.

Having several cargo cases/baskets are one of the indications that you are an experienced ebike commuter.
 
For those who don't know Newport, this is the kind of place you can get around faster on a bike than in a car. Multiple cycles of the light to get through, etc. Don't know the whole town, but the oh so crowded main road in/out has the side streets paralleling it, there's a lot there that suits bikes. Which have always been popular there. You don't have to be a surfer to feel endless summer there, you just have to be an endless teen.

(Is Charlies Chili still around?)
 
eSurfer said:
Anybody have a similar experience as this?

Transporting just myself for commuting and errands, I average less than 2k miles per year between my cars. The rest which is somewhere around 10k is performed on 2 wheels, 1 wheel, or an electric skateboard. I am sure some of my neighbors think I am the oldest kid on the street.
 
Dauntless said:
For those who don't know Newport, this is the kind of place you can get around faster on a bike than in a car. Multiple cycles of the light to get through, etc. Don't know the whole town, but the oh so crowded main road in/out has the side streets paralleling it, there's a lot there that suits bikes. Which have always been popular there. You don't have to be a surfer to feel endless summer there, you just have to be an endless teen.

(Is Charlies Chili still around?)

Yes it is; ate a chili omelet there a week or so ago. You are right, I live in the perfect bike place. Long path along the beach as well as the Santa Ana River Trail, SART, which goes probably close to 90 miles from the beach to far inland. I'm grateful.
 
Similar story here - that happened a little over 5 years ago. We've added some kids since then, and found a burley to be a good option also for carrying groceries, tools and, of course, kids.

+1 on the biking being more enjoyable than a car. :D
 
I am also in Central Florida. And for way too many years I have played the same car game. Spend a lot on a nice car and a few years later the car needs some maintenance. After several thousand dollars buy another one. Now I take the sunrail and my ebike and put all that money into new toys and 401k.
 
Get another e-bike for the wife, plus a trailer or two, and sell the car (or burn it, crush it, whatever). Why be a part of a system that makes everybody more miserable than they have to be?

The only way we'll be rid of murder vehicles is one at a time. Be proud to tell your descendants that you were among the early few to choose humans over cars.
 
Vehicles, even ice still have plenty of viability and their place.

That said, I like the practice of gravitating toward simpler transportation means where possible, and hope many will also realize there are likely additional and even deeper beneficial life choices possible- such as generally simplifying personal reliance on the entire construct of the institution and system, possibly reducing or even eliminating said 'commute'.

The rat race is bs, and many times not nearly as necessary as we're led to believe- just like popular societal opinion/practice in car use and ownership.
 
Last year a car side-swiped my vehicles' mirror, causing $3k of damage (hit and run).
After repairing I sold the car and didn't bother renewing my drivers' license.

Now it's just me, my three trikes and 10kW of batteries.
 
Chalo said:
Get another e-bike for the wife, plus a trailer or two, and sell the car (or burn it, crush it, whatever). Why be a part of a system that makes everybody more miserable than they have to be?

The only way we'll be rid of murder vehicles is one at a time. Be proud to tell your descendants that you were among the early few to choose humans over cars.

Agree. Unfortunately, my wife is afraid of eBikes, don't really understand why. Tried to get her to try It and she refused saying it's too scary. Gonna take some gentle persuasion there.
 
Lock it or lose it. I lived on 62nd street for 8 yrs. Lot's of people come to the beach. When they leave they take a a present they just found with them. Your bike, skateboard or surfboard.
 
999zip999 said:
Lock it or lose it. I lived on 62nd street for 8 yrs. Lot's of people come to the beach. When they leave they take a a present they just found with them. Your bike, skateboard or surfboard.

Do you know Newport Shores? Spaghetti Bender? Bear's Outpost Liquor?
 
Yeah. I prefer to ebike over driving these days for most trips. Only problem is friends and family live 25-75km away. If I was single i'd probably still want to do that by eBike, but its a bit of an ask for wife and kids.

So instead, we just have one (electric) car and I commute by bike and do the odd grocery run by bike.

Many people have said Sydney isn't suitable for commuting by bike because of the long distances and big hills involved. Ebikes do solve a lot of that, but even then 75km (about 2.5 hours) is a bit long to go see a friend.
 
Lots of us here into the EV revolution. Others just here for the love of the bike. It could be a bicycle, moped, scooter, motorcycle, we don't give a shit, just give me a two wheeled ride!

Right now I have two cars on the property, but I'm pushing the wife to sell her old car, and use my lower miles car. We really have no need at all for two anymore.

You live in the perfect climate to go car free, but if the wife wants car, don't push it with her. Just enjoy your bikes. Plural, you can afford several nice e bikes by parking that second car for sure. Look into long cargo bikes for utility trips, while still having a fun bike to zip to work on.
 
eSurfer said:
Unfortunately, my wife is afraid of eBikes, don't really understand why. Tried to get her to try It and she refused saying it's too scary. Gonna take some gentle persuasion there.

... and I'll guess one fast growing category of "bike" isn't a BIcycle at all. But in fact a TRI(three-wheeled)cycle. Specifically, ya can go Comfy-Style as a recumbent. Add drink holders. Etc. Is it the "e" in E-(bikes) she is afraid of? Or the "b" in (e-) Bikes? Has she tried riding on a recumbent trike ("E-" or otherwise) .. yet?
 
LockH said:
eSurfer said:
Unfortunately, my wife is afraid of eBikes, don't really understand why. Tried to get her to try It and she refused saying it's too scary. Gonna take some gentle persuasion there.

... and I'll guess one fast growing category of "bike" isn't a BIcycle at all. But in fact a TRI(three-wheeled)cycle. Specifically, ya can go Comfy-Style as a recumbent. Add drink holders. Etc. Is it the "e" in E-(bikes) she is afraid of? Or the "b" in (e-) Bikes? Has she tried riding on a recumbent trike ("E-" or otherwise) .. yet?

Yeah, she's afraid of the E. Thinks it will go too fast, or be hard to drive, or get out of control. She's not the adventurist sort. Pretty sure I can slowly win her over with patience and not pushing her.
 
eSurfer said:
... because of being able to avoid traffic and stop lights...
are you allowed to run red lights? are you allowed to ride on the side walk? nothing i fear more than bikers that shoot out of nowhere, when i make a turn with my car. no matter if it's my fault, i will be fined or worse. it's crazy over here ... and the bike will be the one in hospital.
if not you will only save some time by passing stopped cars that wait at the traffic light.
you are also "lucky" as you live in sunshine state. we have rain and below zero days for almost half a year. and it's hilly as well :(
 
Riding a bike (any bike) in traffic is not for everybody. There’s learning the controls and then there’s learning “logic” of situational awareness and defensive strategies to AVOID bad situations.

Like children with food - offer but don’t force. My wife’s comfortable on a bike but she’s not comfortable in heavy, hurtling traffic. She knows her limits and that’s the 1st test for any rider. I’m always there to educate but never to preach.

But yeah, southern CA is ideal year ‘round riding weather. Never ceases to amaze me how many people sit alone idling in their car(s).

It’s ridiculous! I like to keep moving. Even if slow movement, at least I’m moving. Gridlock trapped in a crate staring blankly through a screen is my worst nightmare….
 
izeman said:
eSurfer said:
... because of being able to avoid traffic and stop lights...
are you allowed to run red lights? are you allowed to ride on the side walk? nothing i fear more than bikers that shoot out of nowhere, when i make a turn with my car. no matter if it's my fault, i will be fined or worse. it's crazy over here ... and the bike will be the one in hospital.
if not you will only save some time by passing stopped cars that wait at the traffic light.
you are also "lucky" as you live in sunshine state. we have rain and below zero days for almost half a year. and it's hilly as well :(
Yes, California allows bike riders to blow through red lights and go 35 MPH on the sidewalks around little old ladies and small children. What's wrong with that? 8) Actually, I'm in a very unique situation where a bike path, the SART, starts very near my house and goes right by my work. 2 blocks from my house to get to the SART, about 4 miles on the path, and one block to work after I get off the SART. I am just now realizing how truly blessed I am.
 
I know you were joking, but I have lived in California since 1986 and I have yet to see a bicyclist stop at a stop sign unless there was a car actually blocking the crosswalk. Seriously, it's just never done....... That's one reason why the lycras are so well loved by the general public. :D
 
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