Meet the American City Where Cars Have Been Banned since 1898

Forster said:
How you going to get there?
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:p Ferry.

I spent a long weekend there, about twenty years ago. Did a horse and cart tour with a mare named Blanche, who had her own ideas about how fast to go and how often and where to stop for a rest. When we finally got back to the stables, the guy said, "Well, where did Blanche take us today?" (We were several hours overdue, due to Blanche's ideas of what she wanted to do.)

Blanche definitely knew when she had the upper hand.
 
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Mackinac Island was featured on an episode of Dirty Jobs.
 
I have to laugh at Mackinac being referred to as a city. I wouldn't even call it a town, more like a small village.
 
thefadedone said:
It's polluted with people though since it's very touristy.
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Eh, that doesn't bother me. People > cars.

I'm sure you've heard of Carmageddon and Carmageddon II. Caltrans has been working on the San Diego Freeway in Los Angeles for YEARS now. Sometimes they have to shut down the freeway in order to get some work done. This sets off a panic with city officials and commuters. But something interesting happened: When the air quality around the work sites was tested before and after the freeway closures (from which most vehicles are kept a long distance away and a lot of people just didn't drive at all during those weekends), the air quality improved significantly after the closures.

So imagine coming from smog-choked Los Angeles or anywhere else in the country and visiting an island where cars have been banned for over a century, and one will immediately breathe easier. I imagine hardly any residents of Mackinac have respiratory problems. :)
 
If I'm reading that right it's only 8 miles around the perimiter. It can't be more than 2-3 miles across. I can't see the need for a car unless you are disabled (or carrying something heavy). Sounds neat though.
 
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Liz said:
If I'm reading that right it's only 8 miles around the perimiter. It can't be more than 2-3 miles across. I can't see the need for a car unless you are disabled (or carrying something heavy). Sounds neat though.
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Do you know how I can tell you aren't an American?

It's the assumption that just because a place is 2 to 3 miles across, it's walkable.

Now personally, I agree with you. But I've had passengers complain that I park too far away from the entrance in a parking lot!
 
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According to the article, the ban was put in place before cars became commonplace and a lot more people walked than they do now. But they also had bikes, and still do. So there ARE ways to get around the island without walking. They just can't do it by car.
 
^ cycling must be soooo much easier with no cars.

das_nut said:
Do you know how I can tell you aren't an American?

It's the assumption that just because a place is 2 to 3 miles across, it's walkable.

Now personally, I agree with you. But I've had passengers complain that I park too far away from the entrance in a parking lot!
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Haha not nessecarily. Where I work we have 2 car parks. One outside work, that fills up by 8.20am, one that is a 10-15min walk away. You can guess which one is always empty. People would rather risk parking tickets and having their cars scratched up by angry residents parking down side roads than walk. I always park at the further away one!
 
Liz said:
Haha not nessecarily. Where I work we have 2 car parks. One outside work, that fills up by 8.20am, one that is a 10-15min walk away. You can guess which one is always empty. People would rather risk parking tickets and having their cars scratched up by angry residents parking down side roads than walk. I always park at the further away one!
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In America, we'll drive around the same parking lot just to find a closer space, even though the back of many large parking lots are empty.
 
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das_nut said:
In America, we'll drive around the same parking lot just to find a closer space, even though the back of many large parking lots are empty.
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:yes:
Americans are a lazy lot.
I don't go anywhere near a parking lot during the holidays, too dangerous.
 
Calliegirl said:
:yes:
Americans are a lazy lot.
I don't go anywhere near a parking lot during the holidays, too dangerous.
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Haha yeah it often takes me forever to find a parking space during the holidays. And I'm willing to admit I'm lazy. When I shop at Target, I get a little annoyed if I can't find a parking space close to the entrance, even though there are plenty of open parking spaces further away. :rolleyes:
 
Liz said:
If I'm reading that right it's only 8 miles around the perimiter. It can't be more than 2-3 miles across. I can't see the need for a car unless you are disabled (or carrying something heavy). Sounds neat though.
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Being carless, a 3-mile jaunt on foot is pretty routine for me- but I bet this place gets a lot of snow in the colder months. DO NOT WANT.
 
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Bike in the snow instead!

explorer-eric-larson-on-a-surly-moonlander.jpg


(That guy tried to bike to the south pole in 2012. Yegads!)
 

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