No Turning Back
We celebrated one year of carlessness yesterday by participating in arguably the most iconic symbol of Portland’s bike culture: the Bridge Pedal. The Bridge Pedal is a one day event where bikes have access to all ten of Portland’s downtown bridges, including the upper deck of the city’s two freeway bridges. The ride attracts 20,000 riders, many of whom are children experiencing for the first time the thrill of biking where normally only cars tread. Given the amount of time we regularly spend on our bikes, the ride itself is not a revelation. But we still look forward to the once-a-year views from the top of Portland’s highest bridges and the feeling of communing with thousands of other cyclists, in contrast to our typical solitary, “us against the world” rides. Our faith in the mission of the ride was sorely tested this year, as the ride has become a victim of its own success. Congestion normally experienced only by cars was everywhere for cyclists, forcing a number of “bridge walks” instead of bridge rides, and testing the patience of a group known to be far more easygoing than its four wheel brethren. Regardless, the ride’s popularity is a high class problem and one that only speaks to the surging demand in places like Portland for greater access to roads by bikes.
Our carfree anniversary is also a time to reflect on the lessons from the past year. First, the statistics: during the past 12 months, we drove 11,660 miles, which is 6,340 miles less than our average annual total prior to beginning this experiment. Roughly 4,000 miles were saved by eliminating a work commute to the suburbs (my wife worked in the suburbs for a third of the year, so 4,000 miles is the difference between my previous commute and her four month total). The remaining 2,300 miles represent the collective impact of hundreds, maybe even a thousand, individual decisions to not use the car. Using carboncounter.org, our 6,340 foregone miles represent 2.5 tons of CO2 emissions that we didn’t produce. We also saved roughly $850 in gas purchases during the year. We weren’t able to enjoy the benefits of being a one car household for much of the year, but next year we will likely add another $1,000 in savings from getting rid of the second car.
The statistics tell only a minor part of the story. The past year has been unbelievably enriching for my family. We are healthier, spend far more of our time outdoors, and are better connected to our neighborhood and surroundings. Family bike trips, which include priceless quality time together, occur almost daily. My kids, who started the year grumbling and skeptical, are now as evangelical about carfree living as my wife and I. And while I don’t want to take credit for anyone else’s epiphany about the benefits of eschewing the car, the increase in biking and walking among our circle of acquaintances seems more than just coincidental. I certainly have a healthy ego, but when it comes to crucial lifestyles changes like these, I really don’t care who takes the credit.
The challenge for the upcoming year is to reduce our car use even further, and the miles driven by car in particular. While we complete over 70% of all trips without a car, nearly 12,000 miles is still a fairly high number for a family that claims to be living a carfree life. We face the likelihood of having to accomplish this with at least one, and possibly two work commutes each day, and the certainty that our three kids will keep us moving in three different directions as well. But that’s what makes this so much fun. Regardless of what happens the next 12 months, our relationship with the car has been permanently altered. We may still use the car occasionally, but only as a last, grudging resort.