Arlington's Car-Free Diet Blog

Car-Free for Two Years

Well, what started out as a general frustration with the cost of insurance, gas, etc...ended with me donating my car to charity just to be rid of it all. That was almost two years ago. I ride my bike every day, and every day is like I'm a kid again. The fun factor never dies and just the thought of all the money I'm saving keeps me in a perpetual state of happiness. Not to mention fitness.

Homer, Arlington, VA

Don't Have to Rely on a Car

I worked in Arlington from 1990 - 2001. I drove to work every day. When I returned to Arlington in 2007, I began using Metro due to the government subsidy. I take the bus to Metro then to Ballston. Regularly using the transit system has shown me I don't HAVE to rely on a car. I now use Metro as often as I can. A few days a week I take my bicycle into work on Metro after biking to the Metro station, then ride home. I also now use my bicycle for short errands (grocery, library, haircuts). I still need to use my car for long trips to visit family and for scuba trips, but transit has shown me I can avoid much wear/tear on my car, gas prices and parking fees. The biking gets me home around the same time as the transit commute, but I sure burn more calories!

Renee Amodeo, Vienna, VA

Biking to Lose Weight

Short but true story.

After I hit my 30's it became really hard for me to lose weight. I ran, didn't work. I started swimming and I didn't lose too much. Then a friend of mine moved to the Netherlands, after 6 months over there she came back for a visit and she was really thin. I was really impressed because she narrowed down almost 3 sizes in 6 months! When I asked for her recipe, she just said that since she could not afford a car in the Netherlands, she had to commute to school and work bicycling. I could not believe that. But I decided to give it a try.

I bought a nice TREK bike and it has been fantastic!

I have been riding my bike at least 60 miles per week for the whole summer and none of my friends can believe how much weight I have lost. Bicycling has become a great experience for me -- my legs feel great and my whole body is getting so fit that I am planning to continue this as a permanent habit.  Beside the healthy side of commuting by bike, if one takes the trails, one will miss all the noise and hectic driving of daily traffic.  It is very worth it. Car-free diet has been for me the best diet I have tried.

Andrea, Falls Church, VA

Run to Work

I thought that the events of the 9/11 Memorial Dedication at the Pentagon would put Crystal City into one of its traffic gridlock days, so I decided to run to and from work -- Arlington Heights to Crystal City!

As it turns out the traffic for the day was not bad; but neither was running up the "hill of death."

I was also pleasantly surprised how little extra time (for clean up, extra time running, etc.) this cost me out of my day. There is a lot to be said for organization and having everything in one gym bag.

Cathy Camp, Arlington, VA

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

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

Seeing Results from the Car-Free Diet

I used to drive to work every single day. Then I woke up one day and decided to give up driving and take public transportation instead. My decision was prompted by Walter Tejada's message on the Car-Free Diet, by  Arlington County Government's openess in including in the budget proposals spring 2008, additional bus service on the bus line I ride, and by my desire to lose weight.

To get to my bus stop, I walk 1.4 miles each way. I've combined walking and transit as a way to reduce my carbon footprint. In the process, I have saved money on gas, parking, car maintenance and improved my health -- dropped 2 dress sizes since late February 2008.

Muna Salim, Arlington, VA

Car-Free for Exercise and the Environment

I have lived car-free in Arlington for three years and believe it creates the best exercise I could engage in while I reduce my carbon footprint significantly.

One of the best tools I use is the weeknight 7:02 4A Metrobus to Culmore. This runs right in front of my apartment and drops me two blocks from my destination, the UU Church of Arlington, where I have many meetings that all begin at 7:30 pm.

For Earth Day 2008, our Environmental Committee at church will ask every member to take alternative transportation at least once during the month of April. We have created an account with "iCarPool" service and hope to enroll at least 400 people in the next year.

Laura Dely, Arlington, VA