by Miranda Ricks
From Sept. 29 until Oct. 5, Cal Poly Humboldt students are invited to join the Week Without Driving challenge, a national event that encourages participants to spend an entire week without getting behind the wheel. The challenge was started in 2021 by Anna Zivarts, Director of the Disability Mobility Initiative. It aims to spotlight the barriers faced by non-drivers in a largely car-centric society.
Arcata is generally appreciated by students for its free and often dependable public transportation. Many Humboldt residents already live car-free and use bikes, skateboards or the University Jack Pass program, which grants free, unlimited access to local bus lines.
“When I was living on campus, I walked literally everywhere,” Elsa Williams, a sophomore at Cal Poly Humboldt, said. “I used the overpass, I would walk into town, but everything was on campus, so I didn’t have to leave a lot.”
Williams has lived in Arcata without a car for over a year. After moving off-campus, her walking lifestyle transitioned to bus routes and carpooling.
“I come from Sacramento, and I also didn’t have a car there, and it was basically the same thing,” Williams said. “I had to figure out how the [public transit] worked, and then it took me everywhere.”
Alternative transportation methods are especially favored for students amidst frustrations with limited parking options on campus. But even in a small town, the Week Without Driving challenge may reveal more serious questions about accessibility. Steep hills, narrow sidewalks and unpredictable weather can create obstacles for anyone, especially for students and faculty with mobility disabilities.
“I really like having my car, because I basically never left campus last year,” Freddie Dasigner, a sophomore journalism major who brought his car up to Humboldt for the new semester, said.
Dasigner recounted how navigating town on foot with an injury was near-impossible.
“When I hurt my ankle, I was trying to walk everywhere on crutches,” Dasigner said.
Participants with cars are encouraged to explore non-driving methods to accomplish their typical daily routines. Whether it’s utilizing bus routes, walking, biking or carpooling, participants should try not to drive or ask someone else to drive them, unless it’s essential to their usual routine.Whether you already live car-free or are just curious about the setbacks of Arcata’s accessibility, the Week Without Driving is a chance to rethink mobility and see how our campus and community can improve for everyone.
Miranda is a reader, writer, movie-goer, radio DJ and lover of all things pop culture. She is a senior journalism major with a concentration in public relations and the station manager of KRFH. She hopes to represent the local music scene through her writing for the Lumberjack.
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