3 Oddly Practical Reasons Why I'm Crawling Back to Car-Free Living!
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- čas přidán 27. 06. 2024
- Being a bike weirdo, at the ripe young age of 26, I finally bought my first car. Nine months later, I can't wait to ditch my car to go back to car-free living. Having a car shapes me into a person that I don't want to be: pissy, sedentary, and short on money. While having a car is great for a lot of people, I absolutely hate it, even being from a car-dependent suburb. Here's 3 oddly practical reasons why I'm crawling back the car-free life!
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0:00 - I Hate Owning a Car
1:24 - Sponsor: Wabi Cycles
1:58 - 3. Owning a Car Is Frickin' Expensive!
3:40 - The Car Industry Is a Scam
6:07 - My Car Is Making Me Poor!
7:15 - 2. I Hate Driving With a Passion
11:07 - 1. I Don't Need a Car
12:33 - Traveling By Bike Is Way More Fun
14:03 - This Isn't Who I Want to Be
14:28 - Patreon Fixie Famous Shoutouts
#fixedgear #carfree #bikelife
By the way, I'm from and live in a car-dependent American suburb, and I'd still rather not own a car.
that's right
I think you explain the whole car experience for most people. I drive an ebike and love it. Never had that feeling owning a car. Way too expensive for what you get. ☮️
Well that's not a great way of selling your car.
1. No wife
2. No kid
3. You work close by
I totally understand ♥️♥️
Zach, couldn't agree more! I've been car-free since 2018 and it has been wonderful. People don't understand how much more money I have in my pocket, how more fit I am, and how much of a blast I am having. I hope to NEVER go back to owning a car again!
Do you have any tips for someone who is just getting into a car light lifestyle?
Dude I haven’t watched you in years, I was like 15 when I subbed now I’m 21 bro this video is the perfect to watch after so long 😭 the biking commitment is so real
I'm turning 39 this year and still never owned a car nor do I have a license 🤷🤷🤷
I retired and decided to go car free six months ago and I am loving it. I haven’t even used Uber or rented a car yet. I do have a motorcycle that I use around town. I bike mostly for fun and exercise. When I tell people that I don’t have a car I get the feeling they feel sorry for me or think I’m poor. I am a minimalist and for me the less responsibility the happier I am.
this was a good video and you made so many points.
Better health
Better economically
Better mentally
Better physically
Safer (depending on your rider skill and commute routes)
Cheaper
Better for the environment
the list just goes on and on..
yaaaaas shoutout city nerd. Lots of stuff in this video resonated. I've been carfree for about a year now and have never looked back, even through the winter I was happy to be free of the thing. I've saved so much money I could afford to bling out my fixie B)
Being car free is amazing
I sold my car two years ago and do not regret it one bit. And live where there aren’t great bike paths and the weather is unpredictable. I just have to work jobs that are in riding distance, lol.
I friggin LOVE this fine young man's attitude about living well. I really identify with it too. Sooo true. The speed obsession is really weird. I look around, talk to people and critters, and have fun. Like this guy!
If you own a car don't feel obliged to drive it. For over 20 years I bike commuted to work a maybe drove it once a week at the most. And the days I did drive I made the most of it, combining trips and errands. And learn how to fix the easy stuff yourself (Hello Scotty !).
How do you keep from getting bored?
My question is, why does everyone look at me like I'm a huge weirdo for riding a bike everywhere and preferring that? Everyone says I'm crazy and it's only a 30 minute ride, I guess 1hr ride round trip which really isn't that bad. I have a flashlight for night time, and just play music or an audiobook and enjoy myself.
I've just has the same experience albeit to a much lower degree with an e-scooter. Servicing all the stuff is a pain in the ass, probably not compared to a car but still. So got back to walking everywhere. Nothing beats the simplicity and convenience of putting on my shoes and using the sidewalk.
A folding adult kick scooter is a nice compromise. Almost no maintenance, fun and faster than walking. Can fold and take into a store.
Got a car after having a child and only 1 year in. Its been a constant headache dealing with the car ownership and honestly feel the same. Just too expensive.
Dude same. I’m back to bike only, and my spouse has a car. One car family has worked thus far.
are you talking about the car or child?
@@buddy1155 car
I hate to be treated as a second class customer when I'm with a bike. Which doesn't make sense. If I own a car and come by bike to the shop I'm still the same person. And when I don't own a car and come by bike I don't waste my money on a car but probably still spend all my money.
I miss the car free years! If I move back to a big city I would for sure do the same!
You need to put a headrest on your drivers seat or you risk internal decapitation or just bad whiplash in an accident. Put the headrest back on.
I have the exact same condition. driving makes me SO upset and the longer i have to drive, the heavier my face becomes. i literally like, sit in the car for 45 minutes just so I can sit for eight hours. sitting in the saddle is different, and FUN!
As a cyclist I need more money for fuel per kilometer than any reasonable car. Because when I'm on the way I eat sandwiches for 6 to 9 CHF and beverages for 3 to 6 CHF per 0.5 l. And I also eat and drink more at home after a ride. But that's okay. It's the premium option for transport.
That video is just so damn good, I'm in the same mood as you when talking about cars and car dependancy
so good, i love your vocal dis satisfaction in driving. Im living in the city and im bicycling even with soo many hills/ and often the weight of contents in a backpack, still rates high on the fulfillment scale.
I'm aspiring to be car free in the future, and this is a good reminder that it's practical
I’d like to be car free as well, or at least car lite. Me and my GF both own a car, but once we move in together in the city we will probably only need one. I can ride my bike everywhere and let her use the car
@@FerrichromeI did that for 2.5 years with my gf until we moved, it was awesome.
I spend less than half of what owning a car used to cost me on car share services for the few times I actually need a car. If I need to haul stuff for an afternoon I can get a minivan, or if I'm visiting my family for a week I can get something comfortable for the long drive. I'm sad they got rid of their few sports cars they had available in 2020 though.
City nerd is amazing!
god I fucking hate cars, but god damn it I need to own one!! AAHHHHH INSURANCE FUCKING SUCKS
Great video Zach! I sold my car over two years ago and don't miss it at all. Saving so much money and simplified life dramatically!
Agree! Unfortunately I need to transport people a lot but my car serves that purpose only. Expenses are low.
BTW "cash poor" is the description you need when feeling low on accessible funds.
Keep up the good work!
Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel; if I owned a car right now I would probably still be living with my parents while also being broke as well.
I actually just sold my car, 2013 Honda Civic, on the 27th and got myself a 1986 Panasonic DX-4000; best decision ever! Saving money, got a nest egg, sweet bike, and I'm getting fit; wins across the board!
Thank you so much for creating dope content and preparing me for the transition into car-free; I'm officially addicted to riding now. Let me know if you're ever in the DMV area! I haven't tried a fixed gear in this area due to it being hilly but I've seen some fixed gears in the wild and will probably end up dipping my toes eventually; good reason to have a second bike 🙌🏼
I've tried driving exactly twice in my life. As a teenager and as an adult. As a teen, it was alright and fun, because of all the car culture I was surrounded by. As an adult, after spending exactly a decade car-free because I lived in the general LA area and just didn't need a car, I never learned to drive. Fast forward to moving out to the midwest where it's incredibly car centric, and I realize "i might actually need a car." I tried to learn to drive exactly once and the whole damn time I was worried I was going to mess up my friend's car and I realized "no I hate driving, so I'd rather just ride the Ghoulbike."
"if a place is only accessible by a car, for me it's not really worth going to"
100%, yes, 10/10 - i've been trying to explain this to friends. and most of these places are soul-crushing suburban wastelands
I'm 100% with you, Zach. I bought a European when I moved to Vancouver 15 years ago for those mountain bike road trips I envisioned taking. I did maybe a dozen in the first first two years. I rented in a walkable neighbourhood 15 mins bike ride from work and spent too much money on auto insurance for the little I used the van. Now, 15 years later I'm still living in a neighbourhood with everything I need for day to day life in walking distance. Ride my bike to everything within an hour of me including Ikea! I don't say I'm car-free as I occasionally use a car share, twice a year. Riding is life.
I feel the exact same, I don't own a car but my parents have 2 of them and when they borrow me one, I feel stressed af and always hypervigilant, it's one of the worst things I can do.
I ride my bike to work and I definitely feel more at control vs when I rode my parents car.
Everyone is like "why don't you buy a car?" But being completely honest, you don't really need one, there's so many alternatives that being willing to waste so much of your time (time you use to make money) in order to maintain a car doesn't sound like the best choice you can make.
Amen. I wish I could be in a position to never own another vehicle, but that’s just not a reality right now. Down to only one vehicle between my wife and I so I guess that’s a good start.
Love your video man, your personality is great. I'm slowly making my way away from car driving myself
Congratulations ! You came to you're senses. Most people spend all they're lives and never get it or spend a good chunk of they're lives before getting rid of they're car , such as myself. You're young and you already understand something something most people will never get. And coming from a car culture witch is north America, well ... that's a BIG DEAL.👍👌👏
Great points!
I have the same car and the same thoughts about driving.
BRO! I feel you 💯. So glad you made this vid. You're singing my tune, bruv
Having a car is situational. It does offer convenience but the need for maintaining one is hard on the wallet. I'm a mechanic myself and riding a bicycle is more convenient when getting some stuff for the repairs we do. Of course it's not for getting bigger and heavier stuff but most of the repairs we make just need small parts. We do own a car but we use for heavy duty stuff and nothing more. I agree with what you said about some car parts costing that amount of money, very overkill, but it's always nice to have a car just in case of emergencies. Having friends with cars might not be reliable in the long run especially on emergency situations. Well in where I live at least.
Thanks for this video! I've been living car-free for a while, at first out of necessity, but now that I have money in the bank I was fully prepared to buy a car a few weeks ago. I was fully prepared to pull the trigger on one, but it didn't work out. After watching people like City Nerd and Not Just Bikes, I've reconsidered that decision, since I don't really need a car to get around. My 20-year-old bike is starting to show its age though, and it still does need replacing with something else, so I've decided to go with an e-bike. I was dreading the thought of becoming a car owner again, but now I'm excited to get a brand new premium e-bike for a fraction of the price I was going to pay to get a crappy used car on its last legs.
1) If that's a true California car, be sure to advertise it as a rust free California car and ask/only accept more than the going price for a similar local car. Rust free is a major sale enhancer in these parts.
2) Price Michigan auto insurance rates, be sitting when you do. You'll be even more motivated to sell.
3) I disagree about most drivers being bad, if that were true there'd be A LOT more car wrecks. There are enough bad drivers that a cyclist must always watch one's back.
I agree with much of what you said regarding how you hate driving. While I enjoy driving on quiet roads, the moment I have to deal with traffic, my mood sours. I'll also just entirely avoid certain places if it means having to drive on poorly designed roads or highways to get there. Unfortunately, many of my hobbies require the use of a car, so I don't think I'll be going car-less anytime soon (maybe I'll look into the cost of renting though).
About the repairing your car yourself, over here in europe a lot of countries don’t allow you to do it yourself unless you’re a certified mechanic yourself… otherwise they won’t pass “safety” or any other regulations. Making is even more expensive. Also just oil prices are getting ridiculous
Great video, Zach!
I've been a reluctant car owner for my adult life. I've been able to keep the average yearly miles to < 5000 by riding my bike whenever possible.
I've been following you for quite a while and I feel this video so much. Same page man.
Atta boy! 30- 35 years ago, I biked in an area of Connecticut that worked well with bicycling. I thought infrastructure was a way forward to developing a (I hate to use the word) "sustainable" coexisting society. Fast forward to 2023, and stepping out to walk my dog is suicidal. People just got more crazy-ass! Keep up the good fight! ✌
The Aldi up the street lets me park my eBike inside the store, it's AMAZING! Had to put a trickle charger on my car battery to keep it alive for the 100 miles or so I put on my car in a year.
Very good points! I still have my car (the process of selling is harder than buying, in general) but I've lived mostly car-free in my day-to-day life. I resonate strongly with your points (maybe with a tiny bit of difference): I like cars, I love driving, but I dislike traffic, and commuting by car saps the joy even though I wasn't in a rush and wanted a relaxing drive. Cycling is the opposite--FWIW with the salty and dangerous drivers, somehow my mental health still benefits overall from the act of riding a bike.
Funny how you keep having to preface that NO it isn't a personal jab at those who drive or need a car, NO this isn't an attempt to convince anyone out of their cars. It reminds me of how drivers (including myself when behind the wheel of a car) need big flashy road signs to warn them of things that are usually obvious to those outside of a car.
Epic car-tharsis. Welcome back. 😊
We did a cost to own modeling project in a College class. If you were to go solely off of costs an electric vehicle makes more sense. But those what have been driving enough will know that’s not usually the case. Depreciation is the one expense I deem a Fugazi because you already expensed that cost at purchase. Only if and when you sell the vehicle can the true depreciation be calculated. The traditional accounting deprivation method is only useful for tax purposes (for the most part). I do all of my maintenance myself, which is what forced me to do the same on my bike. It would have been ridiculous to service my own vehicles while taking my bike to a shop. But it’s definitely much more expensive to own a car than most people realize.
This guy makes a lot of sense. it was mentioned he and people his age have problems affording cars and housing. It just seems to be an affirmation of an idea expressed by many that the guys on top who run the businesses have sold out the US consumer. Cars not only cost a lot, but they have planned obsolescence. Like a lot of modern conveniences, they have circuit boards and other electronics that is destined to fail after a given number of years. It's been pre-ordained by the designers. The stuff is getting too complex for one to fix it one's self.. Yeh - A lot of us can fix old bikes. I don't think he even mentioned pollution and the global warming thing. I guess I should use the bike more for stuff.
You know the one that I hate is driving to the gym to workout... Really.. let's get into a car drive 15 minutes to the run on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and then spend 15 minutes driving home.... I am not sure if that is truly a sane thing to do????
It kinda seems weird to sell a car you get a great deal on from a family member for profit. My parents gave me their old e bike, and I gave them the money I got for selling it after deciding I like my pedal bikes better.
I love it when my subscriptions meet 😊
Awesome video. Yea City nerd is a great channel. Along with Not Just Bikes and Adam Something. There's more but they're my favourite.
AND Alan Fisher. Just started watching him and he also makes very good educational videos that are also entertaining and easy to watch.
After my car was totalled in my 3rd hit and run, I put off getting another one. I got savvy with the bus system and my bike and now I cannot imagine ever taking on that expense again. I love and prefer other methods of transportation. I have a good union labor job and could easily afford a car, but screw that.
See, I'm with you 100% and at the same time 180* in my situation right now... I used to commute an hour to and from work and I needed a cheap car for that... I'm a huge car guy, I love them and I love driving, but making sensible choices for work meant I had to buy an appliance!!
Now I changed job and my commute is either 4min by car or 5 by bike!! So I've spent the last year cycling to work and pretty much all the time. I'm looking at my next car purchase and something with a V8 is definitely in the cards!! I put 3K on the car since last year and the hike in fuel consumption would only be like 5$ extra per week. I'd rather do the 3k per year of driving in a fun car I enjoy than drive a Maytag all the time. The rest of the time, my bike will do just fine!!
I like the blue shade on that bike in the background
Well done. I live in London and definitely don't need to or want to own a car. I once worked out that it's cheaper to use Zipcar every day than buy and own the equivalent car.
When I was a young man I used to love driving. 40 years later, it just plain sucks.
Wish I could. We live very rurally and surrounded by big mountains. Nothing bike friendly about our area, but we still ride any chance we get
Now that you let it drop that you will likely be going to Chitown next, coupla thoughts. First: frame saver. Now that you're in (America's) Great White North, it's imperative to protect steel frames from winter and general wateriness. Second: Chicago is, as your videos attest, a great place to be car free. While the drivers are like they are most everywhere (eyes glued to their phones), at least in the city you can (mainly) account for their bicycle blindness. Also, E. Lansing, a college town, isn't terrible for going car free. Cheers!
I sold my car when I realized that, even the handful of times per year that I really needed it, like for a short trip or something -- I would be saving money by just renting a car for a day lol.
EXCELLENT VIDEO 🎉🎉🎉
I live in in a small town in Eastern PA. Hey, I'm in the same boat you are. the only problem is, we don't have the Public Transit that you do in the big city. It's 25+ miles to church, 20 miles to work and so on. What am I to do?
Buy a crew cab truck , I can fit 4 plus the driver, room in the back for the bikes and if you have a hitch a bike rack, and Make money with it.
Oh hey! I live in Chicago now and videos like CityNerd's really radicalized me to be anti-car. F cars. I can't WAIT to get a really sick bike next year when it's warm again.
I enjoy driving, but other than the insane cost, I've had a car I loved totalled by a driver who hit me deliberately to make an insurance claim (and got away with it), plus another incident where the other party shifts the blame, and most people I know have dealt with the same at least once, crappy drivers destroying one of the most expensive items you own, increasing your stress and expenses turns something great into something terrible. Insurance companies are rubbish, garages are criminal, roads in ruins and the governments charge you for the honour of being constantly ripped off. In case not already obvious, I cycle instead now and haven't convinced myself to go back to driving since pre lockdowns.
Hey Great Work here Zach…
I also gave my car up,infact i gave it away for free to a friendly local from the mountains 👌🏽
My first video project 😉
Good to find a like minded soul like you on the right way…
Top Job Zack
Happy Pedalling, keef
I got my Nissan hardbody for 800$ and I probably spend around 2,000$ a year on it. I live in the middle of nowhere Iowa I use it to get to work in the winter and drive 60 miles one way to work and go grocery shopping also to go camping. But I ride my fixed gear when ever I can.
love you Zach, I feel this Vid
Ditched my car 2 years ago and ride around on my bike and electric unicycle daily and I'm quite happy for it.
Yeah I think living in Michigan will do that to you. Zach is there any chance you could make it an hour East over to Ann Arbor for a group ride before you move out of state?
This is pretty much why I got rid of my Kia car. I just use my bike and, for shopping trips, a trike with a large basket on the back.....
Me too! ^_^
Oh yeah and I like CityNerd as well.
I can kind of understand the 50$ for a light bulb. Some of the bulbs in my car you have to remove entire panels if you want to replace the bulb without swearing and breaking plastic. it can be time consuming.
"Eggs from Whole Foods."
...baller.
I'm a mechanic in Texas it is not a bike friendly place at all . I love my bike I wish we had a better infrastructure for bikes here.
Covid turned out to be a godsend for me. My car was repoed because I missed 2 payments. That forced me back onto my bike. Now my health is crazed good and I pay my friends generously when I do need a car. Humans are not built for too much luxury. It will slowly kill you. A bike is a good solution all around. My bike is 36 yrs old and will last for another 36.
Oh wow you live in Michigan to! I’m in a town where most of the stuff is a drive to get to but lately been riding my bike more and more and saving gas. Still stinks most places you’d want to go are to far to bike unless you made them day trips.
It’s funny how you feel safer on a bike than in a car. I guess people just are more comfortable with what they are used to
Driving is really stressful for me. Heck I'd avoid driving as much as humanly possible. After an hour or so driving, imy instantly in a bad mood and very grumpy for the rest of the day.
CHUAAAAKSSS...
IN INDONESIA. RELATEABLE IN MOTORCYCLE DEALER... THE MECHANIC AS ALWAYS SAY THE SCARIES WORD LIKE.... "MAS TOLONG KESINI SEBENTAR...." AND THE MECHANIC GIVING ADVICE TO REPLACE SPAREPART. Which one no needed replace at all. This case become a popular meme in local social media.
I love the orange-pill Zach Gallardo vids :)
Great reason for you to move to Chicago too :3
I also would rather bike my way to where I wanna go than ride a car, but now that I have my own family its hard to let them commute alone.
I’m with you.
My last car I bought was fifteen years ago, a grand for a twenty five year old Mercedes 240D. I had to get some front end work done, to discover the steering box needs replacing and isn't available at this time. I'm getting ready to buy a "new car" and am going to dump thirty thousand in the next month or so. I don't really have a choice, if I would see my family and be able to visit beyond the four miles it is to get to town. I sort of envy you, I was there with you, forty years ago, living on a bike, before getting married and acquiring a family. My real question is regarding your notion of wanting to live in Chicago. I left that city almost fifty years ago, and while it's not "murder capital of the world" anymore, it's not because their murder rate reduced, it was just overtaken by many other contending cities. I wish you luck, I'd recommend anywhere but big cities. Of course these days, my daughter doesn't want me to ever ride a bike, it's too dangerous, in her eyes, my how things change as we get older.
I'm so glad I'm not the only one who named their car.
10:26 Didn't expect to see 2nd gen Renault Clio in the US.
I hate driving, but the nearest mountain bike trails are 20 miles away and I aint biking there on my road bike with a mountain bike attached lol
But when i bought a hybrid bike for commuting i felt something new in my life . I have been in for several years but owning a bicycle is way cheaper then then a car . And yes you are right about the car mechanics they do make bucks for just changing an oilfilter or brake pads . They do suck at times when it comes to car repairs i nearly killed myself because my brakes failed and i hit a try . There was a serious damage to my car that i had cause but nothing happened to the tree . My air bags did not even open i hit my head on the steering wheel and i was in the hospital for several months. So owning a car is faaaaar to dangerous then owning a bicycle .
5:56 corners LETS GOOOOOOO shill em hard
My life doesn't allow me to be truly car-free, but I have set a goal of doing more miles in bikes than cars. Given how long I've been car dependent, it's not an easy transition to make. Let's be honest though; the cycling industry is doing its best to squeeze money out of us as well. The main difference between being squeezed by the car industry and the bike industry is that the bike industry has to put most of the squeeze on at the time of purchase.
what about motorbikes then? there's still a chance you got run over by a truck but it's faster and more convenient than the bike
Wow what a great sales pitch. You really wanna sell this car 😂
To *correctly* own and keep a car you have to be either rich, or very passionate
Yeah I don't dig cars either they pretty much piss me off. But I do like to get around on motorcycles too. It's the 2 wheel compromise I think. I do ride my bicycle when I can.
This is why I haven't owned a car for over a decade. Plus my wife drives me 😅 I drive a semi ( I don't pay for anything) I don't want to drive when I get home.
Live love citynerd