How important is a persons car to them? Do they really need to have their own car? It would be more eco-friendly if they just car pooled, or even walked. It seems this question has occured to a lot of people in high places. These people then used their positions to ban cars in many busy cities, with marvelous results.

Some where in Germany, there's a social experiment going on. This experiment is taking place in a small suburbian town called Vauban. The people in this community have taken a huge leap of faith and got rid of all cars. But don't worry, they couldn't be happier. Their streets are nearly empty with virtually no traffic, they have less stress, and they don't have to worry about all the expenses that come with car ownership. The streets are very close together with stores on pratically every corner, to prevent having to go long distances. All they have to do is take a nice stroll down main street and have everything at their fingertips. They don't have to worry about people parking on their front lawns, or people flying dangerously fast down the street. It's just simple and easy.

Granted, having a car availible does have benefits. Owning a car can give people a sense of freedom. It's like a reassurance that no matter what, people have the means to get something done. Without having to depend on others. If there's an emergency, people don't want to have to wait for the next bus to come through. They want to get there as quickly as possible. Owning a car makes that possible. Owning a car can also make visiting that aunt that lives three states away possible. Without having to ride a cramped, smelly bus to get there.

On the other hand, going without a car certainly has more pros than cons. There's less stress, it's cheaper, there's less traffic, it's healthier, and there's less pollution. For instance, in Paris, there was so much smog, they had to ban cars. If people violated the ban they had to pay a fine, or even get their car impounded. They blamed diesel fuel for the smog, because in France, that's nearly 67 percent of cars fuel. The cities' smog rivaled Bejings', and that's the most polluted city in the world! Going without a car is also less stressful. People don't have to worry about how they'll make the next car payment, or how they might run out of gas. There's also virtually no chance of getting in an accident. Afterall, how is someone going to get in an accident without a car?

Not only is going without a car the better economical choice, its the best personal choice. Why would someone deliberately put themsleves through the stress of owning a car, when they can easily go without? Though it has some benefits, like being independent, those benefits are greatly outnumbered by the pros of going without. It's just cheaper and less stressful. Who wouldn't want that?