A few years ago, my family made a decision that some of our neighbours likely found odd considering we live in the suburbs: when our (older) second car broke down for what turned out to be the last time, we sold it for parts and didn’t replace it. We are a family of 5, and so far haven’t come anywhere close to needing that second vehicle, mainly because last spring I decided to purchase an electric cargo bike. Even I couldn’t have been prepared for just how life-changing this move ended up being for my life and lifestyle.
Moving to one family car and a cargo bike wasn’t a sacrifice; it has been a strict upgrade. The bike proved to be a more efficient, enjoyable, and profoundly useful tool for the daily logistics of suburban family life, from grocery runs to the school commute. We traded a depreciating asset that isolates us for an affordable machine that connects us to the community. And though I wasn’t really worried about being late to things, I’m actually almost always early now since bikes are a really quick way to get places.
This shift has crystallized a core belief: the simple bicycle is an incredibly powerful tool for unlocking a better version of suburban life. This is especially true for our children. I have directly observed the stark contrast between the experience of a child strapped into the back of my minivan with the freedom they feel on their own two wheels or on the back of my bike. My own youth in Calgary was navigated entirely on foot, by bike, or on transit; I didn’t even get a driver’s license until my mid-20s. That independence was formative. A neighbourhood designed to be safe for a child on foot or on a bicycle is a direct investment in our kids’ resilience and self-reliance, allowing them to explore their community in a way a life being chauffeured from one activity to the next never could.
The bicycle is also a vehicle for community. As part of my work with the Convent Glen Orleans Wood Community Association, I have organized weekly “Pedal and Play” family bike rides. The magic of these events is in their simplicity. The pace of a bike ride allows for easy conversation and spontaneous interaction in a way that driving to a destination never can. This directly combats the social isolation that defines so much of suburban life, where, as I’ve often lamented the norm of people just disappearing into their homes after work and school. The simple act of riding together helps build the social capital that is the foundation of a strong community.
Finally, a bike-friendly community is a business-friendly community. A person on a bike is a better customer for a local business than a person in a car. Cyclists move at a human scale, notice more of their surroundings, and can easily make an unplanned stop for a coffee or to browse a shop. Creating safe, bike-able access to our commercial areas is a pro-business investment that helps foster a built-in customer base for local entrepreneurs. This is a key part of the vision for a more prosperous “New Orléans”.
This is the essence of the “Less Car” philosophy. It’s not an absolutist, anti-car stance but a call for conscious, incremental choices. You don’t have to sell your car tomorrow. Instead, I encourage you to experiment. Try swapping just one car trip this week for a bike ride—it could be a trip to the park, to a friend’s house, or to pick up a few groceries. Don’t think of it as a sacrifice; think of it as a small experiment in freedom.
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