I have been riding the bus in Seattle for most of my life, and I've been completely car free since 2003. Though I gave up driving because of concerns about the detrimental effects of car culture (global warming, pollution, traffic, sprawl), the decision has profoundly and positively changed my life. When I became pregnant in 2007, my husband and I were told by many well-meaning (and not-so-well-meaning) people that having a child would force us to get a car. We respectfully disagreed. Our daughter was born in November of 2007, and we're more committed than ever to our car-free lifestyle--and to working to change the way Americans build cities and move people.