Top ten car-free myths

10. MYTH: "Riding the buses and trains isn't safe."

TRUTH: Even the dumbest thugs know your RTA driver is a push-button call away from the RTA Policeone of the largest police forces in the state. And mile for mile, you're five times more likely to get into a traffic accident if you're driving a car than if you're riding transit.

9. MYTH: "It costs way too much to be without a car."

TRUTH: Trade in your car for a transit pass, a bicycle, and some comfortable walking shoes and your savings account will grow, not shrink, by thousands of dollars a year. In a few years, the savings will allow you to make the down payment on a nice home.

8. MYTH: "You can't bicycle year-round in Cleveland because of the weather."

TRUTH: Our summers aren't all that hot! (But seriously, winter weather can prevent bicycling at times. With proper clothing and equipment many Northeast Ohioans ride their bikes 10 months or more per year.)

7. MYTH: "Only poor people take buses and trains."

TRUTH: If you commute by car to downtown Cleveland, you're the one who will be feeling light in the wallet. A visual survey of all the business suits and briefcases on the buses and trains during rush hour will reveal that transit is for everybody.

6. MYTH: "Riding the bus isn't cool."

TRUTH: Saving money and the environment is always in style.

5. MYTH: "I'll lose my freedom if I don't own a car."

TRUTH: The design of most outer suburbs forces you to own a car. When you live in transit- and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, you have transportation choice and thus, more freedom.

4. MYTH: "You can't get a cab in Cleveland."

TRUTH: Downtown hotels and many neighborhood activity centers often have cabs waiting. And if you can't find a taxi in the Flats, you must have fallen in the river.

3. MYTH: "The only good place to walk in Cleveland is on a treadmill."

TRUTH: In many neighborhoods, you can do your errands and get your exercise in the same breath. A lot of people walk a lot farther in shopping mall parking lots than they would to get to the closest bus stop.

2. MYTH: "The city may offer more travel options, but the suburbs are quieter and less stressful."

TRUTH: You'll find that since many city neighborhoods have shopping and services close by, car traffic is low and so is the noise and stress.

1. MYTH: "In Cleveland, you just can't get where you're going without a car."

TRUTH: Read Car-Free in Cleveland!

Back to top

EcoCity Cleveland
3500 Lorain Avenue, Suite 301, Cleveland OH 44113
Cuyahoga Bioregion
(216) 961-5020
www.ecocitycleveland.org
Copyright 2002-2003