Axle(-less) F: Local Daily Gives Nod to a Healthier Way to Commute (and to Freddie!)

Posted by Freddie on August 13, 2006 under Uncategorized |

How refreshing to see our local daily provide some coverage of an issue that matters and about which it’s not difficult for Nashvillians and Middle Tennesseans to do something about: driving less.

Originally conceived as a piece that would merely cover commuters who have chosen to bike to work, at least occasionally, the piece broadened a little in scope after Ms. Hoang interviewed me. The interview happened after Ms. Hoang was referred to me by the past President of Walk/Bike Nashville, an excellent local advocacy group for bike-ped issues. Apparently, he knew, as some of our regular listeners do, that I have, for the past couple of years, lived intentionally car-free in Nashville. I’m grateful to Ms. Hoang for including some of my comments in her article and for giving attention to this important issue.

While I hadn’t consciously made my decision to live car-free in order to participate in a movement, I do recognize how expensive car ownership is, how polluting driving is, and how complicated our economy and foreign policy become when oil so dominates the landscapes of each. Ms. Hoang doesn’t address most of these issues head on, but her article serves as a good introduction to the notion that driving, even for those who already own a car, is not a necessity in an urban environment. Particularly useful, the article also includes a map of bike lanes, bike routes, and greenways (including planned greenways). There’s a tacit link to the oil issue (via gas prices) in the sub-heading of the article, and she also highlights the health benefits of using one’s own power to get around.

One thing that has surprised me is that several people I know (including Mary and several of her colleagues) have begun walking or biking to work with some regularity. It’s something I’d like to challenge our readers and listeners to do on a more regular basis.

Here are some specific challenges:

• Ride the bus at least once. Nashville’s MTA readily admits that they underserve Nashville’s ridership, but they don’t let that get them down, and neither should you. They’ve created a strong five-year plan that will bring them to average service provision comparative to other major urban transit systems. But they need your help, as well as Metro Council’s to get funding for the plan. So instead of lamenting about how Nashville’s bus system sucks, try taking the bus, figuring out why it sucks, and working constructively with MTA to let them know your thoughts. They’re very open to suggestions. There’s even a group called Partners in Transit that serves as a citizens advisory committee and works directly with MTA to let them vet new ideas or service changes. Let me know if you’re interested in finding out more. MTA, even with its budgetary constraints, has been upgrading its fleet over the past couple of years. The entire fleet now has bike racks, and I always keep a prepaid fare card handy for use with their upgraded fare boxes.
• Join Walk/Bike Nashville as a member. If you don’t ride a bike because you don’t feel safe on Nashville’s streets or don’t think there are enough bike lanes or that your neighborhood’s sidewalks aren’t sufficient, work with other like-minded individuals to ensure that we create a Nashville with true multi-modal transportation options.
• Get a bike. If you already own a car, I can guarantee you that getting, owning, and maintaining a bike will be cheaper. I own a Trek 7100, a hybrid, which I prefer for urban biking. I bought it new at Cumberland Transit, which I think is a great store, but Nashville has many good bike shops. Once you have the bike, I feel reasonably sure that you’ll be compelled to use it, especially with all these greenways!

I’m happy to provide tips for any aspect of getting around Nashville without a car since I do it all the time.