Comments on: Themes Emerge from Hartford Planning, Visioning Meetings http://urbancompass.net/?p=2543 Searching the soul of the city Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:20:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: kerri http://urbancompass.net/?p=2543&cpage=1#comment-31376 kerri Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:05:28 +0000 http://urbancompass.net/?p=2543#comment-31376 I have to chime in about something. Now, if Rabun were to say that right now a family needs a car to survive in Hartford, I'd be less likely to disagree. If you have to schlep kids on the bus or have them bike or walk along for a bit, it can get expensive or complicated. But saying that the typical young professional (most of whom are able-bodied) needs a car to get groceries, clothes, etc., is quite false. I have been car-free for about a month and a half now, am not especially athletic, and have still managed to feed and clothe myself. I have biked, walked, and taken the bus to the grocery store, just a couple miles away. Though I have not needed to purchase much clothing, it's not difficult to get to West Hartford Center or to the numerous shops along Park Street in Hartford. I scored a perfectly stylish pair of gloves at the supermarket. My bank is nearby, so I made it a point to combine errands. Getting to both of my jobs has been fine. I have panniers and a rack on the bike so that I can carry things. Again, for a single person (as opposed to a person with children) this is feasible. At the transportation meeting, I heard one woman remark that the law school students might want to go to A&E at night, but then can not get home because the buses stop running and they do not have cars. Yes, the buses should run later. The Capitol Avenue bus, which is the one currently most convenient to me, stops running around 6pm. And it only runs once per hour. Annoying. But at the same time, my social life has not suffered since I have been without a car. I walk, bike, take the bus, or carpool. Mostly, I bike. At 9pm. Midnight. Two in the morning. There are lights on my bike so that I am visible to motorists. If more people were willing to do this, it would seem less intimidating or scary, I'm sure. I have to chime in about something. Now, if Rabun were to say that right now a family needs a car to survive in Hartford, I’d be less likely to disagree. If you have to schlep kids on the bus or have them bike or walk along for a bit, it can get expensive or complicated. But saying that the typical young professional (most of whom are able-bodied) needs a car to get groceries, clothes, etc., is quite false.

I have been car-free for about a month and a half now, am not especially athletic, and have still managed to feed and clothe myself. I have biked, walked, and taken the bus to the grocery store, just a couple miles away. Though I have not needed to purchase much clothing, it’s not difficult to get to West Hartford Center or to the numerous shops along Park Street in Hartford. I scored a perfectly stylish pair of gloves at the supermarket. My bank is nearby, so I made it a point to combine errands. Getting to both of my jobs has been fine. I have panniers and a rack on the bike so that I can carry things. Again, for a single person (as opposed to a person with children) this is feasible.

At the transportation meeting, I heard one woman remark that the law school students might want to go to A&E at night, but then can not get home because the buses stop running and they do not have cars. Yes, the buses should run later. The Capitol Avenue bus, which is the one currently most convenient to me, stops running around 6pm. And it only runs once per hour. Annoying. But at the same time, my social life has not suffered since I have been without a car. I walk, bike, take the bus, or carpool. Mostly, I bike. At 9pm. Midnight. Two in the morning. There are lights on my bike so that I am visible to motorists. If more people were willing to do this, it would seem less intimidating or scary, I’m sure.

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