Around 6 PM today a car somehow managed to drive in reverse through the window of Leona's at 3215 N. Sheffield. I snapped this shot because I live down the street and heard the crash and yelling. The Tribune reports nobody was injured, and the crash was cause by a 72-year-old man trying to leave a parking space. Illinois requires regular driving tests for the elderly to prevent just this kind of thing, but not until age 75.

Tribune: Car plows into Leona's restaurant in Lakeview
NBC: Senior Citizen Backs Car into Lakeview Restaurant

I was happy to learn that Ron Huberman went carfree shortly after becoming the new president of the CTA. It's encouraging to know that he's experiencing first-hand both the freedom and frustrations of giving up automobile dependency. I think adopting the lifestyle he's promoting will give him a healthy perspective. Previous leadership seemed to view transit more as a social service rather than as essential to urban living as roads.

This came up in an interactive online video chat that RedEye's Kyra Kyles hosted with Ron Huberman. To see the full chat, visit http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/red-101707-tchat-flash,0,157189.flash . Here's the quote from the chat:

3 Jeff asks: Do you or your people actually use the CTA, even on a semi-regular basis?

Lakeview resident Sharon understands that walking is transportation, and regularly makes her six mile commute between home and the Loop on foot. Sharon works as the head of an IT department for a large foundation. Her commute is a great example for the rest of us, and a reminder that we live in a great city where six miles can actually be an enjoyable walk. Many of us are lucky enough to have the option of walking home at the end of the day -- let's take advantage of it more often.

So you walk to work every day from Lakeview to the Loop? How long does it take you?

I try to get 5 or more walking trips in each week. Sometimes I walk to work, sometimes I walk home, sometimes (but rarely) I do both.

It takes me 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Yeah, that's a long walk, so it makes sense you'd usually just do it one-way. What route do you take for the walk?

While we Chicagoans fret over the future of our transit system and dread our growing traffic problems, over in DC, residents are enjoying their clean, carpeted trains and celebrating their first official Car Free Day. DC City Council has declared Sept. 18 Car Free Day. Council members found means to work without automobiles, and even the mayor advocated for walking, biking and transit, posing for the press while riding the bus. One of the council members is even hosting a weeklong CarFree Challenge on his website. The weeklong challenge will culminate with a street festival on Saturday. The DC event is actually part of a World Car Free Day. Kind of makes you jealous, doesn't it?

This weekend, Broadway from Belmont to Roscoe was opened up for pedestrians to freely amble and stroll and enjoy the beautiful weather. The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce hosted its third annual Fine Art Festival, celebrating a great public space by filling the street with art, food and music. About the only thing a car was good for was as a canvas for painting -- as demonstrated at the "Paint a Volvo" booth.

These kinds of festivals happen all summer long in Chicago, and they're a great reminder that our streets serve a greater purpose than just moving cars. Unlike sprawling suburban streets that only serve to get cars to their destinations, urban streets are destinations in and of themselves. They are public places -- places for people.