Can you go without your car for a day?

[CBC News]

Downtown Montreal is going car-free for a day. Commuters in Montreal are being encouraged to leave their cars at home for the day and use public transit to mark the city's annual car-free day.
Several downtown streets were closed to traffic on Monday within a perimeter delimited by McGill College and St-Urbain streets, and René-Lévesque Boulevard and Maisonneuve Street.
Streets within the perimeter are off-limits to cars between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
The city is hosting activities throughout the day to encourage public transit use.
Can you go without your car for a day? What do you think of this idea?
Is it car-free day in your city? Send us your photos and video of the event.


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[Risus]

A vehicle is a necessity where I live, so the answer is 'no'.

 

[L Gilbert]

Yeah. It's easy for city people to do without their vehicles. We in the rural areas don't have public transport and the like. Kids here have to walk for a ways before they can even get to the buses. Nearest school is on the other side of the lake.

 

[karrie]

Yeah. It's easy for city people to do without their vehicles. We in the rural areas don't have public transport and the like. Kids here have to walk for a ways before they can even get to the buses. Nearest school is on the other side of the lake.

Yeah, but you'd be amazed how many rural folk refuse to walk or take a bus even once they get where they're going. Take Edmonton for example. It's a big city, with expensive parking. Yet do people take advantage of the many park and ride centers on its outskirts that would save them having to drive all over and pay for parking? Very few.

 

[L Gilbert]

Yeah, but you'd be amazed how many rural folk refuse to walk or take a bus even once they get where they're going. Take Edmonton for example. It's a big city, with expensive parking. Yet do people take advantage of the many park and ride centers on its outskirts that would save them having to drive all over and pay for parking? Very few.

I am never amazed. I hate the word. The word "amaze" and its derivatives have been used, abused, reused, etc. so many times within my earshot I wanna puke sometimes. I can be astounded, awestruck, etc, though. lol
Anyway, I kinda like riding buses myself. Gives me a chance to rubberneck. Wife loves to run most everywhere outside of the house.

 

[karrie]

I am never amazed. I hate the word. The word "amaze" and its derivatives have been used, abused, reused, etc. so many times within my earshot I wanna puke sometimes. I can be astounded, awestruck, etc, though. lol
Anyway, I kinda like riding buses myself. Gives me a chance to rubberneck. Wife loves to run most everywhere outside of the house.

My fave descriptor would probably be 'disgusted'. lol.

 

[lone wolf]

When I have to go to Toronto, I prefer to leave the car at the motel (if I didn't take the train down) and TTC the city. Traffic doesn't bother me and I know Big Smoke as well as most of the natives. I hate trying to find a parking spot.

OT: My car never moved a wheel today ... or yesterday for that matter. It's a pretty good little car. Starts right up, isn't hard on gas ... and never goes anywhere without me.

 

[Unforgiven]

I don't drive my car every day but I love to drive it. I have no problem parking really anywhere in the GTA and I've had people block off a spot in front of their place just so I can park there when I show up. While the price of gas bugs me in the sense that it's simply a rip off, I don't care if it went to $5 a litre. I'd still drive my car.

When I lived in Toronto I rarely drove my car at all. It's very easy to bike Toronto. Plus you can use the subway lines for hauling you up the hill and save your energy for sexy moves on the patio.

Commuters should take the train in and bike to work. Work should provide showers and bike rooms. Downtown should be care free til 6pm with the exception of taxi, limo and emergency. Imagine how much easier it would be for the delivery people.

Ah well it ain't about to happen anytime soon.

 

[Ron in Regina]

I don't drive my car every day but I love to drive it. I have no problem parking really anywhere in the GTA and I've had people block off a spot in front of their place just so I can park there when I show up. While the price of gas bugs me in the sense that it's simply a rip off, I don't care if it went to $5 a litre. I'd still drive my car.

When I lived in Toronto I rarely drove my car at all. It's very easy to bike Toronto. Plus you can use the subway lines for hauling you up the hill and save your energy for sexy moves on the patio.

Commuters should take the train in and bike to work. Work should provide showers and bike rooms. Downtown should be care free til 6pm with the exception of taxi, limo and emergency. Imagine how much easier it would be for the delivery people.

Ah well it ain't about to happen anytime soon.

I'm just glad that gas has dropped below $5/L in Regina recently. We don't have trains or
subways here, and the bus only REALISTICLY works if you work downtown (=mostly Government). I carpool 5 day/week with my little 2.0L car and have to drive it weekdays.
Many weekends it just doesn't move and I still get in 40-60km of walking with my dogs
most weeks. A car is a fact of life for many people outside of large urban areas. Even in
a city of only (a bit over) 200,000 people it's the only real time effective means of getting
around.