“No Car Day”

Today is a mandated “no car day” in Bogota. I am not exactly sure when the mayor decided this but yesterday we got the notification. As diplomats we have the privilege of driving but everyone else minus taxis and buses are restricted. The streets are very quiet this morning. I glanced out the window while we were eating breakfast and there were a few risk takers driving the streets! I am guessing many people ended up staying home because it would be impossible for everyone to fit in taxis and buses. I could make a lot of money today driving our car as a taxi. Somehow that doesn’t seem safe to me!

What would you do in the US if today the government told you they were going to not allow you to drive tomorrow. You had to find a way to walk or ride in a bus with 50 other people to save gas and minimize pollution. I know the new movement about “going green”. But honestly as Americans, do we want to be inconvenienced?!  I imagine the minute “going green” stripped us of our choice to independence we would be less inclined to wear “going green” t-shirts and bumper stickers!

On a side note, we had a new bedroom set made that was delivered last night.  Because of the no car day today they were panicking to get deliveries done last night. Our bed, etc arrived after 10 PM! It was so crazy. I was so ready to be in bed and we were waiting for men to haul furniture in the pitch black!


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