Thank you for joining the Week Without Driving challenge. We start on Monday, September 19! So we want to share resources and information to help you prepare and participate.
First, why are we here? For nearly a quarter of the people in our state – people with disabilities, young people, seniors and people who can’t afford cars or gas, this is our every day. We’ve continued to add to our story map and encourage everyone participating to read about the experiences of nondrivers in your area. If you have questions or want advice from a nondriver on the story map, let us know and we will work to connect you with them.
Here’s how the challenge works:
— You can get around however you want, but the challenge is not to drive yourself in any car. This applies to all your activities — not just your work commute. If you normally transport other family members or friends, it applies to those trips too.
— You can ask someone else to drive you, but make a note of how much you “owe” this person in their time, and if you felt obligated to support them in other ways (ie, doing all the dishes).
— You can use ride-hail or taxis if they exist where you need to go, but again, think about how the cost could impact your decision to take this trip if this was regularly your only option.
We know that many people – bus drivers, truckers, delivery workers – drive for their jobs. During the week, there may be trips that you need to make and can only make if you drive yourself. Everyone’s participation in this challenge will look different – but the essence is that you experience what it is like to not be able to drive yourself for a trip you would normally have the privilege of driving.
GET READY AND SET
— Plan your trips and how you will go.
- Do you know where to find schedules and buy a transit pass?
- If you haven’t biked in a while, is your bike in working order? Do you have a light for riding at night?
- If you plan on walking a lot, do you have comfortable walking shoes? Nothing wrong with changing shoes at your destination if your fashionable shoes aren’t great for walking.
- If you plan on using rental scooters or ebikes, have you downloaded apps and gone on a test ride?
- If there are some trips you might need a ride from a friend, loved one, or colleague, have you asked? Will you need to use ride-hail or a taxi service?
Resources
- Two good sources for any mode are Washington State Department of Transportation’s Rideshare Online and Smart Trips Resources from Week Without Driving co-host Whatcom Smart Trips.
- Bicycling tips from the League of American Bicyclists here. Washington Bikes keeps this list of Washington State bike maps.
- The American Public Transit Association maintains a list of all public transit agencies in Washington state, including ferry, rail, and bus.
— Get ready to reflect and share, with us and on social media. You can start today by sharing how you are preparing on social media using the #WeekWithoutDriving hashtag.
PARTICIPATE
— Record your experience — the challenges and what you learned. Use this link for the prompt tool.
—Share with us one or more of the following ways:
- Use the #WeekWithoutDriving hashtag on social media. Thoughts are good, but so are photos (be sure to use alt text).
- Send an e-mail or a voice memo.
Let us know if you have any questions — and thank you for traveling with us.