Tuesday, June 8, 2010

car-free challenge week

It's the car-free challenge week. A San Francisco Chronicle feature, Volunteers cut back on car use for a week, profiles some families' efforts to participate in this challenge. For me the most interesting part of the article are the reader comments. Here's a smattering:
  • "Good idea, quit driving, who's going to pay for the roads you're using? If you're not using gas, it means you're not paying taxes and since you used to drive a prius you've been ripping everyone off and not doing your share. I guess it's time to tax bicycles." (Hmm ... if you don't drive a car, you don't buy gas, therefore you're not paying gas tax, therefore you're ripping off the system. That's a new one.)
  • "Yet another anti-car article brought to you by SFGate ... please, stop shoving the anti-auto agenda down our throats."(Perhaps this reader hasn't seen the Chronicle's car section.)
  • "If a lefty leftist has his/her chauffeur drive, does that count?" (Huh?)
Some of the commentors were more positive:
  • "I thought it would be difficult to not drive, too ... Once you get our of the mind frame of 'getting there in 20 minutes,' it's not so bad. The exercise doesn't hurt either."
  • "I walk, bike , ride Muni/Bart 90% of the time now. I only drive when I go outside SF. The good thing is my blood pressure is normal now, lost 30 lbs and healthier."
  • "Would much rather take public transportation and spend the time reading a novel. See who is happier, the person who just got off BART or the person who drove a car in rush hour traffic."