Montréal enSanté MES V10N3 Été/Summer 2018 | Page 13

COMMUNAUTÉ • COMMUNITY
I
’m trying to understand North America’s everlasting
love affair with the automobile.
I read Kerouac’s On the Road. I think I even under-
stood it.
Some of my most beloved cinematic characters are
fleshed out over many miles via classic “road trip” movies:
Thelma & Louise, Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine, and Planes,
Trains & Automobiles.
Some of my more memorable, life-altering trips in-
volved four wheels, two headlights, and one pretty pas-
senger. In our culture, it’s a rite of passage: Jump in the car.
Slip on Springsteen’s Born to Run CD. Head for the open
highway. Mix metaphors of freedom and adventure.
The summer road trip that becomes a pilgrimage or
spiritual sojourn or annual family event is something I can
wrap my mind around.
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What I don’t understand is the multitude of Montreal-
ers who refuse to give up their vehicle for even a day dur-
ing the workweek commute. That goes double for sum-
mertime, otherwise known as the season perfectly suited
for cycling, walking, or jogging.
Every summer, gas prices spike. Construction zones
multiply like a virus. Potholes get upgraded to crater status.
Add the fact that public transit passes in Montreal are
among the cheapest in North America.
And yet Montrealers keep piling into their cars every
day, only to get snagged in traffic, roll at a snail’s pace,
boost stress levels, pollute the air, and sit. And wait. And
sit. And wait. Around and around it goes...
Is anyone else confused by this behaviour?
Our mayor, for one, certainly is. Unlike me, Valérie Plan-
te has the power to do something about traffic congestion
in this city. Not everyone’s happy with her green, health-
conscious schemes. Devoting certain parts of Montreal on
particular days to pedestrians and cyclists? The horror!
Let’s start with baby steps. This summer, focus on your
health and the well-being of others. Leave the car at home.
Invest in a bike, a pair of rollerblades or a good pair of run-
ning shoes.
The more cars we get off the road, the more Montreal,
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as a whole, benefits. Using your inner motor to propel
yourself to work instead of that combustible engine will
With the
generous
support of
not only better the air we breathe, it will better your body
and brain.
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No one’s suggesting you give up road trips and shop-
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ping for groceries by the carload, but surely you can cut
your daily mileage. Montreal on two wheels or two feet
means a city looking forward, a city enSanté. M
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SUMMER 2018 MONTRÉAL enSANTÉ
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