And not an April Fool's joke. My wife and I have decided to see how long we can go without driving.* The most difficult obstacle will be her commute. We live about two miles from the train station: walkable, but time-consuming, and part of which is on a busy road. Cycling is a skill she's still acquiring. She only started to properly ride as an adult, and the learning curve remains to be completely surmounted. Not all of us are comfortable with the balancing act.
For some people this wouldn't be a big deal: they've either never driven, or do it so rarely that such a vow would hardly be an impediment to the natural order of their life. I've been doing it since I was 16, and have an awful lot of mileage on the odometer. I've driven (and
hitchhiked) across the US, and around the perimeter of Britain & almost all points in between. Have even been
hit by a car, as if in consummation of our relationship. Tap my veins and you'd find a few milliliters of petrol. There's just something about wheels: it's the perfect shape. Granted, it's
much nicer set in a diamond frame.
Our horseless carriage is a 1992 Toyota Corolla which has given us little trouble over the years. Almost a shame to put it out to pasture. I will start her up now and then to keep her heart healthy, just in case the new abstinence isn't sustainable, and because I couldn't bear to put her to sleep just yet.
If a car could dream, would it want to be a bicycle?
* Mostly because I didn't pass the UK driving test. Something about not looking in the mirror every three and a half seconds. It must be my vampire heritage. I am compelled to defer to the examiner's expertise in these matters. I could take it again if tests didn't freak me out so much. (You try it as an experienced driver. Just don't rush into it unprepared like I did.) So no, our going carless isn't noble. It's just the way things work out.