If there is one thing uniquely American, especially to someone from the other side of the world, it is the large motorcar. The car culture in the United States, the highway system, the vision of bumper-to-bumper traffic are all images that we grew up seeing from afar. Yet, I am sure there are many who envy the Parisians and their Metro and the Germans their efficient train system. With the exception of a few cities, visits of any reasonable length to a major city in the US requires renting a car, while one can safely spend an extended period in some parts of the world without needing to rent any sort of vehicle. What does this have to do with Seattle? Well, someone with the handle of Montereyan recently posted an article on being Carless in Seattle. As a displaced Californian who arrived here without a vehicle, the article struck close to home, and while Worldchangers are more likely than others to live life without a car, the post brings out some uniqueness to Seattle living that does make life without a car possible. The article brings to point some truths and suggests some changes that are work sharing

• A half mile walk is only 10 minutes. Good exercise, and you can always ride a bike if you want to, or catch the bus
• Going carless requires a mindshift, and one worth taking if you can. Remember, don't give up after day three. Stick with it.
• The city of Seattle, especially some of the older neighborhoods are eminently walkable. Everything is within a 10 minute walk. While not all neighborhoods fit this mold, any new urban design projects should make efforts to make walkability a key priority
• Unlike many places, Seattle actually has a functional public transport system. Not great, but better than many others. In the meantime, that light rail system they are building right outside my office looks promising

In the end it all boils down to attitude. Unlike many parts of the country, the pacific northwest accepts and encourages sustainable living. Like Montereyan learned, the fear of going carless was much more difficult than the reality. In the meantime, let us remind city planners and officials to make sure development is not centered around the automobile but towards a mixed system that encourages public transport and the use of our feet.

Previously on Worldchanging:
Walksheds, cabspots and smart places

Picture: Chris Blakeley under a Creative Commons license