The importance of being car-less

It’s hard to believe: Coming up on the one-year anniversary of my commitment to live without a car, the Chico City Council has approved the conception of a four-level parking structure downtown.

As I look back over the past year, I’m filled with pride at my accomplishment. After all, a lot of people wouldn’t think a single mother of two could get herself and her kids everywhere they need to go on bikes and still be a “producing” member of our capitalist society. It is difficult at times. Some cold mornings, I dread leaving the house early to ride from my house on W. 22nd Street seven miles to my kindergarten son’s school. Then there’s the return trip at noon to pick him up. But, inevitably, once we get going, with Aidan riding on the “tag-along” one-wheeled bike attachment or in the bike trailer, we feel invigorated and share precious conversations while we ride, noticing all the things along the way that those in cars are going too fast to see.

I get myself to my teacher credential classes at CSUC, to my part-time job and to the grocery store for shopping with the aid of the bike trailer. My 11-year-old son rides his bike to and from school and his jujitsu classes downtown three times per week.

I don’t have time to go to the gym, but I don’t need to! This lifestyle keeps me in shape. The benefits of biking greatly outweigh the disadvantages. Far from putting us at a disadvantage, living without a car makes my kids and me stronger and more disciplined and helps us live with a clean conscience.

People tend to think they can’t get by without a car. Most are simply too lazy to leave their car parked and ride their bike even a couple times per week. As a lazy person, I understand this; if I hadn’t given my (operational) car non-op status with the DMV, I would probably be driving as much as anyone else does. I had to make a firm commitment to actually do it.

With the approval of a new parking structure, the Chico City Council has committed to the promotion of auto use despite the obvious aesthetic detriment to our downtown, the hazards to our health and the environment, and the political turmoil associated with the struggle for oil. Any way you look at it, driving cars (in their current form) is bad for everyone.

As for our one-year anniversary of being car-less, we’re going to celebrate by buying some cool new bike accessories. What could Chico spend public money on, besides a parking garage?