One Hundred Thirty-Three

People have very similar reactions to my decision to give up my driving privileges.

Why?!
Why don't you just stop driving?
What are you going to do in an emergency?

In some ways it's like deciding to do Race Across Oregon on a fixed gear.

Why?!
Why don't you just stop shifting?
What are you going to do when it gets too steep to pedal?

OK. It's not a perfect analogy, but you get the point.

I think one of the reasons I do the things I do is because I'm curious and I love a good adventure. Can I survive without a drivers license? What would it be like? Let's try! That's really not a bad explanation IMHO. However, I do have other reasons too:

Basically, cars suck. I'm not saying they don't provide value and enhance our lives. But at what cost? How many people die in car accidents every year? How much time do people waste behind the wheel of a car? How much does driving a car contribute to poor public health? Does the demand for oil cause foreign relations problems? What impact has the automobile had on the environment? How many hours do people have to work to pay for their driving habit?

Call it a statement. Call it an adventure. Call me crazy, if you want. It's a free country after all.

That's about all I have to say about that.

Here's what other people are saying about cars:

http://www.nwei.org/ecotips/CarImpact.pdf
bikeforums.net > Living Car Free
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/