Things You Can Do in the City without a Car: the June 2010 Edition
You may think that me doing the following things sans car is crazy. Well I say firing up a two-ton steel box with enough horses to go 100+ mph to do these things is crazy.
* Appear on a radio show in the suburbs
* Attend conferences at two major universities
* Take Jada to two block parties
* Move a three-piece sofa set
* Go to church
* Have dim sum in Chinatown
* Get to work
* Take the kids to school
* Meet a friend for coffee
* Go out to dinner as a family
* Drop off and pick up dry cleaning
* Pick up prescription drugs
* Go to museums downtown
* Attend Jada's parent-teacher conference
* Drop off a package at the UPS Store
* Go to a swim party in Germantown
* Give a presentation in North Philadelphia
* Tool around Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown, and the Gallery Mall with the kids
* Go to the local swim club with friends
* Have 10+ meetings downtown
Comments
And score one for the walking to church. I cherish this. The walk home is a great setting for fruitful discussion.
I recently led a spirited discussion on cities with a group of twentysomethings, and encouraged them among other things to think about how to frame their advocacy arguments for transportation infrastructure and overall walkability in ways that would appeal to families with kids. If we can convince the young families to live here, we can get a lot more traction than if it sounds like cities are meant only for those without school-aged children.
And, good word re: the walk home being a great setting for dialogue. Sure beats whatever choppy and disengaged chatter might take place while strapped inside a tiny metal box weaving through traffic.