About four years ago I kissed my car goodbye and started a new phase of my life, which I'll call "The Wonder Years", as in I wonder why I owned a car for all those years! (I didn't own the one pictured above, but it might as well have been.) It's been long enough now that I've nearly forgotten the harrowing experiences of taking my former car in for an oil change and the not-so-occasional breakdown - of the car, that is... not my sanity.
Since then I've evolved and use a great bike, Metro, buses, SmartBike, and Zipcar to get around when its too far to walk. I've truly saved hundreds of shekels a year since going car-free because I don't have insurance payments, gas, and maintenance to worry about. And I get a little exercise on my way too, to which I sense my heart and legs are thankful.
Going car-free (not car-less, mind you) worked great for me and I encourage everyone to try it for themselves to see just how easy it really is. If you've been thinking about it, you can try going car-free for 30 days with Arlington's Car-Free Diet Skeptics campaign. Arlington will provide you with everything you need to get around car-free for up to a whole year. This includes a new bike, helmet, and lock; a SmarTrip card loaded monthly with fare; walking sneakers, and a Zipcar membership. (That's more than I got when I went car-free!) The value of the Car-Free Diet Skeptics package will be "Priceless" as the TV ad states because you'll see just how easy it really is to be car-free.
So give it a shot. Your heart, legs, and wallet will be glad you did.
by Paul DeMaio, MetroBike, LLC, a consultant to Arlington County Commuter Services.
Comments