What's it like to give up your car for a week? I'm about to find out.
Alternative Transportation Week is May 9-15, and I've decided to take the Car-Free Challenge put out by the Quad Cities Transportation Advocacy Group. From Saturday through the following Friday, I will give up my van -- and not ride in any other automobile whatsoever -- as I go about my daily life. I will either walk, ride my trusty Schwinn or take public transportation wherever I need to go. The goal of ATW and the Car-Free Challenge is not just to get more people thinking about using Earth-friendly and healthier modes of transportation, but to show them, and get them to experience, just how easy it is to get around without a car in the Quad-Cities.
I do several environmentally responsible things -- I recycle, use canvas bags at the grocery store and have installed fluorescent light bulbs and low-flow showerheads in my house. But when it comes to getting around town ... well, I have been thinking (operative word: thinking) about riding my bike to work for quite some time, but have yet to follow through.
Now I have the motivation I need: a challenge.
Logistically, it will be easy. I live in Rock Island, just a 10-minute ride or so down the hill to where I can get on the bike path. From there, it's just a 3-mile ride to downtown Moline and my office in the Dispatch building. There's even a shower in the pressmen's locker room in case I work up a sweat.
Of course, I can't control the weather. A little rain, I can handle. A lot and, well, I'll just hop on the bus.
Actually, riding public transportation is a key element of ATW. So one day at least, whether it rains or not, I will hop on the Metro bus near my home and make the required transfers to get to work. I may even "bike and bus" -- putting my bike on the rack in front of the bus and taking it with me. (Anyone who does this May 11-15 will ride for free.)
If you're interested in joining me and others for ATW, stop by the QC TAG booth at the Freight House Farmers' Market in downtown Davenport from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, or visit the QC Transit or QC TAG Web sites. If you'd rather just join me virtually, read this blog.
I do several environmentally responsible things -- I recycle, use canvas bags at the grocery store and have installed fluorescent light bulbs and low-flow showerheads in my house. But when it comes to getting around town ... well, I have been thinking (operative word: thinking) about riding my bike to work for quite some time, but have yet to follow through.
Now I have the motivation I need: a challenge.
Logistically, it will be easy. I live in Rock Island, just a 10-minute ride or so down the hill to where I can get on the bike path. From there, it's just a 3-mile ride to downtown Moline and my office in the Dispatch building. There's even a shower in the pressmen's locker room in case I work up a sweat.
Of course, I can't control the weather. A little rain, I can handle. A lot and, well, I'll just hop on the bus.
Actually, riding public transportation is a key element of ATW. So one day at least, whether it rains or not, I will hop on the Metro bus near my home and make the required transfers to get to work. I may even "bike and bus" -- putting my bike on the rack in front of the bus and taking it with me. (Anyone who does this May 11-15 will ride for free.)
If you're interested in joining me and others for ATW, stop by the QC TAG booth at the Freight House Farmers' Market in downtown Davenport from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, or visit the QC Transit or QC TAG Web sites. If you'd rather just join me virtually, read this blog.
This is great for you; but my 39 year old son does it regularly. He does it because of neccessitiy. He is currently unemployed and has to job hunt this way because there is simply no money for gas/insurance/or car repairs. This is not a novel idea for a paper story--it truly is a way of life. And in bad weather it is the bus. Good luck with your experiment!
ReplyDeleteI live in DeWitt and last summer my kids and I walked everywhere because of the cost of gas. I only drove my van if I had to go out of town for groceries( we have a local grocery but way to expensive for a family of 5 better off spending the gas money!!) We walked to the pool, library, park, vacation bible school. I plan to do the same this year plus helps my kids and I stay healthy!
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