My Week Without Driving
This year I did the "Week Without Driving" challenge from America Walks. Living in a car-centric suburb, this wasn't easy. I tried to encourage other people to do it too, but a lot of them said "I can't, I have to drive someone else somewhere." ...which makes sense, because there are so many people who don't drive, even in the suburbs.
Waiting at the bus stop in the morning, I often saw people walking along a high-speed road with no sidewalk, carrying groceries. Even in places that aren't designed for walking, some people will walk anyway, because they need to get around.
I tried to find safe walking routes throughout the week, but it was harder than I expected. At one point I walked two miles out of the way to get to an event without risking my life excessively. Mostly, though, I relied on the local buses. They don't run very often, but I'm lucky to have any transit access in my suburban town.
This challenge is a great way to learn firsthand about the obstacles that non-drivers face in our communities. It happens every year, so join me next year at weekwithoutdriving.org.
