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The “car-free” day in “try-transit” week is no joke. It's not just a bunch of bike people trying to make trouble for the car culture. 

There’s a good reason to try transit, and have a car-free day in downtown Berkeley. We have a problem that needs to be solved. More and more of us think it's time to do something about our crowded and dangerous roads. There are just too many cars clogging the roads and parked along sides of the roads. 

Too many of us seldom use our public transportation, and by choosing to drive the car for all trips, add ourselves as a component of the congestion, pollution, and general decline in our quality of life. 

“Try transit” means finding at least one trip which doesn't require the car. 

For most people, that trip is the daily commute to work. 

Berkeley is great for “give peace a chance.” We're well-known liberals when it comes to world peace, diversity and the environment. 

At least we make a lot of the right noises. 

But when it comes to cutting back on car use, or getting serious about having enough local housing, Berkeley is as backward and conservative as any town down in Orange County. 

Berkeley’s “Transportation czar” says he wants to get AC Transit to shorten their bus routes. That’s foolish. The problem isn’t the buses — it’s the cars! 

Trying transit and enjoying a once-a-year car-free day downtown could be the way Berkeley shows that people here are different. 

We are different, aren’t we? Can we “give transit a chance?” 

Steve Geller 

Berkeley