The 1% Would Like You To Know It Disdains Your "Car-Free Day"

A letter to the editor in the local Arlington Sun-Gazette begins by declaring "the concept of a world 'car-free day' truly odd," pooh-poohing public transportation and singing the virtues of the car. But the author then gets down to brass tacks:

In fairness, I should mention that I own three cars. One also provides me with a major source of social fun because I belong to a car club that requires you must own that make of car to belong.

Some of my favorite things to do are to take a Sunday early-morning drive in the country or to participate in rallies or social events with like-minded people. It would be difficult for me to imagine a bus- or Metro-owners club.

Oh, do you not own three cars? How unfortunate for you. And why would you choose a form of transportation that does not facilitate lunch at the country club with like-minded people? I mean, the Kennedy Center grows weary after a time, don't you find?

World Carfree Day 2008 Hits a Snag on the Orange Line

Let's give this one the Ms. Jackson Memorial "You Can Plan a Pretty Picnic but You Can't Predict the Weather" Award.

It wasn't such a great World Carfree Day 2008 on the Orange Line this morning. As I was waiting at Ballston to catch a train out to West Falls Church, I noticed the other side of the platform was much more crowded than usual with people waiting for a train into DC.

Sure enough, when I got to work, several friends instant messaged me to say that a broken down train between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom had slowed their commute into DC by as much as 40 minutes.

Can we finally give Metro the dedicated funding it needs to keep the system in working order?

Monday: World Carfree Day 2008

Just a quick reminder that Monday September 22nd is World Carfree Day 2008! If you usually drive to work but there are public transportation or carpooling options available, here's a day to give one of those a try.

The Green Miles will be taking a Metro rail then bus out to work in Reston tomorrow. Takes a little longer, but saves money on gas, lets me catch up on reading, and saves me a big headache battling traffic on I66 and the Dulles Toll Road.