Carfree News by Caffeine Jones

I found this little tidbit on the Portland carfree day list. It comes from indymedia, and it's worth visiting, because the comments are really interesting.


I visited your city and I'm sorry for driving

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2006/10/348177.shtml

After a lifetime of never owning a car, I recently got a job that is 30
mi. from home and not served by public transit. I brought my car this
weekend when I came to visit your lovely city and I just wanted to
apologize for driving though it.
I arrived on Sunday, just before sunset. Portland has always been
something of a mind-fuck for me, an awesome city that reminds me so much
of Minneapolis, a city I love. This week, I had some work-related
business to take care of in Portland, and so I came early to check it out.

I need to apologize to you. I am so sorry I brought my car. Just because
I get really good mileage is no excuse. I drove my car around to get a
sense of your city, and I feel like I have no understanding of what your
city is really like because I saw it mostly at night, from my steel cage.

I just recently bought this car, so part of this is my own hang-up, but
seriously, your city is so NOT car-friendly, which is such a beautiful
thing. I LOVE all the speed bumps on sidestreets. I love how fucking
narrow the lanes in many of the main roads become. So not SUV-friendly.
I'm sure this is no news to you, but so many of your roads could easily
be converted to car-free arterials. I'm so damn sorry I drove, but I
just want to wish you the best as you transition your city to a car-free
city, or at least with several car-free roads. It's going to be easier
there and than in most cities.

I'l bring my bike next time and I'll take the train.