As far as individual actions go, living car-free is the second most impactful thing you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. Many people say they want to do it, but then don’t. This series will provide guidance and answer questions so that those who want to do meaningful work in healing the planet can begin living their values through choosing to be car-free or car-lite.

“But what do you do when it rains?!” 

You get wet.

Or, you make an effort and avoid that. 

You’re not a Gremlin. It’s okay to contact water. 

Being car-free is generally easier than having a car. You don’t need to waste your time at the mechanic. You aren’t sitting around in the traffic jam you’re helping to cause. You don’t need to work longer hours to pay off car loans. But you do benefit from paying a little more attention to upcoming weather conditions, unless you really enjoy being surprised.

Still, by the way people talk, you would think that it’s Drano, not water, falling from the sky.

Truly, I do not understand how the same people who will endure hours in the rain at a music festival or on a hike will freak out about the possibility of getting slightly damp on a commute to work.


CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES 

The motorists who are shaving behind the wheel, playing on their phones, and eating cereal with a spoon aren’t going to see you anyway, but adding visibility doesn’t hurt if you’re someone who wants it to be super obvious that you did your part in #SharedResponsibility. On days with weather conditions that impede visibility, those are when I am willing to dress more brightly to be seen more easily. And by dress, I mostly mean carry an umbrella that can be seen a block away…well, seen by anyone who is looking. Personally, I think it’s nice to wear cheerful colors on blah days anyway.  

If you have a locker or place to stash personal belongings at work, leaving an umbrella there can be helpful for when you forget to check the weather or there’s an unexpected rain storm. It’s also good to keep a change of clothing at work in case you get splashed or it rains sideways. Wet socks are the worst! This sounds like a lot of work, but realistically, there are maybe two days of the year when weather conditions are bad enough to put that spare set of clothing to use. It’s better to have it and rarely use it than the alternative, but I don’t want anyone thinking this is a weekly requirement in Hartford. Climate change might make for wetter years soon, but for now, miserable rain conditions are not so frequent that they are something to  get worked up about. Damp, shivering feet are not conducive to productivity at work, so just stash a pair of socks somewhere already! 

If there is not really any place to store a change of clothes, bring them and shoes with you, and transport in something waterproof.

[This is a good place to note that I think most work dress codes are utter trash and are among the many things that workplaces should be reconsidering. What exactly is achieved by stuffing people into khaki pants or suits? What does this do besides reinforce clothing as a signifier of a class divide? Is a person performing her job better in a powersuit than in jeans and a t-shirt if that person feels squished and squeezed in formalwear? Unless we’re talking scrubs or other protective clothing for work that necessitates it, can we stop this charade already?]

I feel like that’s the minimum, and most of the time, you won’t need more than an umbrella. A hat with a brim (like a baseball cap) can keep water off your face, which is a consideration if you need to wear glasses. 

If you want to get fancy, a rain jacket and boots can help a lot. For myself, I did not buy a rain jacket until I decided I wanted to spend more time hiking around regardless of weather conditions; for a half hour commute, it never felt necessary. Adding a sweatshirt or flannel over my intended outfit was always enough. Those who are cycling might want rain pants, since their legs are kind of in the perfect position for wet thighs.  

Opt for wool or synthetic fibers, not cotton. I knew I was a grownup the day I chose to buy wool socks instead of the cheaper cotton ones.

None of this is needed for a light sprinkle when the sun is about to come right back out. This is a tropical storm rain situation I’m talking about. 

If you aren’t going to use a rain jacket, then have a plastic bag or container into which your electronics can be placed — reusing a produce bag is probably sufficient.

CYCLING 

Riding on the road in the rain is not my favorite because drivers seem to get more aggressive and then there’s the splashing. Still, it’s doable 99% of the time.

Puddles can hide pot holes, and hitting one on a bicycle is different from hitting one inside of an SUV. (That could mean crashing. That could mean popping a tire. That could mean nailing your crotch hard on the seat…and maybe that helps you to feel more alive, but I don’t care for it.) Since puddles tend to be on the side of the road, this means you will need to either ride slower or take the lane. (Taking the lane, dear newbies, is when you assert yourself on a bicycle, telling all others around that your time and your trip is just as valuable as theirs, and you do this by riding your bike in the center of the travel lane. This is legal and often safer. Just look to see that it’s all clear before making any sudden moves…just like you would look before changing lanes while driving a car.

If you’re new to this cycling thing…it is much harder to brake when it rains. Give yourself more time. Be prepared to do more defensive maneuvering due to the others on the roadway.

Mudflaps and fenders help to reduce splashing. You can also just become one with the elements and accept grime into your life. It’s your choice.

My panniers have bright yellow removable rain covers, which help keep whatever is in my bags more dry, but honestly, I mostly use them for increased visibility, even if I have nothing in the bags that I care about keeping dry.

Bike lights increase visibility, as in, making yourself more visible to those who can injure you. There are also reflective stickers and armbands/legbands you can get. Reflective shoelaces. Reflective raincoats. Reflective bags. No amount of visibility replaces actual infrastructure, like barrier-protected bike lanes, but it does not hurt. 

Expect even more erratic driving than usual by those swerving to dodge puddles. I know I already said this. It needs to be said again.

If you park your bicycle outdoors, you might want to cover the seat with a plastic bag so you aren’t riding home with wet bottom.

WALKING 

When it rains enough for puddles to happen, you may want to walk on lawns because many motorists are insensitive to how their actions impact others, and they will drive fast through puddles. You don’t need to be soaked in the slurry of water, oil, roadkill, and whatever other ingredients are thrown your way.

Unfortunately, the way roads are designed, the crosswalk usually is right where water accumulates. Obviously, paint does not provide physical protection anyway, but keep in mind that if a motorist hits you when you were walking outside the crosswalk to avoid ankle-deep water, that could come back to haunt you, legally. 

Watch out for metal grates and plates, all of which become akin to ice when it rains. Certain paints are also unforgiving. Unfortunately, there is inconsistency, so some crosswalk paint might be fine, and others will try to kill you. Slate and brick can also be slippery. Also slippery: leaves, berries, acorns, sticks, rocks. I’ve personally tested them all.

Whether walking or biking, give yourself more time to get where you’re going so you aren’t tempted to speedwalk across all those slippery surfaces.

BUS

The only thing I think worth noting is to be careful boarding because the water tracked in makes for a slippery floor, and not all bus drivers wait until passengers are seated before they resume driving.

If you don’t usually check the Transit app, this would be an occasion for it so you aren’t standing in a downpour longer than necessary if your bus is running ten minutes late. It’s not a bad idea to use this app regardless of weather conditions; there’s one bus driver who is always 10-15 minutes behind the posted schedule, whether it’s snowy or sunny.

NOTE: Now that we have entered the era of flash flooding in Hartford, stay the hell out of water when you can’t see the pavement beneath it, and disinfect your feet if you have to walk through any storm water. If these are the conditions on your commute in, probably best to just say “screw it” and work from home or take a vacation day. Nobody is going to give you a superhero badge for enduring dangerous nonsense. This might account for one or two days out of the year.

For readers who are already car-free or car-lite, what other tips do you have for rainy days?