We are not hostile to cars here at Shifting Gears Bike Shop, but we do feel strongly about using bicycles as an alternative to driving. We also like to point out that not everyone drives. (We have family members that choose not to, and we have older family members that should choose not to.) You may know someone in your family that doesn’t drive, or you may have noticed the people in our community that don’t drive.
It’s hard to understand the transportation challenges for folks that won’t or can’t drive if you’re always able to take your car. That’s what the Week Without Driving is all about.
What is a Week Without Driving? How does it work?
This year the challenge runs from Thursday, October 1st until Thursday, October 8th.
The idea is to avoid driving a car for a week. That’s it. Do you need to go to school or work? Do you need to buy groceries? Do you need to pickup the kids at daycare? Do those things without driving your car.
From the Week Without Driving website…
Take transit, walk, roll or ride.
Instead of driving yourself, try to figure out another way to get where you need to go for all of or some trips. Walk, roll, take the bus, ride a bike or a scooter.
Ask for a ride.
You can ask or pay for rides from other people. What does it feel like to rely on others? Does it change what trips you take?
Who has choices, what are your choices?
It’s easier to give up your keys if you can afford to live in a walkable area well served by transit. Understand what choices you have and why.
If you still have to drive, you haven’t “failed.”
There may be trips you can only make if you drive yourself. Reflect on what someone who could not drive would have done in your situation.
We want to give you a little encouragement too. If you visit the shop this week and skip the car we will give you 10% off your purchase and you’ll get one of our new limited edition shop pins for your bag or hat. They’re pretty sweet. Just tell us “I’m trying to avoid driving this week.”
The Week Without Driving started in Washing state by Anna Zivarts, Director of Disability Mobility Initiative, at Rights Washington, as a way to draw attention to the folks that have to walk, bicycle, or use transit to get where they need to go. It has expanded across the country thanks to America Walks, an organization focused on accessibility and pedestrian safely.
