now here's some of my reasons for NOT driving!
- environmental destruction. cars produce heaps of pollution.
- oil. oil equals the reason we're in iraq, the reason chevron and others have destroyed huge sections of the rainforest and alaska and too many other places.
- people drive like morons. the less i drive, the less i have to be around morons.
- i don't want to drive. i can't picture myself hopping into my ugly little (or big, gas-guzzling car) car every day to drive to work, deal with snarls of traffic. i like walking, running, riding my bike, taking the train, and even the bus, much more. these are also all methods i use for getting around.
- i hate the way people can't seem to walk five minutes or ten minutes. they complain about being overweight but then won't walk to the deli 3 blocks away. they drive. this seems to be a very american thing, from what i've seen.
- i like being able to read on my commute. right now, i'm reading we don't need another wave and news of a kidnapping. i recommend both.
- i don't want to be another driver. i don't want my commute or my transport to be causing excess environmental damage. yes, i know, buses and trains are not super friendly, but it's MUCH better for me to cram on a bus with 50 other people than me to get in my car and drive behind 49 other cars with 1 person in them each.
- um, i've forgotten how to drive. i haven't driven in over 2.5 years and i honestly forget which is the gas and which is the brake. seriously.
for v and w, who are also carless by choice. i'm sick of defending my decision to never want to own a car. perhaps this will change someday, but i hope not.
1 comment:
Very sensible reasons, my dear, that I completely agree with. I kind of was car free by default, at first, back in the day; the only person who tried to teach me to drive was my mom, who would freak out every time we went out so that I became fed up and was like, forget this! Then I moved to OH to go to school and couldn't have a car if I wanted to while I lived in the dorms. Then I started becoming more environmentally aware and decided that was the reason I didn't drive: because I shouldn't be driving.
But I'm not so militant that I don't appreciate cars. I was in one the other night. I wouldn't be able to visit my grandparents or my Aunt if someone didn't drive me. I just don't see a reason to drive one all the time. I love the idea of car shares that some cities, such as Portland, OR, have, where you can drive one on occasion when you need one.
And, because I don't have a car, I live in the city. Simple and effective. I walk most of the time. I'll bike when the weather gets better. And if it's really horrendous, I bus. I'm in shape and I love it. I agree that most of society balks at walking a short distance. A lot of my friends in Buffalo do....but I have met some kindred souls who feel the same way as I. There out there, even in cities like the one I live in! (And Buffalo does have a good number of bicyclists, biking museums, and a history of biking.)
One of my friends has another reason why he doesn't drive: he drinks, and he knows he wouldn't have the self restraint not to get behind the wheel of a car if he's been drinking....therefore, he chooses not to drive because he doesn't want to kill anyone.
There's nothing wrong with being car free. I can handle not paying insurance and all the other associated fees that come with owning a car.
And that's very freeing.
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