Press release from French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization:
Would you like to enjoy your trip to work, to school or for errands a little bit more? Are you interested in getting together with like-minded individuals to have fun while increasing your physical activity and decreasing your gas consumption? Strive Week, also known as “Strive Not to Drive” and around since 1991, is coming back to our region from May 12 to 19, 2017. Strive is a public outreach and awareness campaign that encourages people to re-consider their everyday trips and find a way to travel in the healthiest, happiest, most sustainable ways possible. A variety of fun community events open to everyone will be held throughout the week, as well as a friendly commute challenge competition between companies centered on reducing the number of drive-alone commutes. In addition to Asheville and Buncombe County, Strive Not to Drive is branching out this year to include Henderson and Haywood County events. Please see below for some of the regional events highlights. Additional information, by community, is available via the following links:
Regional schedule of events: http://www.strivenottodrive.org/master-calendar/
Asheville http://www.strivenottodrive.org/asheville
Hendersonville http://www.strivenottodrive.org/hendersonville
Waynesville http://www.strivenottodrive.org/waynesville
Black Mountain http://www.strivenottodrive.org/black-mountain
For questions and additional information, please contact Ritchie Rozzelle, Land of Sky Regional TDM Coordinator: ritchie@landofsky.org or 828-251-7449.
Asheville
May 1 – May 31 // Commute Challenge
Unlock free rewards from LoLo – Locals Supporting Locals when you track just three of your commutes; sign up for a chance to win a free bike just for entering.
Sign up here: http://www.strivenottodrive.org/challenge/Saturday, May 13, 2 pm-12 Midnight // Walkable Wall Street
Come by bike, foot, or bus to get a Walkable Wall Street Passport. Fill your Passport and get a Strive Not To Drive prize! Free bike parking, provided by Asheville on BikesSaturday, May 13, 8:30 pm // Bright Light Biker
Meet at Walkable Wall Street with a well-illuminated bike and let’s light up downtown Asheville and Montford. The ride route circles back to Wall Street for post-ride beverages and fun.Sunday, May 14 // #MoveItMom
Enter to win a FREE BIKE from WNC Bicycle Dealers’ Association when you post a photo of mom on the move with hashtag #MoveItMom Get your family out and active. Walk the greenways, ride our bike lanes, or play in your local park, but steer clear of cars. Post your photo to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 pm // Ride of Silence hosted by Blue Ridge Bicycle Club & Asheville on Bikes
Remember those who went before us as we ride and work together to secure safe streets for future cyclists and pedestrians. Meet at 35 Woodfin St. at 6:30 pm, ride at 7 pm.Friday, May 19 // Ride Outta Work hosted by Asheville on Bikes
Meet at Pack’s Park at 5:30 pm for a ride that ends at New Belgium Brewing for a Strive Week wrap-up party. Or head straight to NBB for the festivities, starting at 6:30pm.Black Mountain
Friday, May 12, 4-6 pm // Bike Skills Rodeo at Bounty & Soul
Come out to Bounty & Soul Tailgate Market at Charles D. Owen Middle School Parking Lot (730 Old Hwy 70, Swannanoa, NC) for a fun time learning and practicing bike skills. Volunteers will be on hand to help guide kiddos through different skills, bicycle checkups, and to hand out some cool free stuff. If you don’t have a bike, there will be a few you can borrow to learn, and if you don’t have a helmet we’ll GIVE YOU ONE!
Hendersonville
Friday, May 12, 7-10 am // Fuel Up at the Co-Op
Enjoy free coffee for your carpool and active commute at The Hendersonville Community Co-op. We will kick off Strive week with this breakfast pit-stop and healthy conversations about Spartanburg Hwy and other commuter corridors, with an on site broadcast by WTZQ RadioWednesday, May 17, 5:30-7 pm // Brewery of Bust
Converge on Sierra Nevada Brewery in Mills River, NC by bike, foot, bus, or carpool for a brew or two and a conversation about the future of multi-modal connectivity across Henderson County.Waynesville
Tuesday, May 16, 3-5 pm // Go Haywood! Bicycle and Pedestrian Forum
Come to Panacea Coffee (66 Commerce St) to review plans for Waynesville and Haywood greenway and sidewalk projects and participate in an open discussion with area transportation planners. Have an opinion? Share it. Have a new idea? Let it be known. This is your chance to be part of the conversation about an improving active transportation system in Haywood County. See additional information on Facebook.Thursday, May 18, 5:30 pm // Films on Wheels
This will be a two-part event for bike-lovers. Commute over to The Strand Theater at 38 Main for a collection of short films on the bicycle lifestyle. Then at 6:30pm interested participants will head to Boojum Brewing (50 N. Main St.) to talk about the films and active transportation in Waynesville.
There is no reason to Strive Not To Drive.
Really.
No reason other than cars cause air and noise pollution, kill or injure numerous people and animals, degrade the health of the driver, are expensive to maintain and the fuel required to make them go is responsible for the wars we wage. But other than that cars are awesome.
Yes. Single-occupant private automobiles are awesome. I drive them wherever I go. Thanks for listening.
Fortunately the single occupancy vehicle as been widely recognized as a problem for our communities and changes are in the works nationally to provide infrastructure for alternative modes of transportation. For far to long we have tolerated the death and destruction caused by this machine. Thankfully the automobile will soon take a backseat to more sustainable transportation options. Do yourself and the world a favor and leave your car at home and ride a bike, walk or take the bus to work or to run errands.