Living without a car

Essay on alternatives to the automobile

By Arthur Lacoste.

Foreword

“There are two doors. Behind door number 1, there is a padded room, with a traditional gasoline car. Behind door number 2, there is an identical, padded room with an electric car. Both vehicles are running at full speed. I want you to decide on a door to open to enter the room and close the door behind you. You must stay in this room for one hour. You cannot turn off the engine. You will not have a gas mask. I assume you'll take door number 2, with the electric car, right? Door number 1 is a fatal choice. Who would want to breathe these fumes?

This is the choice the world is making today.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Note for first readers and proofreaders

Hello,

First of all, I would like to thank you in advance for the time you will put at my disposal to read, correct and appreciate my work.

This version is by no means a final version, but a document in progress. Some parts are not yet developed enough, and some are still in my mind (or lost in my notebook between two drawings).

The idea of ​​this work is to address — while popularizing them — the concepts of mobility applied to our daily lives to promote the use of alternatives to the gasoline car, with a view to publication.

This project does not involve financial issues (for the moment in any case) as far as I am concerned, but simply a desire for personal development.

I draw your attention to the following points:

• concepts which would still seem vague to you after reading them,
• anecdotes out of context (even if they are almost all authentic),
• other points which are emphasized too much in your opinion,
• and the structure of the document itself (chapter breakdown),
• spelling errors (my proofreader tells me there are more than 300, but he seems out of breath).

Do not hesitate to suggest possible changes by coming to discuss them in the dedicated space, in the project's Git repository¹.

I try and I find that it is important to address on the surface certain notions of ecology and economics which seem to me to be directly linked to this problem.

Thank you,

Arthur

This book bites, it's Open Source!

This essay is open source and collaborative. That is to say that you can have and reuse what makes up the material of the book, according to the terms of the license that I have chosen.

More precisely, it is published under the CC BY 4.0 license. You can read the license on this page². In short, you may share the material in any medium or format and adapt it for any purpose, including commercially. Attribution is the only requirement: credit the book, link to the license and indicate whether you made changes, without suggesting that the author endorses you or your use.

An evolving book

It is important to understand that instead of being a simple book, this work is living, evolving. I hope it can live according to your suggestions. May it be enriched with your testimonies, your stories. I don't want it to become saturated or unreadable. I cherish the hope that it can remain concise and accessible, even popularizing and allowing you to liven up a debate with your loved ones, your family.

So you can edit every page of this book! In fact, at the bottom of every page in the online version there is an “edit this page” link. You can therefore propose changes live, and see the book live, constantly evolving. The pdf and e-reader versions will be updated automatically if the changes are taken into account.

Introduction

Throughout the ages, man has created dozens of different means of transport, exploring the land on horseback, the air by plane, or the sea by boat, defying the elements and finding solutions to travel and explore every corner of our charming planet. Transport allows travel, to escape to the present and conquer lands on the other side of the world. Transport also makes it simpler to get from point A to point B, to travel on a daily basis to work, go shopping and simply live.

I'm not a cyclist at heart: I never liked tight clothes, except when I was a kid, dressed as a superhero. I had a clear preference for Spider-Man if you want to know everything. When I started cycling on a daily basis, the word cyclist sounded pretty bad in my mind. I imagined the athletes of the Tour de France, dressed all in jersey. And I've never been a big fan of sporting events: for me, sport isn't something to watch, it's something to experience! Fortunately for me, there is no need to wear ugly clothes to cycle.

In the previous paragraph, I talked to you about cycling, but this book actually evokes a multitude of choices. The bicycle solution is obvious, because it has imposed itself, both in my research and in the daily practice of thousands of human beings. In fact, there’s something for everyone: you’ll find out soon enough!

If you are used to using a car, you will undoubtedly have a hard time changing your habits. You may not want to. You will ask yourself a lot of questions. How will I shop? I will no longer be able to take my children to school? How do you go to work without arriving sweaty? Yes, I answer all these questions.

I'm not saying that the choice is always easy on a daily basis. But year after year, I was always able to go where I wanted. I have tried dozens of means of transportation, from the most basic to the most eccentric. I have traveled hundreds of kilometers by bike, roller blade, skateboard, train, plane, carpool, and other means that I most certainly forget.

Who is this book dedicated to?

This book is for everyone. If you are curious to discover alternative modes of transport, or want to free yourself from your vehicle, find a new way to get around, or perhaps pay less for your daily trips.

If you are a driver at heart or speed is important to you, this book may not be for you. This work essentially highlights active modes³, because they represent a concrete and rational alternative. However, in recent years, electric versions of cars and motorcycles have been released, and could match your thirst for thrills.

If you already have your driving license, but are looking for other solutions, this book is particularly dedicated to you. If you are a “pedestrian” and you are hesitant to get your permit, or you are looking for an eco-responsible way to get around, but certain situations leave you perplexed. How do I go shopping without a car? How to move? Going on vacation? All these questions are answered in the pages that follow.

If you are already a changemaker, you may not need to read this book, because you are probably already applying the advice and tips provided in this book: give this book to an awakened person, or about to become one.

If you are in financial difficulty, freeing yourself from the financial burden of one (or more!) cars will allow you to get your head above water. Believe me, it can make the difference at the end of the month.

Who am I?

Consider me a simple citizen of the world. I am neither an urban planner, nor an economist, nor an architect. But then, what is my legitimacy to offer you this work? It seems to me that my expertise (even if the word seems somewhat presumptuous) comes from my simple experience, deepened (but not too much) by a documentary study.

Coming from generation Y, I was born with a mouse in my hands. Raised on the Game Boy, I was already writing short stories with my little sister when I was 12 years old. After writing a few plays for the troupes in which I performed, I continued writing, writing numerous articles⁴ on the internet.

I initially studied Accounting and Business Finance, but ended up becoming passionate about web application development. My professional career led me to become a training consultant, often linked to IT practices. Today, I work for myself, but I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. And you ?

My experience

This book is not a theoretical guide: I have lived without a car for almost 10 years and to tell the truth, I have never owned a car in my entire life.

I'm not saying I never thought about it. I spent a few months with a scooter, but following numerous disappointments (between repairs, refueling, ecological considerations and other unexpected breakdowns), I decided to stop paying for it. This is the only fossil fuel-based vehicle I have ever owned.

I'm not saying that it's easy: you will discover through this book that choosing the right means of transport in the right situation is more delicate than it seems, and that abandoning the reflex of taking your car in every situation requires reviewing your automatisms, anchored in us.

In fact, for every situation in everyday life, there is one (or even several) solution, which allows you to do without a vehicle requiring gasoline.

However, I haven’t always been proud to be a pedestrian. I have not always assumed it as I assume it today and before, rather than experiencing it as a source of pride, I experienced it as a burden. I felt under pressure, forced to get my license without ever wanting to. I will also talk to you about it in more detail.

Living without a car is part of an approach to responsible consumption and eco-mobility. But it's not just that. Today more than ever, it seems essential to think about the future of our planet. And the car powered by fossil fuels is not one of them. It is only a matter of years before everyone becomes aware of the need for us to change our pace of life.

Yes, it’s happening today, not tomorrow. So, let’s get started right away!

Why live without a car?

“Civilized man built cars, but he lost the use of his feet. »

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Over the years, the use of the car has become democratized to the point of becoming essential. Everything is designed and thought out car: the landscapes have been deeply marked, the cities have been redesigned to avoid congestion. Road infrastructure was put in place and favored until the 1980s.

From an energy perspective, private cars are inefficient. In 2019, cars accounted for 83.3% of the distance travelled for local mobility in metropolitan France. In 2024, transport produced 34% of France’s greenhouse gas emissions, and passenger cars generated 53% of the transport sector’s emissions⁵. Reconsidering the place of cars in our daily lives therefore remains urgent.

What must be understood is that the automobile industry has no interest in seeing other means of transport become more popular. As Mikael Colville-Andersen so eloquently puts it, “The bicycle is a real and immediate threat to the dominance of car culture in our cities.” And beyond the automobile industry, there is a whole section of the modern economy which depends exclusively on the automobile sector.

The average car in the French fleet weighed 1.26 tonnes on 1 January 2023. For local trips, cars carried an average of 1.43 people in 2019 and remained unused about 95% of the time⁶. Besides being heavy, cars are noisy and polluting. They can also kill: road crashes cause about 1.19 million deaths worldwide each year⁷.

Have you digested all the figures you just read? Isn’t your mind too foggy? I promise, I'll try not to melt your brain any further in the following chapters!

The problem of a sedentary lifestyle

Sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity are major public-health issues. In 2022, 31% of adults worldwide did not meet the WHO’s recommended level of physical activity⁸. As children, we spend months, even years, between a pram and a stroller. As adults, we sit in cars or on public transport, then at our desks and, in the evening, in front of a television or computer.

Human beings have never been more immobile than in recent decades. The evolution of our behavior results in direct consequences: overweight, obesity, increased cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, increased risks of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, lipid disorders, depression and anxiety⁸.

And when we realize that love handles or our little beer belly is starting to grow, we question ourselves. To overcome these problems while maintaining our excessively paradoxical lifestyle, we join gyms, or we pile up in sweat to do cardio or muscle strengthening. We are going on a diet to lose a few pounds.

But the solution is neither a miracle diet nor excessive exercise. One solution is to think about the root of the problem: your lifestyle. You simply have to be active every day. Our body is not a simple puppet that we move around with us because we have no choice. We should therefore consider stopping choosing "passive" shortcuts so as not to have to tire ourselves.

So, so that our body is not a spectator in our own life, I will recommend completely changing the way we operate. But maybe our office job - for those who work in an office - pleases us and I understand you: I myself spend long hours in front of my screen every day, and even if solutions such as the standing desk (desks raised for working while standing) exist and allow us to burn a few more calories than by sitting, it is nevertheless necessary to look at our daily movements.

Getting around by walking, cycling or any other means of traction using the power of our sweat has the advantage of merging the time of travel and that of a possible gym membership. Yes, I'm trying to explain to you that it's possible to save time by abandoning your car!

An economic question

The price of the automobile

Having a car is a bit like being in a shared apartment. At the beginning, you look for one (or several people) with whom you will have to get along. Once you find your rare gem, you move into this apartment. You have thought of everything, and that's great, you will be able to cut back on the price of rent and make economies of scale by doing joint shopping, splitting electricity, water and Internet costs.

After a few months, you realize that everything is not as beautiful as on paper. One of the roommates left 3 rent late, and the one left takes half-hour showers and always leaves the lights on. The irony: he doesn't sort, he doesn't compost, and he leaves his hairs in the bathroom sink!

You must be thinking that I was traumatized by my roommate experiences to talk about it like this, but no! The reality is there: it is difficult to estimate the annual cost of the automobile due to its fragmentation. Maintenance, repairs, gasoline, credit and insurance are all variable items that are not easy to budget for.

However, the average annual car expense gives me a little shiver down my neck. €3300 per year. That amount seems crazy to me, don’t you? I believe that even with a great bike (electric or not), a card at the local bike repair shop, frequent train trips and a public transport subscription, you still have room to spare for an economy class round trip to Costa Rica!

In these €3,300, count €1,500 for fuel, €620 for insurance, €460 for vehicle maintenance, and €720 for miscellaneous expenses (such as loan repayment or parking spaces).

When a household realizes the cost caused by its car budget, it will try to cut back on this or that item with a vehicle that consumes less, avoiding repairs. By avoiding repairs, you will only delay the inevitable, and you will put your life (and that of other users) at risk. I have another solution for you: sell your car!

Degrowth

In recent years, a trend has started to emerge around voluntary simplicity. According to this conception of life, it seems essential to slow down the frantic and endless pace of this race for consumption. The reality, however, is simple: we are gradually realizing that many current models do not work. Industries, which have power and persuasion, have no interest in promoting degrowth.

And yet! Some essential cogs of our modern society are not working. State initiatives are increasing, but still remain marginal when we realize the distance that remains to be covered. Not to mention a majority of skeptics, for whom decline sounds like a return to the age of caves.

No, going back is normal when something doesn't work. But with a lot of advertising and lobbies, we can make a gullible population swallow any snake.

Consumer credit

“In 1926, more than 30% of American households had the expensive invention of the car. Two-thirds were purchased on credit”⁹. In France, financing a car through credit or leasing remains common, but its share varies by year, scope and vehicle type. The lesson remains the same: compare the total cost of financing, not only the monthly payment.

“Sixty-two thousand four hundred repetitions make a truth. »¹⁰ The car is imprinted on the retina with bursts of advertising spots, tempting offers, and undeniable advantages. We are sold a teleportation machine, an easy way to get far, fast. A feeling of freedom. But where is the freedom when your vehicle requires you to work and repay monthly loan payments to afford this lifestyle?

Credit is poison, it allows us to buy goods that we cannot afford at the moment. We use our “future money” to finance our present life, not to mention the interest. In the context of a real estate investment, this is easily justified. In the case of consumption, this is simply an aberration. But our economy is entirely designed on credit, which itself is a cornerstone in the money creation mechanism!

Advertising hype encourages us to always buy more, more expensively. Do you want to enjoy life at 100 miles per hour? You’re not going to do it with credit. Because it is by definition a debt. For me, when I owe someone money, I think about it every day. The only way to get rid of this thought is to repay the person in question.

I remember this time my sister sold me her fridge a few years ago, I didn't have the money on me when she brought it to me, and every day I thought about this fridge which didn't belong to me yet. If I can give you one piece of advice: never take out consumer credit, avoid them like the plague. If you are already “contaminated”, do your best to get rid of it. Take a second job, sell your valuables, gain years and pay off that damn credit.

I have this friend, Mélanie, who paid €13,000 for her car. Mélanie is not rolling in gold, so she took out a 6-year consumer loan to pay off her magnificent car. Because of this credit and her low income, she does not even have enough to treat herself every month. And the height of irony, she goes to work by tram, because it is cheaper for her to use public transport rather than her car, thanks to half of her subscription being reimbursed by work.

I want to spare you another story, that of Béatrice, who had an accident before she had even finished repaying her loan. Result ? She had a loan to pay, and no car to use.

Here are typically aberrant examples, situations which - I hope - will never happen to you, but which do not seem so exceptional when I listen a little, listening to my friends, acquaintances, or family.

An ecological approach

Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are used in many areas of everyday life such as heating, electricity and transport. The problem is this: by overusing fossil fuels, we are accelerating global warming of the planet, causing a kind of cosmic disorder!

Here are some examples:

• A disruption of the ecosystem, with many species on the verge of extinction. I know, you may be thinking that as long as the species in question isn't humans, it doesn't matter. But it's not just that.
• Weather phenomena such as extreme heat waves and dry soils. You may already be concerned here. Imagine, you have the wrong day, you forget your life-saving bottle of water. Yes, our life hangs by a thread.
• Declining agricultural production.
• A rise in ocean levels.

In agriculture, cattle also contribute to global warming. The issue mainly comes from methane produced during digestion, especially enteric fermentation, rather than flatulence alone. According to Citepa, agriculture represented nearly 20% of France’s gross emissions in 2023; methane made up 57.1% of agricultural emissions and came mainly from ruminant farming¹¹.

Environmental impact

The environmental impact of the automobile on Earth is multiple. It’s actually incredible that we still use the car after being aware of all of its harmful aspects. No doubt this is proof of man's propensity to self-destruct.

First of all, a car is noisy. Who has never seen these stone walls around the ring roads to keep noise to a minimum? A friend has an apartment with a view of the ring road (the Grenoble ring road), and I can tell you: fortunately it has good double glazing! And her superb terrace, on which she could drink her morning coffee, is never used. And I understand it. With so much noise and dust early in the morning, who would want that?

We talk a lot about human deaths, and rightly so. But roads also affect animals: collisions, noise and habitat fragmentation can interrupt their movement and life cycles¹². The European hedgehog did not become extinct in 2025, despite a widely repeated prediction. Since 2024, however, the IUCN has classified it as “Near Threatened” globally; its numbers have declined in more than half of the countries where it occurs¹³.

To avoid this direct impact on biodiversity, pedestrian crossings for animals are sometimes set up as in Presles in Isère, or a crossing dedicated to toads has been installed by a local association. In other cities, entire roads are closed during periods of migration or hibernation, such as the Bois Clair tunnel which is closed part of the year to preserve protected species of bats.

Speaking of the Bois Clair tunnel, it is part of a road soberly named the greenway: a loop of more than 100 kilometers in the heart of southern Burgundy. If you ever want to go cycling, I highly recommend this route which I had the pleasure of traveling.

Driving license

Ah the years allowed! I went through that too, and I can tell you that it wasn’t fun. Whether it’s the B license for the car or the motorcycle license, this little piece of pink paper is not so easily obtained. It's not so much its color that bothers me, although one might wonder about the crazy person who thought of this strange color.

In France, the driving license is expensive, very expensive, count on more than €1,600 for the first pass. Already the price of the minimum package is incredibly prohibitive, you generally have to count on a much higher price if the driving school you go to tries to rip you off.

But the problem is not really the driving school. From year to year, the driving test has become more and more difficult, so much so that only half of the students pass the practical test on the first try. And there, the hours accumulated make the price of the famous sesame soar: €2,200 on average.

Are you a city dweller or a country dweller?

I am deeply urban. I have always appreciated the city, living and living not far from the center. It's ingrained in me. Close to shops, cinemas, bars, everything. The distances are much shorter, everything is concentrated and accessible in a reduced area.

Rural life is no less interesting, the pace is less sustained, the distances, although longer between each actor, leave a gentle feeling of peace. Pure air when you don't live too close to a herd of cows and silence. A real silence that doesn't exist in the city, where no matter the time of day or night, there is always something happening. And in this incessant murmur, silence does not exist.

Rural and urban environments each have advantages and disadvantages.

Living in the countryside

To fully understand the issues specific to rural travel, I made a drastic decision. Rather than relying solely on figures, statistics, and other difficult-to-digest publications, I chose to go and live in the countryside for several months.

Yes, imagine me, a city dweller through and through, leaving my apartment in the center of Grenoble for a shared house. Finally, imagine me without the slightest opposite, between agricultural land and a plethora of cattle. To tell the truth, it was a good thing: my two sisters had decided to share a flat. So I joined my sisters’ project to be part of this adventure. On the program: a magnificent garden, increased proximity to family and of course increased distances between shops, housing and friends scattered between several towns.

The biggest downside for me: the nearest station is around ten kilometers away, this will make my comings and goings a little more complex. This is also one of the reasons that pushed me to choose an electrically assisted bicycle (more commonly called an VAE), for my daily trips. Me cheating? Never !

The public transport offer is not entirely bad, but it is expensive and generally only covers one segment of the trip to be made.

If you don't have thousands of euros to spend on an e-bike, the answer may lie in carpooling, many commuters make a daily round trip from the countryside to the city.

How to position yourself on the road while cycling?

Who says countryside, says main roads without cycle paths. And that’s a shame. So while waiting for the municipalities to change this situation, your behavior on major roads (national or departmental) can help you not to get scared when you get on your 2 wheels. In fact, your positioning on the lane gives an implicit message to any vehicle capable of overtaking you.

If you bite the right line, or you are squarely to the right of the lane, you give a signal to the others: you can overtake me. This message, although correct, will not be of any use to you. Indeed, cars will tend to overtake you without marking the correct lateral distance. It’s actually the best way to give yourself the best scares! The best for you is to position yourself in the middle of your lane, or barely further to the right than the center, in order to force vehicles to change lanes to overtake you. Of course, depending on the situation, you can always fall back on the right.

Legally, to overtake a bicycle, the lateral distance must vary between 1 meter if you are in town and 1.5 meters outside built-up areas. But these legal provisions are almost never respected: too few motorists worry about this “detail”, especially since these offenses are rarely reprimanded by the police. But what do you want, I always dreamed of ending my life crushed by a car.

In his book “Bike Snob,” Eben Weiss talks in detail about what could be described as “trip memory.” Some roads do not have cycle paths, and I know that there is a fear of being run over on a secondary road in the collective unconscious. And it is justified. In addition to your behavior which can help you as explained in the previous paragraphs, the regularity of your journeys will allow motorists to think of you. Let me explain: if you regularly make the same journey, motorists who make the same journey at the same time will gradually integrate you mentally, day after day. They will become aware of your presence in the long term, to better avoid you.

Conclusion

I think that living in simplicity requires creating or integrating a small community where everyone helps each other and has a role to play. In any case, it is made easier. “Family” co-living is a good example, although small community models with different interconnected households sharing common values ​​seem conducive to general flourishing, or even synergy.

Living in the city

In the city, trips of 5 kilometers or less are as quick by bike as by car, or even faster by bicycle.

As I told you about in the introductory chapter, I was born with a mouse in my hand. So, like any self-respecting young person of my generation, I experimented with dating sites. What does this have to do with a car-free life? It's quite simple. When I wanted to meet online for the first time, I always tried not to bring it up, to avoid the subject.

I was lucky to live in the center of Grenoble: I didn't really need a vehicle for a meeting, apart from a bike, my legs or public transport. But I wasn't necessarily very comfortable with that because whatever people say, the car is - in the world of appearances and the superficial - one of the essential elements of the perfect guy's kit, which goes with the full-time permanent job and the chocolate bars.

Yes, prejudices die hard! Since then, I have realized that my way of functioning was not so marginal, that it was in fact one of the foundations of my way of thinking, and that I saw the world differently in part because I was just a pedestrian.

In the heart of Copenhagen

In Denmark, the country's capital is full of surprises. At the time, the large basin in the heart of the Nyhavn district welcomed ships. Lined with multicolored houses, the atmosphere is exhilarating. Although it is still possible to travel by sea, it is not for its boats that Copenhagen is best known.

Figures to make your head spin

I couldn't write a book about life without a car without mentioning the cycling capital. Anchored in the culture of the city, cycle paths are an integral part of the landscape. It was in the 1980s that the municipality of Copenhagen integrated the first cycle paths. Today, with 1,200 km of cycle paths, including 1,000 km completely separated from roads, Copenhagen takes first place in the ranking of cities ideally designed for travel by bicycle.

As Mikael Colville-Andersen tells us: “Look at all the studies we have here on the benefits of cycling. They show us that in the short term, we save costs in the health system or because there are fewer delays at work.” The consequences of using a bicycle are numerous: a less congested city, a paltry annual cost.

One of the first things that struck me was the size of the cycle paths on certain avenues: the equivalent of a double car lane reserved for cyclists, when on the same street there is only a single lane for cars. By giving more space to bicycles and dividing the different modes of travel, cyclists have regained possession of part of the road. Because the cyclist needs to feel safe, otherwise he will ultimately choose another means of transport. What better way for manufacturers and lobbies to use fear as leverage?

One of the city of Copenhagen's objectives is to reach 50% of people transported by bicycle on their journeys to work. And off we go!

Practical initiatives

I quickly realized that there are details that make the difference: clever little installations that make everyday life easier for cyclists. On some tracks, a series of LEDs light up to tell you that you are in sync with the green light, and that you can push the pedals hard! There are inclined bins, the angle of which has been specially designed so that you can make a basket without missing. Clever!

The bikes from the city of Copenhagen's rental service are much more interesting than our French counterparts: they include a GPS system and electric assistance for €4 per hour.

Another very surprising mode of operation concerns poorly parked bicycles. Rather than fining cyclists, bicycles are moved to a bicycle garage. The chains are greased, the tires inflated, and a small note is affixed to the bike, telling cyclists to use the parking lots provided for this purpose.

How to live without a car?

Are you still not convinced of the benefits of a car-free life? Then this chapter is for you. I will offer you situation after situation, solutions to each circumstance that you may face in your daily life.

Theoretically, it's quite simple. In most cases, it involves moving from point A to point B. Generally, you even return to point A after going to point B. The main thing is to define your most frequent trips, and to find the mode of transport best suited to the distance that separates you from your different trips.

Intermodality: a major issue

Mathieu is a great guy. Very urban, he lives in the eighth arrondissement of Lyon with his wife. In addition to making very good Romanian coffee (yes, his wife was born there), being an outstanding guitarist (no it's not jealousy, but despite all my good will I couldn't match him), he is an exceptional psychologist. Yes, this is important, because the last time I was at his house, when I took his bike out of his garage, I realized that the brand of his bike was “Foldingue”.

What’s the last straw for a psychologist? It’s having a folding bike.

No more questionable jokes! He is also a very good example of intermodality: he combines bicycle and train to get to work every day of the week. This is what lies behind the word intermodality: using and mixing several means of transport for a single trip. And somewhere, we can say that we are all a little intermodal. Even when you get off the tram, or have just parked your car: you always take at least a few steps with your feet.

SNCF as spearhead

While train transport should represent an asset in the concept of intermodality, the reality is quite different. In recent years in France, the solutions for switching from train to bicycle have become more complex.

First observation: the price of the “bicycle” supplement on national SNCF journeys. This is quite simply an aberration and a hindrance to interoperability in my opinion.

In 2014, SNCF deployed an entire fleet of new trains: the Régiolis. These trains are a total regression regarding bicycle spaces, and are in total contradiction with the principles of intermodality. Previously, the old trains made it possible to store a significant number of bicycles with a system of hanging hooks.

Instead, the Régiolis have a small and poorly thought out space where you can put your bike, where all the bikes are piled up and attached by a single strap. It is therefore much less convenient for a user to remove their bike from the pile.

The alternative in place is to use station boxes which are most often free in rural stations, but which sometimes require payment in large towns.

Let’s break down each journey

Work and leisure

Going to work is arguably the most meaningful journey of all, as it is usually undertaken daily. Every day, 5 days a week! The average home-work distance is 25.9 km in France. For half of employees, the distance is less than 7.9 km.

I have a rather particular vision of work. After years spent on a permanent contract in an office, which I thought was my career, I now work as a consultant on my own life. What makes me happy every day? Today, I am sitting on the terrace of a café, and I am writing this book. This is my job today. I don't know yet what I will do tomorrow. I can enjoy every day and every moment that life has in store for me.

I therefore call work not only the definition that can be found in the dictionary: “Regular and paid professional activity”, but also this other definition (which is also in the dictionary, but which we tend to forget): “Human activity applied to the production, creation, maintenance of something”. Namely, what makes you tick. This category therefore includes work in the traditional sense of the term, but also your leisure and other activities, or your journeys to school if you are a student.

First, analyze the current situation: how long does it take you to get from home to work? Is this situation right for you? If you live in the city, it will be easy for you to switch from the car to the bike or public transport, and if your bike ride does not exceed 25 minutes, it's a win! You can also check if a carpooling site does not offer a driver who makes the same journeys as you.

If you are used to taking long journeys by car and you are in the countryside, you will have to think about it and change your habits. If your departure and destination cities are well served by a train, consider alternating between train and bike: this is one of the most effective combos.

If these suggestions don't work for you, it may be time to move. Find accommodation closer to your work: you'll spend less time on the road, and more time with your family, friends, or dog!

Psychological distance

A few days ago, I was chatting with a friend who had been thinking about going to work by bike for a while. She finally wanted to “take the plunge”! I was very happy for her, because for me, it is one of the most frequent journeys and on which it seems interesting to cut my teeth. It is also possible to start with small leisure trips.

However, after a few discussions, I realized that the distance between his home and his office is 15 km. 30 kilometers round trip! If you are a professional cyclist, you will tell me that you do 70 km per ride on average. But not everyone is superhuman, like you.

It is important to understand that to meet this challenge in the long term, the psychological distance must be adapted. 15 km is above all sweat, fatigue and a significant amount of time spent on your two wheels.

You need to ask yourself the right questions: would I be able to last an hour's morning commute? Do you have a shower at your office? Are there any big climbs?

Don’t aim too high! Or, in this case, use an electrically assisted bicycle. That’s what I advised him to do.

Work from home

Teleworking is becoming more and more widespread. The reality is that you don’t need any transportation. If it's your own business, you probably have some business trips to accommodate, but the procedure is the same as any trip.

Taking your children to school

What do you mean you don’t have kids? What are you waiting for? Breed!

In the majority of cases, the children are in a “area” school, not far from your main accommodation. If you live in an urban environment, the bike is ideal for this, whether with a rear baby carrier or – if you have several children – a cargo bike. The morning ride with your child can be fun: if they are old enough and know how to ride a bike, why not do the bike ride with them?

Shopping

No, you don’t need a car to do your shopping! Get that out of your head! In India, artisans transport tens of kilos of materials with a simple bicycle every day. It’s all a question of the right tool for your needs.

As for me, I have a bike with panniers attached to my luggage rack. I sometimes add a hiking bag to that. You can also hang a simple wooden crate on your luggage rack or a basket on your handlebars, it does the job very well. Tip: Always keep a few bungees on hand, so if you run too many errands you can always tie your bag down.

For a single person, the bags are enough, but what can you do when you have a family of 4, 5 or even more mouths to feed? Again, a simple trailer attached to your bike will do the trick!

Either way, you'll think about your errands differently by cycling: take the essentials, stick to your list to avoid the superfluous, and everything should be fine.

If you have a convenience store near you, that’s ideal! In case you are missing an ingredient, you can even walk there.

Some retailers offer home delivery, while some websites can send everyday items on a schedule. Delivery does not eliminate transport impacts: according to ADEME, urban logistics accounts for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions from urban transport and about one third of air-pollutant emissions¹⁴. Grouping orders, using a collection point or choosing cycle logistics can reduce that impact.

Instead, try to think local: minimize the journey between the product design location and your closet. The shorter the distance, the poorer the carbon index of the object in question will be. The ideal is to produce your own food, but not everyone has the time or space. Another solution: AMAP (Association for the Maintenance of Peasant Agriculture), which generally offer weekly or monthly baskets with seasonal fruits and vegetables, and sometimes even local meat!

Going on vacation

It is unrealistic to think that you need a vehicle to go on vacation. When you go to a heavenly place, are you going to park your car on the plane and get out with it? No.

The majority of overseas destinations allow you to go wherever you want without having to rent a vehicle, there is always something to do within walking distance of your hotel. If this is not the case, prepare your trip properly by checking the alternatives available to you on site.

For regional or national holidays: take the train or carpool and your bike is ideal. When you (or your partner) drive several hours to get to the destination of your choice, you end the journey tired, angry, exhausted. In addition to the time spent driving, you are exhausted and will use your first day of vacation to rest. Remember that in travel, the journey is almost more important than the destination.

A few years ago, I spent a fabulous weekend with my partner at Château le Martinet, in Violès. On our way, after taking the train, we visited the city of Orange and its fabulous ancient theater. To reach the castle, we went to the town of Violès by bus. However, due to not having planned our journey, we had not anticipated that the distance between the bus stop and the castle would take around 1 hour. We were at the end of our rope, after walking all day, but we still found the strength to move to our room. Once we arrived, our host explained to us that she could have picked us up in town, rather than walking the whole way. However, we were immediately able to appreciate our room at its true value, and miss breakfast the next morning. That didn’t stop us from wandering around all day the next day.

Go see your family

The advantage of going to see your family is that you can ask to be picked up by the train. If the station is not very far, you can also get on board and continue your journey by bike.

Moving

Carrying heavy or bulky loads can cause knots in your brain. You will actually have to use a motorized vehicle, preferably with 4 wheels, to transport your entire life. But in the vast majority of cases, you will need a vehicle larger than a simple car: a van is ideal. In this case, here are the solutions available to you:

• If you have a license, you can rent a utility vehicle for the day for a few dozen euros. *If you do not have a license, you can ask a friend to help you with your move by driving your rental.
• If you don't have a friend (it's sad, but it happens), you can call on a moving service, which takes care of transporting all your belongings from point A to point B. The service even includes the packaging of your goods according to contracts.

Most of the time, when I buy furniture, I have it delivered directly to my home; most brands offer this service. However, it sometimes happens that a friend comes to help me, when certain devices are only delivered to the foot of your building, or offer a prohibitive price to transport your device to your landing. At that moment, an exchange of good practices, I exchange my computer knowledge for muscular biceps.

Bike couriers now make it possible to move heavy loads: some easily transport dishwashers and other very bulky items on their cargo bikes, or using a bike trailer.

Bad weather

Ski goggles cover my eyes. My gloves, which have already been put to the test in recent days, are ready to protect me from bad weather. A slightly ugly rain pants - always less than Lycra - acts as protection, resistant to the slightest drop of rain or each snowflake.

I leave my house invaded in a few seconds by a freezing cold. A few minutes after riding my steed, my body finally warms up.

What means of transport should I use?

It would be easy to "jump" directly from the car to the bike, because we're not going to lie, the choice of two wheels becomes almost obvious when we have exhausted the stock of mechanical or electrical means of getting around.

And yet, we can view each journey, each destination or each journey in a unique way. Just like eating, drinking or breathing, moving is almost vital, it is at least an essential act for our survival. Instead of putting up with it, you might as well choose your weapons, you might as well do without necessity and mix business with pleasure.

I previously mentioned the benefits of active modes on the body. But each step or each pedal stroke is a choice you make, a vote to favor a mode of travel.

The following chapter will discuss the different ways to get around without having to resort to a personal means of transport using fossil fuels. This section is far from exhaustive, and it also includes services.

Hitchhiking

Point your thumb in the direction of where you want to go, or indicate your destination with a thick marker on a large piece of cardboard. You just have to hope that someone stops. Although this practice is popular in rural areas, it is not really used in cities.

Note that the decision on the part of a motorist to pick up a hitchhiker is made in a few seconds. So avoid scaring to increase your chances of being caught. To do this, nothing could be simpler: bring your best smile and a good dose of patience. Because yes, hitchhiking is not an exact science.

A few years ago, I was picked up by a taxi driver. He was heading to a race, and seemed friendly. I still asked him if he was going to charge me for the fare, because I didn't have a penny in my pocket. No, he was just in a good mood.

When in doubt, bring a tear gas canister or a baseball bat (although it is less practical to carry: the telescopic baton seems more appropriate), you never know who you might run into.

Car sharing

Car sharing generally takes the form of an organization providing a fleet of vehicles that can be used by customers during their travels. As soon as the vehicle is no longer used, another person can use it.

Carpooling

Carpooling was designed to relieve congestion on the roads and share the costs associated with travel and car maintenance. Although the initial goal is not to make money for the driver, a “full” car can easily reimburse the driver in full for their trip.

I remember an acquaintance, Gilbert, who during a conversation confided to me that in addition to having his trips reimbursed in full by his company, since they were professional trips as a salesperson, he published carpooling ads and thus rounded off his monthly income with nearly €300 in profits. This might give you some ideas if you're a driver, but it doesn't seem legal to me.

However, if you are a driver and you make a long (from around twenty minutes) and frequent journey, put an ad online. At the end of the month, the accumulated amounts can quickly represent a small fortune.

Walk

No accessories are necessary, you don't depend on anything or anyone, and it costs nothing. Unless you're lazy, but that's another story. If you're in a hurry, you can even run (provided you're not loaded like a mule). The WHO recommends walking at least 10,000 steps every day: this is approximately 6 km. So, don’t hesitate and take advantage of this little moment of relaxation every day to disconnect.

Where you live is suitable – or not – for walking, depending on the distance between your home and the surrounding businesses, or where you work. In fact, a pedestrian living in a city center is more mobile than a motorist in an urban area. Pedestrians only have to take a few steps to reach the shops in their neighborhood. When it comes to mobility, it is important to understand that it is not the distance that counts, but the time it takes to cover it.

Fun mobility

What fun transports have in common: a small footprint that allows them to be carried by hand when you arrive at your destination, and they are fun to use. That is, when you know how to make them! In addition, these means are very interesting and practical to use with a view to intermodality, or for very short journeys, because they take up almost no space and can be easily stored in a locker, the corner of a room and are accepted on public transport.

For aficionados of any of his practices, do not consider this categorization to be an insult. I myself am an avid skateboarder and roller skater.

Board

Skateboarding is the least bulky means of transport, whether it's a cruiser, a longboard, or the traditional skateboard to try the ramp, you will always find a place for it at home or on your travels, under cover, and will therefore never have it stolen.

The “figure” skateboard is not the most suitable board for transportation. Because of its small wheels, the slightest roughness in the asphalt can overcome the best skateboarders. But if you only have this on hand or want to do a few tricks from time to time, it is ideal.

The longboard is, as its name suggests, large and heavy (especially in its wooden version), but it is the most maneuverable. With big wheels, you can easily pass the sidewalks without stopping.

The cruiser, one of the first board models to come back into fashion, is generally small, maneuverable, and very light. You can find new ones at any sports store for less than €50.

The biggest advantage of using a board is that, due to its small size, you can mix the use of your board with carpooling or public transport. This is an incomparable advantage over cycling: buses do not generally accept them, especially when there is no storage space available, and carpooling requires specific equipment (bike rack), which is not always the case.

Suitable for short journeys (less than 10 minutes), to go buy bread for example, or to finish a bus journey (as seen in the previous paragraph), it is however not the most comfortable, and you will often have to switch to walking mode, between sidewalks and other unsuitable roads.

I still have a board, a small plastic cruiser, but I admit that I generally only use it once a month. I think if I still have it, it's out of nostalgia for all my years spent on a skateboard.

Rollerblades

If you are seriously considering using rollerblading in your daily life, choose a good pair of touring rollerblades, with at least 90 millimeter wheels.

The main problem with roller skating is that it is only tolerated, or you do it. On the sidewalk it is allowed, but you have to be careful of pedestrians, of course. On cycle paths, bicycles have priority. On the road, I advise you to be very careful: the wide movements of skating can surprise the motorist.

And don't forget: just an upset grandma can throw her purse in your face if she's in a bad mood. Yes, I have already paid the price.

Scooter

Although it was first designed and distributed as a child's toy, the scooter has established itself in the city as a tool of choice for "ultra short" journeys. Easy to handle and transportable, it has seen a considerable revival in its electrically assisted version.

Hoverboard

No, I'm not going to talk about the famous pink board at Marty McFly's feet in Back to the Future. It's more of a type of segway, without the arm to place your hands on. Using the gyrostatic principle, you simply shift your weight forward on one side of the board to move forward right or left.

Train

The train and me have always been intense. When I was in high school, I had a girlfriend who I went to see from time to time. When I started my higher education, I also started using it regularly, generally on weekends to go home and see my parents.

I don't really want to get into the debate about train punctuality, but the facts are there!

Regarding reservations, I suggest you try the Trainline¹⁵ service (formerly Captain Train), which offers an ergonomic and very well thought-out interface for your online ticket purchases. Applications are of course available for smartphones.

Public transport

I used public transport for years, especially between bike purchases (yes, my bikes have a strange propensity to disappear), or when the winter was harsh and my motivation to get on a bike suddenly disappeared.

The undeniable advantage of public transport is its ability to cover (depending on the regions and towns) large areas with a single subscription, through the interconnection of buses, trams, metros, as well as the frequency of passages, adapted to peak times. Plus, you can finish your night or take some time to read during your trip.

Did you know? Having your car is on average 20 times more expensive than an annual public transport subscription.

Bike

“This horse of wood and steel fills a void in modern existence; it not only responds to needs, but to aspirations. » ¹⁶

If I had to keep just one, it would be the bike. I wondered for a while why the little queen surpassed all other means of transportation. It's actually childishly simple: for the same energy supplied, the bike allows you to go 2 to 3 times faster. Without getting tired, you can cover many kilometers.

Let's say that we can go further, faster, while being on a human scale: you pull yourself with the strength of your calves, on a light and compact device. And like walking, you have a speed that allows you to observe what is happening around you and quickly stop to appreciate your surroundings.

Cargo Bike

The other day I was listening to a radio show. A plumber decided to do his repairs by bike. His device of choice? A cargo bike. With this device, it is possible to load large quantities of equipment, do your shopping, take your children to school.

The initiatives of craftsmen and entrepreneurs setting up a business built around cargo bike transport or repairs are multiplying.

A slightly cheaper alternative to the cargo bike (which is a bit expensive) is to add a trailer to your bike. There are dozens of models, you will undoubtedly find the one that suits you. Prices start around €100, and can soar to several thousand euros.

Electric-assisted bicycle

I am a fan of electric bikes, also called VAE. I have already talked about it previously, and as far as I am concerned, it is a real alternative that presents itself when your regular journeys are a little too long to be done with a classic bike. It allows you to go faster, while maintaining a reasonable pace. It allows you to climb the most arduous hills without the slightest difficulty, without sweat. Just like bicycles, you are not required to take out insurance to ride them.

During one of my e-bike trips, a local resident told me that he doubted the environmental value of the solution because much of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power. That point needs context. In 2024, nuclear power supplied 67.1% of French electricity production and renewables supplied 27.8%. Overall, 95% of production was low-carbon, with an average carbon intensity of 21.7 gCO₂e/kWh¹⁷. An e-bike is not impact-free, particularly because of its battery, but using one in France relies on very low-carbon electricity.

There are e-bike models offering speeds of up to 45 km/h, but these fall outside the scope of VAE regulations, they are in the same category as scooters.

Electric car

Although the cover of this book is illustrated by a Tesla and the first quote in this book - that of Schwarzenegger - evokes a duality between electric car and gasoline car, this does not mean that I completely adhere to the concept of the "nuclear" car (see the chapter on the [electrically assisted bicycle] (#electric-assisted bicycle)). While it is true that from an ecological point of view this alternative seems to bode much better, other elements, such as congestion - due to the volume of the vehicle - are rarely taken into account, to favor a certain comfort: air conditioning, car radio or even ejection seat with jetpack and integrated parachute.

Conclusion

I'm lucky to have never experienced traffic jams as a driver. You know when you go south at the same time as everyone else and the road gets congested and you can only go a few meters in an hour. You think that you would go faster on foot, walking on the side of the road with your luggage.

I am aware that my thoughts will not be shared by everyone, but in my opinion, the journey is often much more important than the destination.

During this work, I drew the outlines of my vision and my hopes for transport in the future. The decline of the car in favor of bicycles and pedestrians, the way in which cities are designed and their direct influence on our daily travel choices.

I have touched on the surface concepts that you will need to explore in more depth, or even appropriate, to perhaps better understand their importance. I can cite, among others, degrowth, consumption, credit and sustainable development. All these concepts are linked and form a whole that I advise you to understand.

I don't know if my daily life without a car compensates for other less thoughtful choices in the balance of life, like my carnivorous diet or my generational predispositions to abuse technology.

Living without a car is another way of “living local”, at a time when you can cross the globe in just a few hours, with an airliner averaging around 500 km/h.

Are you ready to change your habits? No, I don't think that's the right question. Do you want to make money, without having to cut corners? Are you ready to be fitter every day, without having to overdo the sport? Do you want to participate with me in making this world a better place?

If there is any of these questions to which you answer "yes", sell your car, and start changing your daily life.

Lexicon

Autosolism

When a motorist drives alone in his car.

Decline

Concept according to which economic growth constitutes more of a source of harm than of benefit for humanity.

The question of decline is addressed in the chapter An economic question.

Intermodality

Use of several modes of transport during the same trip.

Desire lines

During urban development, landscapers regularly see “desire lines” emerging. This is soil erosion created by the repeated passage of pedestrians, cyclists, or animals wishing to move from point A to point B by the shortest (or simplest) path. This indicates an inappropriate, even embarrassing, layout of the urban environment.

Active modes

Active modes are non-motorized means of transport. They can, however, be mechanized. For example, walking and cycling are active modes.

Commuters

Person who makes daily trips between a city center and an urban outskirts.

Vélotaff

Go to work by bike.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the people who recognize themselves in this book, those I disturbed with my strange questions, and the others who read.

The first preview version was first revised by Lucie and Valérie Lacoste.

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