Vehicles and Transportation

Only once in my life did I exist without my own transportation. I was living in a city, walked everywhere, used public transportation for distances, and if I needed to travel long distance I'd rent a car. It was heavenly not to have to pay for gas, maintenance, parking and insurance, not to mention feeling like I was doing my part toward a cleaner environment.

Alternative transportation for the chemically sensitive is more of a challenge. Riding a bike or walking long distances is only an option if you have the energy and health, however, both are constantly compromised and not dependable on a daily basis. Public transportation is risky. Enclosed in a bus wondering if the next rider will stink and knowing you may have to get off in the middle of nowhere is painfully stressful.  When does the next bus come? Who knows. Although most rental car companies strive to provide clean, scent-free cars, renting a car on a full-time basis would be incredibly expensive. And there is never a guarantee when dealing with the unstable variable: previous renters...people!

Living outside a city without your own transportation is difficult; living in the country without transportation is nearly impossible if you want to get anywhere unless you own a horse. Even a simple errand like getting groceries is a major event if you live miles from the nearest store. In search of organic food? Those miles may turn into hours of driving. Depending on another person for transportation is frustrating, especially someone who does not live with you. MCSers need their own reliable transportation for safety and peace of mind.

Shopping and Buying  Eight years ago I was forced to shop for a new vehicle after a crazy man high on Coca Cola and sleeping pills plowed into me at a stop light going forty-five miles an hour. Never mind my injuries, the thought of having to shop for a car was more worrisome. Automobile salesmen are notorious for cologne and used cars are guaranteed to be perfumed with air fresheners. Ditto on private sellers. After a long search, I did find a fragrance-free salesperson who seemed to understand my restrictions. He found a van that wasn't air freshened by snatching it up before it was detailed and asked the detailers not to put stink in the car when they prepared it for purchase.

Detoxifying When I was finally granted custody, it smelled. They did avoid any smelly preparations on the inside, but who would have predicted a freshly cleaned engine would stink so badly inside and out?  I drove home with all the windows down and my head hanging out like a dog.

Once I got it home it took about a week of vacuuming, carpet cleaning with non-toxic carpet shampoos, vinegar bowls to suck up the stink, baking soda all over the carpet followed by more vacuuming, and finally freshly ground coffee beans in bowls sealed up inside over night. I don't know if all this did any good, or if the week of sitting with the windows down was enough time to offgas, but eventually it was clean enough to enter and drive.

Practicality I chose to buy a van even with its less than stellar fuel efficiency as I needed something as a backup should my living area become contaminated. It was definitely a change from my tiny, energy efficient Toyota. It felt like I was driving around with my living room attached behind the driver's seat, but so much potential and well worth the sacrifice. In addition to serving as a emergency shelter, it has moved all my furniture to my current location, carried all manner of construction materials, transported garage sale treasures and freebies, and last fall hauled sixteen loads of rabbit manure, two yards of beauty bark and one yard of river rock. I don't recommend hauling river rock - it nearly flattened the back tires and I drove home with the tail pipe about an inch above the roadway. As mentioned in the previous post, I've often used it for accommodations and camping, too. I love my van.

Maintenance For the chemically sensitive, keeping the vehicle in good running condition is extremely important. Proper maintenance prevents problems such as leaks, ventilation issues, etc. that would contaminate the interior air space.  I also have a fear of breaking down somewhere. Who would I call? If the tow truck driver wore cologne or had air fresheners in his truck, would I be forced to walk home? From miles away? Most mechanics who offer me a ride home from their shops have air fresheners in their car so no matter where I go for maintenance, it must be within walking or cycling distance. Be sure when you take your vehicle into the shop that you state very clearly no one wearing cologne should get in it and no one should be tempted to add an air freshener or anything that stinks.

Interior cleanliness is also very important. The driver is sealed in a tiny compartment with limited air space. Dirt, animal hair, dust, food particles, dead insects, and trash can make this environment intolerable. Opening a window for fresh air will make these contaminants airborne. I vacuum the carpets and upholstery all the time, wash surfaces with vinegar, and occasionally shampoo the carpets with non-toxic shampoo. I also don't leave items in the car as I value the limited amount of air space available.

Mold is a concern in my area of the country and the HVAC system can be easily contaminated affecting ventilation and air quality. Turn on the vehicle, turn up the air conditioning and pour vinegar down the air vents on the OUTSIDE of the vehicle, located above the hood near the window. This simple precaution kills any mold spores, mildew or bacteria. Avoid eating and drinking in your vehicle as dropped liquids or food particles promote mold and bacteria growth as well. (Yeah, easier said than done, I know.)

Driving City or freeway driving especially during high traffic times is enough to kill someone who is chemically sensitive. When I still lived in a suburban area, one short jaunt on the freeway during a traffic jam and I'd have to exit for home, curl up in my bed for a few hours and sleep off the nausea and headache. One way to alleviate the asphyxiating smell of car exhaust is to keep your windows rolled up and turn the air conditioning on full blast making sure the air is re-circulated from the inside rather than using air pumped in from the outside. This is a situation where it is imperative to have a clean interior or the dust, dirt and mold will become airborne creating more breathing problems.

Passengers In the small interior of my van, I become ultra chemically sensitive! Passengers must be truly fragrance-free with no residue on their bodies or clothing. Anytime transportation is necessary, I always volunteer to drive. It's a requirement. If my prospective passenger shows up with even a hint of smell on them, we drive separately. I warn them in advance of my rules.

Shopping and Buying: Ten Years Later Lately, I've been considering buying a more fuel efficient car. My technique is going to a dealership and waiting for the first eager salesperson to approach. As you watch them rush to your side with that I-can't-wait-to-screw-you-over smile, ten to twenty feet away I loudly ask, "Are you wearing any cologne or scented products?" If he says he is I respond loud enough so he can hear it clearly, "I am deathly sensitive to stink, don't come near me." I turn and leave. Sometimes they try to talk me into staying or offer to find another salesperson, but I keep walking hollering over my shoulder, "No thanks!" It sends a clear message.  My belief is if one salesperson is ignorant, there obviously isn't some kind of fragrance-free policy. Sales personnel really should more knowledgeable about health issues of potential customers. If not, they aren't that interested in selling anything. If he says he isn't wearing anything smelly, I exclaim also loudly, "You are my guy! Thank you so much for not poisoning me!" Out of twenty encounters last summer, only ONE wore stink. Another said he normally wears cologne, but the dealership manager was fragrance sensitive and he's not allowed. That is a HUGE improvement! Eight years ago it was one out of every twenty wasn't perfumed!

I've stuck my nose into some of the new economy cars: Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chevy, Dodge and the interiors are made with such cheap plastics the chemical offgassing is deadly. I can't even get in them. In fact, I have to select and limit the number of cars I smell with each shopping trip. One bad smell can make me stagger home and crawl into bed.


I have found only two cars I can enter because they don't have cheap, smelly interiors: the Smart Car and Mini-Cooper. They use leather which could be problematic for many but for some reason, I had no issues with it which leads me to believe they must be using a safer treatment. I'm not looking at the more expensive Mercedes or BMWs although I'm sure their interiors are made from quality materials as well. Unfortunately luxury cars are not anywhere near my budget so I have to settle for their economical counterparts. I've considered buying a convertible. I can't imagine being in traffic surrounded by car exhaust with not only the windows down but the roof down, too! These are the factors one must consider when chemically sensitive.

Currently my plan is to save my money and wait for an electric car of quality. Can you imagine driving around without the stink of car exhaust? Mini-Cooper is on the top of my list, but they are in the testing stage. Buying an electric car may involve moving closer to a city in order to use electrical facilities. We'll see. I'm not in a hurry. Until then, I love my van and plan to keep it as a second car anyway. I won't be hauling rabbit manure in a new Mini-Cooper!