I've just gone car-free, and I'm sharing my experience of the transition here at Worldchanging. Giving up the convenience of car ownership is not easy, and I think about buying a new car (maybe a biodiesel) everyday. But as time goes on, I'm getting more comfortable with it.

By bike:
Although I've owned a bike for a while, I hadn't often used it. One reason is that I didn't know what routes to take by bike. So ByCycle's Trip Planner was a great find for me. When WorldChanging blogged the site in August the reader response was lukewarm, but I've found this site to invaluable to me as a beginning biker.

ByCycle "mashes-up" Google Maps and local Portland bike route maps to give users instant directions by bike. You can choose "normal" or "safer." Since I'm out of shape and still a little car-shy, I prefer the "safer" routes.

One wish: the addition of topographic data to route around hills and for easier routes.

By public transportation:
TriMet's trip planner was not new to me since I've been using the bus in addition to my car since I moved to Portland. The idea that there might be people out there who don't know about TriMet's trip planner may sound absurd, but I'm mentioning it here just in case.

What else?
Anyone have any other advice for the newly car-free, or for anyone looking to drive less?

Next: Taking Flexcar for a spin.

Go Klint!

ByCycle is great for planning ahead. Metro's Bike There! map, which is available at most bike shops, is a good resource to keep in your bike bag. It is helpful to know where the closest bicycle boulevard is while you're out and about.

Portland is an amazing place to bike, and shift2bikes is an organization through which you can keep informed of fun and important developments such as Pedalpalooza and Breakfast on the Bridges.

Posted by: Ethan on March 29, 2007 9:07 AM

Going car free in Portland is cake! There are so many bike trails, lanes, and of course the max. However, I have a really nifty option for you. I ride an Ego; it's an electric bike that goes about 30 miles at 25 mph. I can ride it all winter because its protection from the rain is phenomenal! http://www.egovehicles.com/ It costs about $1500, but is worth every penny of it. I will say flat tires are a hindrance unless you have the gear to put a new one on, which takes a little while if its on the back tire. I've had 2 since I've gotten it back in October, but that was riding in some pretty treacherous bike lanes that weren't used very much... Since I cleaned them a bit, I've been good for about 3 months on it. I try to pick up every spare nail etc! I have some picture of it at www.myspace.com/snowywolfe

Posted by: Jonathan on March 30, 2007 7:32 AM

Way to go! I'm not carless but I did drive mine only 122 miles last month--all of it on business. Not everyone is in a position to do this but I selected my current residence partly by making a checklist of the most common trips I was making for essentials--market, coffee, bakery, cleaners, library, etc--and then finding a place where the majority of them were possible on foot. What's in your pedestrian shed makes all the difference.

Posted by: J P McLaughlin on April 24, 2007 7:46 AM