Riding dirty: Going carless in Charlotte

by Lila Allen

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Picture by Chris Cureton

May 18, 2011

After my Volkswagen sputtered and collapsed into a steaming heap around a month ago, I had a moment that might have looked like a photo from Time: tears streaming, smoke everywhere, my face contorted and my arms flailing wildly – except the only thing wrong was my broken A/C compressor. Pretty much the definition of what kids these days call a “first-world problem.”

While I waited at the garage, I thought about the repairs and ran through the numbers. This time, it was the death knell for my VW. I’d been waiting on it for years, but as they say, these things tend to end in a whimper and not a bang. Barely three hours later, I was already scrolling through used car listings, lusting after vehicles with luxurious features like working cup holders and doors that can open and close without falling off.

I felt backed into a corner, but was I really? Having lived with the convenience of a car for so long, I’d forgotten that driving is a choice, not a mandate. Rather than throw my paycheck into the money toilet that is a monthly car payment, I decided to consider the option no one had put on the table: going carless in Charlotte.

I’m fortunate. My house holds a walk score of 80 out of 100, while the average for Charlotte is only 41. Nearly every social activity I participate in is within a half-mile of my home. I only live three miles from my primary workplace, and my secondary workplace is any coffee shop in the city. I have a partner who is willing to share a vehicle with me when I absolutely need it. The stars seemed to be aligned, so I cut the cord. Six weeks in, what began as an experiment has become a lifestyle choice. I’m still happily car-free.

In becoming a full-time pedestrian, I’ve come to understand the concepts of cultural and physical proximity more thoroughly, as well as issues of sustainability, public resources, and public art – all of which I bypassed on my daily commute. Most notably, within a couple of days of ditching the Jetta, I noticed that my concept of scale – both physical and personal – had changed. I’m one member of a large community, but when I’m surrounded by what feels like the same crowd of 200 people at every event I attend or work, it’s easy to forget how many other narratives are taking place all over the city. Whether I realize it or not, I’m a participant in those narratives. 

Great cities like New York, Washington, San Francisco, and Portland all have significant pedestrian traffic. That’s no coincidence. As the legendary New York Times street photographer Bill Cunningham has said, you can only get a sense of what’s on the street by spending time in the trenches. When I’m not walking, I’m missing the buskers, street art, parties and events, blooming gardens, neighborhood developments, colorful characters – and for what? A few extra minutes of sleep or work? Dry clothes, which I can easily pack?

Unfortunately, there’s still a stigma in Charlotte about commuting by anything other than a private vehicle. I can see it in the faces of certain people when I inform them that I take my bike to work. Some of it feels paternalistic (“Are you OK on the roads all by yourself?”), but for most, it appears to be an option that most have never given a second thought until now (“Do you have to change when you go to work? Do you need to shower? What if you need to go to the store?”). These questions all have simple solutions when convenience isn’t the foremost priority.

Has being carless imposed a lifestyle change? Certainly. It requires planning my day and saying “no” to many opportunities. The benefits that I’ve found, though, have been much more valuable. On my commute, I have time to reflect on my day, contemplate my surroundings, catch up with family or friends over the phone, and interact with a stranger. Knowing that I’m reducing my environmental impact feels good, too.

I’m not usually one to end a column with a challenge, but here goes: lose the car, just for a day. See how easy it can be. Take a walk to your closest store or shopping center, or go for a stroll to the park. If you live within two or three miles of your workplace, bust out those walking shoes, or dust off the old Schwinn, and go to town. With all of the current city projects underway to make pedestrian and bike commuting more attractive, it’s important for us to lose the mindset of expediency above all else, and try – even if only for a day – to enjoy the journey.