Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Member Testimonial: Anonymous

I have been a member of Buffalo CarShare since its inception. In fact, I’m member #20, a title that I hold with pride. I was a member of a carsharing organization in Chicago when I lived there, so when Buffalo CarShare opened its doors in 2009, I knew how it worked and that it was right for me. At age 38, I have yet to own my own car for environmental reasons, and Buffalo CarShare allows me to continue to be car-free.


Not only does Buffalo CarShare allow me to accomplish things like taking my cats to the vet, getting my taxes done, and hauling yard waste to the city drop-off site, it lets me visit beautiful nature preservation areas where I photograph the scenery to supplement my income. In short, Buffalo CarShare significantly enhances my quality of life.


As a society, we are moving more and more toward urban living, and with that, the need for carsharing will only rise. Whether it’s for economic or environmental reasons, carsharing makes sense to people from all walks of life for different reasons. Also, the environmental and social impacts of carsharing are colossal. When all of this is threatened in the state of New York because of insurance laws, then it’s time to change those laws because they should reflect our ever-changing society.

I take pride in being a native of the great state of New York, which has long enjoyed a reputation of being progressive and the incubator of societal change. Letting Buffalo CarShare become extinct will not only be a detriment to thousands of residents across the state, but it will be an irreversible stain on the state of New York. All of this will disenchant young professionals from moving into Buffalo, or elsewhere across the state, who wish to live a greener lifestyle by being car-free. For these reasons, I know I’m not alone when I say that I can’t imagine life without Buffalo CarShare.

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