Being car free is a new way to be in major cities across America. Some, more than others have taken new insights into decreasing the amount of traffic on the streets.
Washington DC Makes Room For Social Distancing
The spread of COVID-19 has been the focal point for everyone at this time. Many are staying indoors and only venturing out for essential supplies like groceries and medication. This has left many streets around the world completely empty.
With cars no longer taking up space on the streets, many have been able to walk freely within the required 6-foot limit on public roads. This has led to an increase in those walking from place to place. Being car free is a new trend in most major cities.
Car Free Means Staying Local
One of the major practices being implemented during COVID-19 is staying at home. Nobody is going to walk outside of their suburb in order to get what they need. This means many aren’t traveling outside their means. This works to help isolate the virus at multiple points. With fewer cars on the road means fewer cars driving to various other places and potentially spreading the disease.
For many small businesses that remain open, this has worked to their favor. Where many would drive outside of their location to find what they are looking for, many are often finding it on their block. Basic supplies can be found on almost any street corner in your city and Washington D.C. is no different.
Certain Drawbacks
While many find this to be a good thing, there are certain drawbacks. Being in your car is one of the safest places to be. Taking a look at truck drivers, they spend approximately 90% of their day inside their cab or behind the wheel. They live in almost perfect self-isolation. For many commuters, this poses a slight problem.
Keeping people indoors helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While many are now walking around with the freedom to avoid cars trucks and vans. Unfortunately, the local spread of COVID-19 can increase due to these conditions. Now, we do not want to encourage those to not go outside, but to go outside and travel for important reasons. These include groceries, picking up medication and stocking (but not overstocking) on supplies.
