Foot-train by Choice

If there is one thing I’ve talked about doing for years with failed attempt after failed attempt it is breaking away from my dependence on driving. Saving money, getting more exercise and reducing my carbon emissions were just not reason enough to push me to set my alarm 20 minutes earlier in the morning or to buy practical shoes for walking the city with. So, with knowledge in mind and thousands of people without cars as leading examples I spent one last night with my car under the stars and then said farewell. A post on Kijiji with an offer that would cover just 4 months rent and a few interested buyers and she was out of my life for good.

I’ve quit a lot of things in my life, smoking, drinking, meat, but none of these pleasures was there in such a constant and reassuring way. A best friend, a perceived safety bubble and a protective layer from the elements, this car was there through breakups, getaways and celebrations. But the guilt of knowing the vast amount of unnecessary emissions I was creating constantly hung over my head. How could I preach that we needed to take more actions to eliminate carbon emissions while I journeyed on unnecessary missions to corner stores and drive-thrus?

In the book Carsick by Lyn Sloman she discusses the rule of 40:40:20, the idea that 40% of car trips could have been made by bike, foot or public transport, the other 40% are trips too far to walk, cycle or don’t have adequate transport. The final 20% accounts for journeys that have to be made my car (for example moving or transporting large objects). Taking a look at my own uses I realized that aside from moving once a year and the inability to afford the train to St. Jacobs each weekend, 90% of my car trips could have been made with another alternative, such as foot or public transportation.

So here I am, carless for the first time in 5 years and doing my best to keep up the excitement of riding my grandmothers recently fixed up 71’ Colt Raleigh with basket and bell and getting on buses with surprise destinations. There is no turning back this time, and why would I when I now have an up close and personal opportunity to interact more directly with the world around me. Not only am I unrestricted by safety belts and road signs but I can stop, turn around and venture on my own curiosity driven paths without constraint.

As life often does, the lessons we learn best are those that put us in positions of helplessness and a challenge to use resources we’ve never considered. My first month of carlessness has just concluded and I wonder what other previously perceived ‘need a car’ challenges I could have resolved in the past without one. A new house, two funerals in another city and a wedding up North were issues I could have mindlessly approached when I owned a car. Now strapped for time, dependence on the kindness of my friends and an attempted car rental (walking to Muskoka just wasn’t in the cards) I kept my reasons in check and took the month on headstrong.

After just a few days in my new house and the wisdom of ‘location,location,location’ could not be more obvious. Just a 2-minute walk to every major bus route in the city allows me the freedom (yes, I said it, freedom without a car) to get to every major shopping centre, grocery store and the University all within 30 minutes and with a last minute opportunity to do last nights readings.

Ability to get to means of survival, check!

The challenge of carpooling, something I have only ever known the other side is now making me feel a dependence of new sorts. Recent memories of being treated extra special because of my wheels and the uncertainty of people’s motivates put me in a place where I hoped I was able to make it clear I would return the favour in the snap of a finger if ever I was asked.

Friendships grown from past loyalty to secure a ride in a tough situation, check!

This challenge unfortunately wasn’t all streamers and blow horns, since I should have been spending one of these last weekends clinking glasses of celebration at a wedding up North. With the two aforementioned challenges and a canceled credit card because of fraud, a lack of a G-license because the ministry went on strike the day before my test and a canceled insurance policy because of recently selling my car left me about 6 ‘checks’ from renting a car and completing the challenge.

Aside from the fear that I may have lost a friend or two in the unsuccessfulness of getting to the wedding I don’t feel a single ounce of doubt that giving up the car was the right move for me. This month I’ve saved on gas, insurance and parking, have doubled my physical activity and have seen some beautiful natural landscape by taking shortcuts through wooded paths and meadows. I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in the years to come.

If you are unable to give up your car because of family or work purposes try parking it for a week so see just how (unnecessarily) dependant you are on it and what alternatives might be out there that are less expensive and more rewarding. If you want to learn further about the impacts of cars on the environment or ways in which you can reduce your own emissions check out:

Walkscore.com – shows the nearest services to your location that can be taken by foot
Treehugger.com – current and informative information on the impacts of cars & transportation and planet friendly alternatives
Peoplescar.org – Grandriver CarShare Program