Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog

Car Free Off the Orange Line

I recently moved from Ballston to South Arlington and thought being off the Orange Line was going to dramatically change the way I got around. It didn't. I can take the bus right from Columbia Pike to its last stop at the McPherson Square Metro, about two blocks from my office.

What's even better is the 3 or 4 days a week (less when it's cold and/or rainy) is when I ride my bike in. It takes about 10 minutes less in the morning and about 15 minutes less in the afternoon. Plus, there are all the added benefits of exercise, which I'm sure have been repeated by others. But what's really nice is that biking from Arlington into DC is mostly downhill. It makes it much easier to get going in the morning when gravity is on your side. I find that the mornings I bike in I'm also energized and rarely need the dreaded third cup of coffee to get me through the morning.

Dan Bruechert, Arlington, VA

Car Free in NYC and Now Arlington

My husband and I moved here from NYC, another city with a great public transportation system. We wanted to maintain our car-free lifestyle, so we got an apartment near the Metro. Zipcar is great when we need a car, which is not often. With my employer's transit benefit, we only spend about $100 a month getting around. We are free from the costs and responsibilities of owning a car, and we get a lot more exercise than we otherwise would. Thanks Arlington for promoting this! It has been a great choice for us.

JB Simpson, Arlington, VA

Car Free and Loving It

For nearly two years I lived 2 blocks from a Metro stop but just couldn't bring myself to ditch my car altogether. That was until my lease finally ran out on my car this past January. Rather than dump thousands of dollars into a new, shiny gas guzzler, I decided I'd try the car-free diet. While my timing wasn't spectacular (it was hard to walk with my head high and be proud on the single digit temperature mornings this past winter) but now I don't regret it in the slightest. I walk or Metro everywhere, and was able to take advantage of the transportation from West Falls Church to the company I work for in Tysons Corner, provided for FREE by the company. The company also participates in the SmarTrip/SmartBenefits program so my monthly Metro transportation costs are paid pre-tax. My commute has been extended by 10 extra minutes to/from work, but I've noticed the grey hairs in my head have stopped sprouting so the effects of the car-free diet are noticable. I have several alternatives to traveling around NoVA when Metro doesn't meet my needs -- Zipcar (love it!), Envirocab (love this too!), or even renting a car for a day. This may happen 1-2x per month, but my total transportation costs are still a fraction of what I used to pay. And I've also learned to not hesitate asking people for rides -- why put 2 cars on the road when we can just share 1? And my favorite part about doing the car-free diet -- getting to listen to my co-workers gripe about the rising gas prices while I smirk at my desk proudly dangling my Metro pass!

Tasha Stryker, Arlington, VA

Metro Instead of Driving

I recently moved to a house near Virginia Square, which is only an 8 - 9 minute drive to my work at the Pentagon...with traffic and stop lights. Most people in Northern Virginia would say that I have the ideal commute. But last month, I decided to stop driving to save money on gas. Instead, I walk .5 miles each way to the Metrobus stop and transfer to the Metro at Rosslyn, which then takes me directly to work. It may take me an extra 15 minutes to get to work, but the convenience of the Metro locations and added benefits of exercise and reduced travel expenses makes it well worth the change!

I encourage all to use the Metro system to its fullest!

Melissa, Arlington, VA

Live Near My Work

Moved here from out of state to accept a job offer in Ballston. Horrified at the thought of crawling through commuter traffic jams twice every day. Moved into Ballston -- it costs more for less space, but a three-minute walk to work every day is worth downsizing. Less stress, more free time, MUCH healthier! Highly recommended.

Helen MacCall, Ballston

What About Motorcycles?

I am disappointed that the website doesn't mention motorcycling as an option. I have a motorcycle that gets over 50 miles to a gallon, or about 200 miles to a 3.5 gallon tank. I often ride the cycle to work, creating a significantly smaller carbon footprint than any hybrid vehicle on the road. And, think of how little space this takes up on the road and in parking. If only Arlington encouraged/allowed for motorcycle parking like DC does, we would see room in the county open up significantly.

I also have lockable saddle bags on my bike and can drop off dry cleaning and even buy groceries, take out food, buy other items, and run other trips (like trips to Target, the gym, softball games and friend's house) on the cycle.

Why does the county discriminate against motorcycles? I have noticed the county, in addition to omitting anything about cycles on this site, does not have laws that protect the motorcyclist as other localities do.

David Lusk, Arlington