"Bikes are not for everybody but neither is driving a car". - Christine Thomas
Wise words.
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Jan 24, 2013
Jan 2, 2013
Car Free in Calgary, 3 Years On
One year of car free living here.
Two years of car free living here.
Has it really been 3 years? It sure doesn't feel like its been that long. 3 years of getting around this winter city primarily by bike? Honestly, I am amazed at myself.
When I moved to Calgary from Vancouver back in 1998, the very first thing I did was to buy a car. Granted, my new job required the daily use of one but it was still the primary mission upon landing here. I needed a car even before an apartment. Not long after that I bought into the narrative that Calgary is a car city, full stop (you need to have a car in Calgary...it is so spread out...transit sucks...how would you get to the mountains...).
I never rode my bike in the city, in my regular clothes back then except perhaps, to the pub. I did ride bikes a lot for recreation - road racing, mountain bike racing, free riding, cyclocross, all the training rides - but to ride to the grocery store was just not considered. I'd hop into my shiny new (to me) car and promptly arrive at the Safeway parking lot after about 5 blocks - voila! Need a coffee? No sweat. Just drive the 3 blocks to the Tim Hortons. Slice of pizza for lunch? Easy, it's only 4 blocks away. I was living the Calgary Dream! Drive everywhere, for everything, it's only 20 minutes max to everywhere, right? From that time till the time I gave up my last "daily driver" vehicle 3 years ago I drove close to 500,000 kms - about 50,000 per year, every year. I also gained a lot of weight and my blood pressure went up so high I needed meds.
Kinda feels like another lifetime in a way. Now when I drive a car it feels kind of odd and scary. When I am behind the wheel I am more cautious than ever, usually drive at or below the speed limit, and (thanks to Mia Birk) try really hard to stop for all the people I see wanting to cross the road.
Nowadays, getting around by bike is very much second nature. Life has a new rhythm, a new pace, and new perspective that is so very opposite from the "daily grind" of car commuting in my previous lifetime. Daily life in general is a little slower, requires a little more planning, is a little more interesting, a little bit (physically) harder, a little closer to home, and a little bit happier.
Notice I didn't talk about " a lot" of anything - it isn't a lot harder, it isn't a lot slower, it isn't a lot colder or hotter.
The only thing I can say there has been A LOT of is more money in my pocket!
I am more content than ever. I am eating better. I am in the best shape I've been in for at least 10 years. I love my city and community more than I could have contemplated before. I feel more connected to my city, in a really good way. I am showing my son a way to live happily in this city without wasting money on car ownership. I am ready for at least 3 more years of this for sure!
So, the question now is - What are you waiting for?
Full disclosure - I do own a vehicle - a 1981 Chev 20' RV, affectionately named Putt Putt, that sees about 3000km/year added to its odometer during summer camping trips. It is never driven for anything except road trip adventures or the odd cyclocross race weekend.
Two years of car free living here.
Has it really been 3 years? It sure doesn't feel like its been that long. 3 years of getting around this winter city primarily by bike? Honestly, I am amazed at myself.
When I moved to Calgary from Vancouver back in 1998, the very first thing I did was to buy a car. Granted, my new job required the daily use of one but it was still the primary mission upon landing here. I needed a car even before an apartment. Not long after that I bought into the narrative that Calgary is a car city, full stop (you need to have a car in Calgary...it is so spread out...transit sucks...how would you get to the mountains...).
I never rode my bike in the city, in my regular clothes back then except perhaps, to the pub. I did ride bikes a lot for recreation - road racing, mountain bike racing, free riding, cyclocross, all the training rides - but to ride to the grocery store was just not considered. I'd hop into my shiny new (to me) car and promptly arrive at the Safeway parking lot after about 5 blocks - voila! Need a coffee? No sweat. Just drive the 3 blocks to the Tim Hortons. Slice of pizza for lunch? Easy, it's only 4 blocks away. I was living the Calgary Dream! Drive everywhere, for everything, it's only 20 minutes max to everywhere, right? From that time till the time I gave up my last "daily driver" vehicle 3 years ago I drove close to 500,000 kms - about 50,000 per year, every year. I also gained a lot of weight and my blood pressure went up so high I needed meds.
Kinda feels like another lifetime in a way. Now when I drive a car it feels kind of odd and scary. When I am behind the wheel I am more cautious than ever, usually drive at or below the speed limit, and (thanks to Mia Birk) try really hard to stop for all the people I see wanting to cross the road.
Nowadays, getting around by bike is very much second nature. Life has a new rhythm, a new pace, and new perspective that is so very opposite from the "daily grind" of car commuting in my previous lifetime. Daily life in general is a little slower, requires a little more planning, is a little more interesting, a little bit (physically) harder, a little closer to home, and a little bit happier.
Notice I didn't talk about " a lot" of anything - it isn't a lot harder, it isn't a lot slower, it isn't a lot colder or hotter.
The only thing I can say there has been A LOT of is more money in my pocket!
I am more content than ever. I am eating better. I am in the best shape I've been in for at least 10 years. I love my city and community more than I could have contemplated before. I feel more connected to my city, in a really good way. I am showing my son a way to live happily in this city without wasting money on car ownership. I am ready for at least 3 more years of this for sure!
So, the question now is - What are you waiting for?
Full disclosure - I do own a vehicle - a 1981 Chev 20' RV, affectionately named Putt Putt, that sees about 3000km/year added to its odometer during summer camping trips. It is never driven for anything except road trip adventures or the odd cyclocross race weekend.
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