I grew up in very car centric suburbs and never questioned the idea that I needed a car to get around. During the Covid lockdowns I needed something to pass the time so I turned to Youtube where I discovered Not Just Bikes. His presentation of urban design concepts was simple, easily approachable, and intriguing and so I continued watching, learning more and more about road designs, 3rd places, and how car dependency isolates us from the rest of our community.

Two years later I bought my first bike since I was a kid and started using it for basic trips around town. Since then my wife and I added a pair of e-bikes which allowed us to drop one of our two cars and we have never looked back. Now local takeout is quick and easy, riding around town with our dog in the carrier is a delight, and grocery shopping comes with a pleasant flood of endorphins from the moderate exercise it provides.

After changing how I get around, the shortcomings of our road design have only become more and more obvious. Nearly every aspect of our streets are designed with comfort for drivers first and every other road user as an afterthought, if they are considered at all. Since then I have been advocating at the municipal and county level for changes in road design that are safe and comfortable for everyone.