My Car Free Adventures -by Norma Glad
On Monday, September 16, 2019, I was involved in a traffic accident that totaled my car and changed my life! I came through the event in good health, but after that I decided I would no longer drive.
Once I made the decision, I suddenly experienced a lot of doubt – How would I get to my appointments? Go shopping? Visit fun places? Was I going to lose my independence? Was my entire life going to change?
I felt anxious. I felt nervous. I felt worried.
I knew the time had come to turn in my car keys. I knew it was the right thing to do.
But I definitely did not enjoy how I felt.
After a few days, it hit me – maybe I couldn’t change the situation, but I could change my perception about it. Instead of viewing non-driving as a prison sentence, I was going to view it as an ADVENTURE!
WALKING
One of the first things I noticed when I stopped driving was a greater appreciation of walking. For years I had convinced myself that I’d rather be on wheels then on foot because walks were boring, dull, and pointless.
But suddenly, neighborhood walks took on a much greater appeal. I noticed the trees, the weather, the gardens, the houses, and the people in them. I discovered wonderful places to walk and a nearby park. I found inspiring examples of beauty, large and small, all around me!
ERRANDS AND GROCERIES
The next thing I noticed was that daily errands took much more planning. For years, I’ve always driven to stores and appointments. But that wasn’t possible anymore. I had to rely on walking, riding my adult trike, using volunteer or public transportation, or calling on friends to get me from point A to point B and back again.
Fortunately, I live near a King Soopers supermarket, Whole Foods, and other stores.
I remember the first day I decided to do my grocery shopping on foot. First stop was actually Mc Donald’s for my 79-cent Senior Decaf to keep me alert. While I sipped my hot coffee, I worked on a crossword puzzle to keep my brain going and prepare me for my shopping trip.
Then on I walked to King Soopers. I had brought my own special cart from home to help me carry the food I bought. No more big King Soopers shopping cart. Everything went into my own simple cart, so I had to be careful about what I selected – it all had to fit. Plus, I had to make sure things weren’t too heavy. After all, I was going to have to pull the cart all the way home!
After I bought my groceries, I decided to head over to Whole Foods and treat myself to something tasty from the deli. Sitting at a table in the outside eating area, I enjoyed my treat, did a little people-watching, and relaxed.
Next was a short jaunt back to my apartment. Boy, did I feel proud of myself when I arrived home and put away the groceries!
WAITING AND PATIENCE
And speaking of errands, most of my appointments and non-grocery errands are inaccessible on foot. Thankfully, I live in a city with two organizations that offer rides for the non-drivers among us: Dial-a-Ride (DAR) and Saint Volunteer Transportation (SAINT). Without them, I would not be able to travel farther than I could walk or trike.
I have learned by experience that part of using these volunteer transportation services is to allow adequate time for occasional long waits before and after pickup. I sometimes felt like I spent all my time waiting for my ride to take me to my appointment and to take me home. A 20-minute doctor appointment could take 2 hours total, and appointments that used to take a couple of hours seemed to take more than half a day!
I eventually learned to better schedule my appointments and to use my waiting time for something pleasant and productive. I began to carry reading materials, a crossword puzzle booklet, and a notepad with me.
I was surprised and delighted to find that waiting provide me with more time to think and write. More importantly, my waiting times now gives me more time to do some yoga stretches and to breathe deeply. One specific breathing technique I use whenever I’m waiting: INHALE deeply and then EXHALE to consciously let go of the frustration of waiting.
My writing, stretching, and breathing activities are important to me because they prevent me from letting pain or anxiety take over while I wait. I’ve also learned to dress for the weather, depending on whether I will be waiting inside or outside for my ride. Fortunately, I usually have a comfortable place to wait.
WONDERFUL PEOPLE
Over time, I have become very appreciative of the services offered by Dial-a-Ride and SAINT. The drivers are very helpful and knowledgeable.
I find that I don’t really mind being driven to places where I used to drive myself. I see things around me that I never noticed before. Being a passenger widens my perspective and gives me a different view of the world!
Interestingly, I met a woman whose experiences were just the opposite of mine. She told me, “My husband died just two years ago. When he was alive, he did all the driving. I never needed to learn to drive, so I didn’t. Since he’s been gone, I learned to drive, and even bought a brand new car!” Her eyes twinkled when she mentioned the car. Seems like she’s now on a “Car-Full Adventure.”
I feel fortunate to have wonderful people in my life who also offer to drive me places. For example, a brand new student in one of my Chair Yoga classes offered to pick me up every week and take me to class! This lasted a few weeks and then another student volunteered. Some students have even taken me shopping on the way home.
Later, a long-time friend told me she’d wanted to attend the same Saturday morning class I attended, and said she was more than happy to pick me up every week. She added, “This isn’t about your dependence on other drivers — it’s a matter of interdependence!” I agreed.
SAVING MONEY AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Yes, Dial-a-Ride trips have some cost to them: $5 for each round-trip. But being “grounded” has some money-saving aspects that free up money for those trips: no car insurance, maintenance, or gas costs. And my rent went down by $40 last month. An annual bus pass costs only $25, which is much cheaper than paying for individual bus trips or SAINT rides.
And even if people are not available to drive me or I don’t want to wait for volunteer transportation, I am not tethered to my home. Fort Collins has a wonderful transit system that I am exploring:
▪ MAX: Our rapid transit system that runs north-south along the Fort Collins Transportation Corridor
▪ TransFort: The regular bus system that runs along north-south and east-west arteries in Fort Collins.
▪ FLEX: A regional bus system that takes people to Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder.
▪ Bustang: A special purple, “super-size” bus, run by the Colorado Department of Transportation, that takes people all over the state. So far, I have taken MAX to visit Old Town and Transfort to visit the Senior Center. I also hope to take FLEX to visit my daughter in Longmont and take Bustang to visit Denver. Who knows what I’ll learn and where I will go without driving my own car!
LESSONS LEARNED
All in all, my new car-free experience has taught me several important things:
▪ I am capable of using my own two feet, my trike, and public transportation to get me around Ft. Collins.
▪ Life’s about interdependence – If I cannot get somewhere on my own two feet or with public transportation, there is always someone who can help me . . . and I can help them in return.
▪ And finally, there is more writing ahead for me. My writing output may be different from what it used to be, but so what. This is my first article since I started my car-free adventures and I am sure there will be many more!
Norma Glad is a member of Congregation Har Shalom in Fort Collins. She is a certified yoga instructor and leads chair yoga classes at the Fort Collins Senior Center and at her residence.
