Did anyone here happen to take Car Sharing LLC up on this invitation? I have serious doubts about whether such car sharing businesses will actually serve to reduce car driving in a university city like Madison.
The program will undoubtedly do most of its business with presently car-less UW students living in and around the UW campus area. By becoming a member of Car Sharing LLC, the individuals will be able to drive to the big malls and big box stores located off the beltline like near everyone else in and around Madison presently do; they will also be able to bar hop to new bars and restaurants not accessible by foot or bicycle, and to travel to outlying residential areas where a majority of their professors undoubted live now (and party). The car-less student will now have the opportunity to access and use "community cars", at all hours of the day -- without having to pay for parking, vehicle maintenance, fuel and car insurance. The students will still be able to get out of paying for city street maintenance services (for the most part), because they will still live in the dorms or be renting apartments where the landlords pay the property taxes. As Car Sharing LLC's invitation says: "pay just for the hours and miles you drive plus a membership fee". [Hidden message: Why ride a bicycle, wear walking shoes, or check bus schedules (and buy bus tickets) when you can conveniently drive everywhere your wish to go?] Car Sharing LLC is targeting the downtown, near-east and near-west locations first, which are the areas where most of Madison's UW student population now live - probably because they can get by without owning and driving a car. With car sharing now being approved and offered in the city, the car-less will still be able to get by without owning a car, but will now have plenty of opportunities to drive one whenever they get the urge to do so. Seems like a step in the wrong direction, does it not? -----Original Message----- From: Sonya C. Newenhouse [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 7:09 PM To: Sonya Newenhouse Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Car Sharing Update & Invitation 8-05-03 You are invited... To the first of many informational meetings about Community Car and carsharing. The Carsharing Feasibility Study was completed in September 2002. Community Car, LLC was incorporated July 4, 2003. We held our investor closing and hired Jay Ferm, President, on July 16, 2003. Service begins September 2003! When: Tuesday, August 5, 7pm-9pm Where: Willy Steet Coop Community Room, 1221 Williamson Street Why: Learn about joining Community Car, find out where the first cars will be located and suggest future locations. Refreshments provided. What's Carsharing? Community Car is a member-based carsharing business for Madison, WI. Members will share access to a fleet of high gas-mileage Members get a key that accesses all cars in the fleet, they reserve cars on the web or by telephone. Pay just for the hours and miles you drive plus a membership fee. Insurance, gasoline and maintenance are included in the rates. Thanks for your support. We look forward to meeting you. Regards, Jay Ferm and Sonya Newenhouse, Community Car (608) 204-0000 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
