Back in September I mentioned Living (Almost) Car-Free, and since the first week of October is Week Without Driving I figured I would give that a go… and it was easy for me since I bike to work whenever I can. (And I have a partner who usually drives when we go places.)
Of the 20 days I went to work in October I only drove one. I had a dentist appointment in the morning and then had to transport a bike wheel to the bike shop, which was much easier to do with a car. Still, 19 out of 20 work days isn’t too bad.
I did also drive one night when there was a party at someone’s house and I was already headed there late. (Dana skipped the party.) And finally, I drove to a celebration of life thing in Bay View. In total I think I drove three days in October. It’s not “Car Free” but it is “Car Lite”.
I found that on the days I did drive to work I made attempts to stack up errands. So if I was driving due to a dentist appointment, I’d also try to stop by the grocery store to grab things. Some of this could lead to fewer car trips, though it sometimes meant waiting a week or more to get to a place for something.
So far this year I’ve bike to work 56 times, and (in theory) I could get another 38 or so depending on December. I already know there’s one day in November I’ll need to drive.
With gasoline close to $4 USD per gallon I’m probably saving at least $12 per week by not driving. (That’s just fuel cost, not counting wear & tear and vehicle maintenance.)
Of course it’s also close to December, when my body typically breaks down and ruins everything… so we’ll see how it goes!