On Easter weekend, I rented a car for the first time in 2026. For three days, I rejoined the American Car Culture. As usual, it was fun while it lasted, and I was glad when it was over.

When I stopped owning cars, I became, almost without meaning to, an advocate for public transportation, bicycling, and pedestrian-friendly communities. Only after I began to do some research did I realize that I was part of a movement, small but growing, a pushback against the ubiquity of the car culture and the damage it has wrought. I discovered a whole body of literature on the theme of relinquishing cars and reducing the harm that they do.