A Week Without A Car

A reporter goes a week without a car in the San Francisco Bay Area in this article about the pros and cons of non-car transport. Though the monetary costs were lower, the cost of time was much higher, especially for an inexperienced transit user.

1 minute read

December 24, 2006, 9:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


My experiment in alternative transportation was easy compared with many in the East Bay. I have no children who need to be shuttled around, and I commute between cities with reliable access to public transportation. I also own a trustworthy bike and am reasonably fit. All in all, I made quite the poster boy for going a 'Week Without a Car.'"

"A week spent driving directly to and from the office chews up just over five hours and about $88 for the 34-mile roundtrip, using the AAA formula of 52.2 cents per mile to operate and maintain a vehicle. (Yes, it also costs money for bike upkeep.)"

"During my carless week, which included a weekend day and a trip to Concord, I spent just $27.60 for transportation."

Thursday, December 21, 2006 in The Contra Costa Times

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

: Construction of massive Samsung semiconductor fabrication plant

In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland

Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.

November 3 - Inside Climate News

A construction crew working on SunZia.

How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on

The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.

November 3 - Grist

A rendering of the basketball court, a green court under a blue sky.

MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court

The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.

November 3 - Gothamist