Jace Cole (dot) com

I am quickly getting use to my new life with out a gas sucking automobile. I made it out to Iowa last weekend to volunteer for Barack Obama, got there with friends from the 46th Ward Democrats. I had a full week of commuting to my job in the burbs. Metra is getting me there on time… with one small, and rare exception.

I had a late meeting Monday and missed my normal 4:36p express train on Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line. I had to take the next train that leaves at 5:05p, train # 2146. When I arrived the train was running about 15 minutes behind schedule. To keep the outbound commute ontime Metra announced this train would not make all stops, rather run express directly into Union Station. I was really happy, as this would get me home a lot quicker, and I could easily bike up from Union Station, its only about half mile further away than my normal Western station stop.

The train departed Glenview station and started making its way in a super fast express fashion toward the city. Just as we passed Golf Road station the conductor was coming through the cabin to collect tickets, and I heard on his radio “emergency, emergency Metra 2146 has struck a pedestrian” The train then came to a very sudden stop.

Our express train suddenly became not so express. After frequent updates ranging from an automated announcement “This train is being delayed due to a pedestrian grade crossing incident” to the train men telling us we’ve been in an accident and don’t have any additional information. After nearly 2 hours of sitting on the train, we finally began to move again to finish the trip.

I was able to get information online while using my Sprint Mobile Broadband. I learned the accident had been a fatal hit of a female pedestrian at the Golf station. Most likely the woman thought the train was approaching the station making its normal stop… not running at 80mph express. She was probably crossing to the platform and the train flew through and struck her.

As we got off the train, several people were gawking at the front of the train, trying to find traces of her death… disgusting.

So anyways… I made it home, the commute took about 4 hours. This was definitely an unfortunate situation, and very very rare incident for my new commute. I’m very proud of myself. I’ve made it almost a full month, I’m adjusting well. I think I can do this car free lifestyle.

Well I’ve now made it a full week with no car to rely on. Things are going much better than day one when it was a monsoon here. I’ve managed to get out to the burbs couple times on the Metra. I’ve been getting around the city quite well by bike and CTA. Tomorrow I start my first official week back in the office, I’ve been working on a project offsite most of last week. I’ve taken my carbon footprint in one week from a 13.6 to a 3.8!

So I woke up Monday morning, getting ready to embark on my commute to work with no reliance on the automobile. I walk outside … monsoon season time. Normally I could tough it out, get a little wet and ride in the rain, however, this was terenchel down pour day. A sure sign someone was trying to test me.

I toughed it out … waited for the rains to let up, rode to the CTA and took the Brown Line downtown to my project site this week. Luckily when I left I hit the only window of the day that it decided to stop raining, and made it home semi-dry.

so I’m on day 1 of living life with out a car. yesterday I sold my 2004 Subaru, in favor of getting around the city by bike, train, and my own two feet. My main motivators were health, social responsibility, and cost savings. I’m feeling very anxious, I have had a vehicle to get me where I need to go since I was 16, at the same time I feel this huge since of freedom. So day one is on a weekend, I’ve had to use my bike a few times to get around, but Monday will be the true test when I have to commute to work. stay tuned … send your support, I’m making a pact now I won’t buy another car until I try this out for 2 months.

I experience my first trip to the grocery store by bike … loaded up my kick ass Bianchi Pista … my Timbuk2 messenger bad, strapped on my shimano spd sandles and headed out… I actually had a few errands to run. Home Depot for a few things then to Jewel. I’m making my famous burgers so I needed the essentials, 2lbs beef, pickles, A1, buns, and a few small things. So I loaded up, put the bags in the my Timbuk2 messenger bag and made it home. Easy! and I probably did it quicker than driving dealing with Sunday traffic.

I think can do this … I can live car free!