Di negeri Belanda bagusnya orang sudah lama sadar akan manfaat sepeda dan
jaringan jalan di semua kota dan diluar kota juga amat ramah sepeda.
Dan transport umum (bus, kereta api, trem) sungguh bagus. .
Hasil sampingan: dibandingkan dengan Amerika, jumlah orang gendut buncit juga
nggak begitu banyak.
--
CNN: Giving up my car was best decision ever
Giving up my car was best decision ever
By Chris Hrubesh, CNN
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
* Chris Hrubesh says trading his car for a bike was one of the best
decisions he's ever made
* Hrubesh gets around Atlanta by cycling and taking public transport
* He estimates he saves between $300 and $500 per month by not owning a car
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Traffic congestion and headaches, as well as car
maintenance, high gas prices and insurance bills bog down many city commuters.
I live in Atlanta, a city where the average commuter wastes 57 hours a year in
rush-hour delays, making it the third worst large city for congestion in the
country, according to a 2009 report from Texas A&M.
However, my commute is probably easier than most, since I live just a short
distance to work and am able to avoid traffic pile-ups and stress.
My commute hasn't always been easy. For years, I drove more than 20 miles to
work, often in grueling conditions from my home in the suburbs to downtown
Atlanta.
Now, my five-minute journey starts from my downtown loft which I bought four
years ago and is stress-free and relaxing.
Each morning, my trek includes a walk down three flights of stairs, where I
grab my handmade bamboo bicycle and enter the city streets with my helmet
fastened and secured.
My commute to CNN, where I work as a senior video editor, allows me the
opportunity to get some exercise as I marvel at the crescent moon and inhale
the fresh early morning air, while my neighbors are still asleep.
I took this plunge I had dreamed of for decades, to be car free, more than a
year ago.
I had been trying to reduce my carbon footprint for years by recycling,
conserving energy at home and planting trees around town with a local
non-profit organization, "Trees Atlanta."
My beloved German sports car was my last hold-out on my journey toward a
"green" lifestyle. I often thought, how could I give up my car in a city with
minimal mass transit and an area that encompasses 131 square miles? I
eventually realized it was possible.
I lived in Atlanta's suburbs for 18 years and drove along congested highways
and roads, as most of my neighbors did. This lifestyle over time was no longer
satisfying to me and I wanted a change. I wanted more time away from traffic
where I could instead enjoy a leisurely walk to trendy cafes, art galleries and
other city life amenities.
Most importantly, I wanted to ride or walk to work and ditch my car for good.
Between repairs, insurance, taxes and gas, my ultimate driving machine was
costing $3,000 to $4,000 a year to drive and was bogging me down.
My first big change toward "greener" living was my purchase of an early 1900s
loft less than a mile from CNN.
I exchanged my coveted parking spot at work for a free gym membership and five
monthly round-trip passes on Atlanta's mass transit system. CNN gives this, as
well as other perks, to employees who walk or ride a bike to work. To me, this
deal was a "no brainer" and I took the bait.
I need access to Atlanta's sprawling surroundings or other places from time to
time, and I have a four-part plan to execute this: public transportation,
Zipcar (a car rental company in many large cities in the United States and UK
that lets you rent by the hour), weekly car rentals for summer vacations and my
trusty bike.
Like a "General Petraeus wannabe," I have to carefully execute my journeys
across Atlanta's hostile roadways -- Georgia was recently ranked 35th out of 50
states for "bike friendliness" by the League of American Bicyclists.
If I determine a route is too far or dangerous for a bicycle, I rent an hourly
hybrid Zipcar which includes gas and insurance coverage.
I take MARTA, Atlanta's train system, to several destinations, usually with my
bike in tow. This allows me to travel to places on my bicycle that might be
hard to otherwise reach.
My greatest challenge in my "green" lifestyle occurs when my 10-year-old son,
Chris Jr., visits me during the summertime and holidays. We spend six weeks
together and have a lot of time to fill. Bike riding and mass transit greatly
limits our ability to roam, so I rent a car to allow us flexibility.
We spend some of our time riding bikes along Atlanta's city streets, too. I
know it's not always fun for him but I want to instill the benefits of riding
and walking as an alternative to driving a car in traffic.
Before each ride, we go over road safety rules, double check the air in his
tires, test his brakes and make sure his helmet is buckled up properly.
I always tell him, "Let's have a good, safe ride."
Ditching my automobile has been one of the best decisions I have ever made,
despite some of the challenges.
Without a car payment, insurance, gas or maintenance, I save at least $300 to
$500 a month, even after I factor in car rentals and bike maintenance.
I have lost and kept off 10 pounds of weight since I made my lifestyle switch
and I have made many new friends that choose to pedal instead of drive.
I plan to live without a car until I find the perfect hybrid, electric or fuel
cell vehicle that won't break my bank account. Once I make that purchase, I
still plan to ride my sleek wooden bike to and from work.
Links referenced within this article
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/19/atlanta.car.free/index.html?hpt=Mid
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© 2008 Cable News Network.
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