Traffic is an Emergency

Guest Blogger — Citizen Joy partner Micheal Weiser

“Citizen Joy.” Both words give me warm feelings – “citizen” and “joy.” Once I heard there was a group to support citizen joy, I wanted to connect. In my 40-years of bringing humor and music to Chicago area hospitals and senior centers, I’ve found joy is readily available in these sometimes heart-breaking and oppressive places. 

Unfortunately, as I drove to and from hospitals, senior centers, and to my job as a computer analyst, my show business became slow business. Traffic congestion made two-hour one-way trips all too common. What could I do to change this, as a driver and as a citizen? How could something emerge from this emergency?

One day I had an epiphany, “I wondered if there was a car narrow enough to skip the congestion like a lane-splitting motorcycle?” The answer was “Yes!”

Tango is an amazing 39” wide, weather and road protected, 100% electric vehicle. I emailed inventor Rick Woodbury saying I would assist him any way I could to make thin cars a reality for congestion-stuck metro drivers like me. 17 years later, I’m still working with Rick.

Although I continue to have fun juggling, telling jokes, and playing guitar while leading sing-a-long’s, I most enjoy advocating for the Tango. In fact, a Tango will be part of a Citizen Joy event in Spokane, WA on July 27.

I have coined the term “ThinMobility” – vehicles one meter wide or narrower with supporting lane and parking space access. I earned a certificate from MIT by taking a course called “Leveraging Urban Mobility Disruptions to Create Better Cities,” and presented a ThinMobility poster at Transport Chicago. Later this year, I’ll be part of a panel discussion at the “Move America” conference in Austin.

I’ve found great happiness working to remedy the most oppressive situation I, or any other commuter, endures. ThinMobility gives me citizen joy. 

Michael Weiser aka Mickey Simple aka ThinMobility Man