Snow and the Car-Free Diet

How can you tell who's a candidate for the Car-Free Diet? Easy. Just look for the cars still covered with snow. These photos were all taken in my neighborhood on February 17, twelve days after the February 5 snow began. These are prime candidates. The Car-Free Diet staff should be out dropping brochures on their front porches. Bet there's a few thousand of these cars around the County. 


 

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Steve Offutt, Arlington

Comments

[Dan]

Carla, you're right, but that argument works both ways. See this: http://beyonddc.com/log/?p=1496

[Carla]

Except the sidewalks are not shoveled.

Right now I'm walking to work going in the middle of busy Columbia Pike, because I have no clear sidewalks anywhere from my building to my usual bus stop, the 16Y. I would be safer driving, because the roads are clear (since the County conveniently threw all that snow onto the sidewalks).

Trails are also not cleared ANYWHERE, so I haven't been able to run or bike for well over a week (and I'm currently training for a half marathon).

Your argument is the worst. My car is cleared and get on roads fine (and safely). It took a little over an hour, but then it was done. I can't shovel the city's sidewalks (that are now with over 4' of snow) or plow the trails myself, however.

(Please note that I rarely use my car, since I take the bus in the winter and bike to work the other months, so this is NOT coming from someone against a car-free diet. This was just a very poor argument you used, that hit a nerve, specially when your own pictures show sidewalks that have not been treated.)

[Pedro]

Ha. I had this very thought this morning. If your car is still covered with snow or hasn't left that parking space since Feb. 4, maybe it's not such a necessary vehicle.