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Why Everyone Should Try A Week Without Driving: Cookie’s Story Shows Us What We’re Missing

Close up photo of Cookie Lockley, a Black woman with wavy hair. She is wearing a black hoodie, black face mask and surrounded by a red bush.

What would happen if you couldn’t drive for a week? For most of us, it sounds impossible. We jump in our cars to go to work, the grocery store, or meet friends. But for thousands of Marylanders, this is everyday life. Cookie Lockley has been using Maryland Transit Administration’s paratransit service, MobiltiyLink, since 2002, and her story shows us why we all need to experience what it’s like to get around without our cars and participate in Week Without Driving

Meet Cookie 

Cookie has been riding Mobility for over 20 years. She uses an electric scooter to get around and depends on buses, paratransit, and sidewalks to live her life. What she’s learned in all those years could teach every driver, city planner, and elected official important lessons about how our transportation system really works. 

“I don’t want to complain,” Cookie says. “But I have had a lot of things happen [traveling around Baltimore City] and it’s stressful to me, very stressful.” 

Her experiences aren’t unique. Across the state, people who can’t drive face the same challenges every day. That’s why Week Without Driving matters so much. 

The Daily Reality: When Being on Time Isn’t Up to You 

Mobility riders are required to make reservations 1-7 days in advance and reservations are confirmed on a first come, first served basis. On the day of the reservation Mobility is considered “on time” for a pickup if the operator arrives within 30 minutes of the scheduled pickup time. On busy days Mobility is known to be later than 30 minutes and sometimes doesn’t show up at all. This makes scheduling appointments tricky especially when many service providers (doctors, dentists, etc.) will turn you away if you are 15 minutes or more late.  

This isn’t just about missing a lunch date or a birthday party, although those things are important, too. When you depend on mobility service, medical appointments become a guessing game. Do you risk being turned away from important healthcare appointments because your ride might be late? Do you cancel and try again another day? 

Cookie calls it “like shooting dice – you don’t know what you’re gonna roll.” 

 

The Bumpy Road: When Transportation Hurts 

Most of us think of our cars as comfortable spaces. We adjust our seats, control the temperature, and play our favorite music. But for people using mobility transportation, the ride itself can be painful. 

“I thought that an ambulance ride was terrible,” Cookie says. “No, mobility got it beat.” When you’re secured in a wheelchair or scooter, every sudden stop sends you sliding forward. Every sharp turn makes you lean into the window. 

Imagine if every car ride left you sore, stressed, and exhausted. How would that change how often you left your house? How would that impact your quality of life? 

PART 2 

The Sidewalk Problem Most People Never Notice 

Before Cookie started using a scooter, she might not have noticed the problems with sidewalks. But now she sees them everywhere – concrete pushed up by tree roots, missing pieces that could trap a wheel, poles placed right in the middle of walkways. 

“…the roots underneath have pushed the concrete up,” Cookie explains. “One was up so high, it looked like a step.” 

So Cookie rides in the street, which is dangerous but often easier to navigate than broken sidewalks. This is something most pedestrians never think about. We step over cracks or walk around obstacles without thinking. But for someone using a wheelchair or scooter, these aren’t minor inconveniences – they’re barriers that can make a route impossible. 

 

The Ripple Effect: How Transportation Affects Everything 

When your transportation is unreliable, it affects every part of your life. Cookie talks about places she’d like to go but doesn’t because she’s afraid of being stranded for hours because Mobility is late. She chooses her destinations based on which ones have backup bus routes. 

“I don’t like the feeling of being stranded,” she says. “I’d like to go to Costco over on the east side of the city, but I don’t know the bus route.” 

This means Cookie can’t shop where she wants, can’t visit friends in certain neighborhoods, and can’t explore her own city. Her world gets smaller because her transportation options are limited. 

Cookie used to work, but unreliable transportation made it impossible to keep a job. “They would come late to get me to work. And it wasn’t no more than about 10 blocks.” 

 

What Decision Makers Would Learn 

Cookie believes that if elected officials had to live without driving for a week, they would completely change how they think about transportation. 

“I really, really think that they would change their whole perspective of how it is to get around,” she says. “Especially getting around on just one or maybe two types of accessible vehicles.” 

She’s right. Most decision makers drive to work, drive to meetings, drive to the grocery store. They may have never had to wait two hours for a bus or Mobility service that might not show up. They may have never had to choose between missing a medical appointment and risking their safety. 

The Human Cost of Bad Transportation 

Behind every transportation policy decision are real people like Cookie. She talks about friends who can’t leave their apartments, people who miss medical appointments, and workers who can’t get to their jobs on time. 

“A lot of things, stories I’ve heard, I almost want to cry.” Cookie says. 

She’s not asking for special treatment. She’s asking for the same thing many drivers take for granted – the ability to get where she needs to go, when she needs to be there, safely and comfortably. 

 

Why We All Need to Try a Week Without Driving 

Cookie’s story shows us that transportation isn’t just about buses and trains. It’s about freedom, independence, and the ability to participate in your community. When transportation doesn’t work, people get left behind. 

“Just because you’re driving don’t mean you’re going to drive forever,” Cookie reminds us. “You could be in a horrible accident, God forbid, and you might need a service like mobility.” 

Again, she’s right. Any of us could find ourselves needing accessible transportation. We could have an injury, develop a disability, or simply unable to drive safely. When that happens, we’ll depend on the same system that Cookie uses every day. 

 

Check Back for Part 3…

PART 3 

Making Transportation Work for Everyone 

Cookie has simple ideas for making transportation better. She wants buses that run on time, drivers who care about passenger safety, and enough vehicles so people don’t have to wait for hours. She wants sidewalks that work for everyone and transportation that connects all parts of the city. 

These aren’t impossible dreams. They’re basic expectations that most drivers already have for their daily commute. 

 

The Challenge: Will You Try It? 

Week Without Driving challenges all of us to experience what Cookie lives every day. Can you get to work without your car? Can you buy groceries, go to the doctor, or visit friends using only public transportation? 

For some people, this will be easy. They live in areas with great public transit, bike lanes, and walkable neighborhoods. For others, it will be eye-opening. You’ll discover that the bus doesn’t run to your neighborhood, that sidewalks end suddenly, or that a simple trip to the store takes three hours. 

“I just hope that this will open their eyes to see, to really see what we need,” Cookie says about decision makers trying Week Without Driving. 

 

The Bigger Picture 

Cookie’s story isn’t just about transportation. It’s about how we build our communities and who we include in them. When we design cities around cars, we make it harder for people like Cookie to participate fully in society. 

But when we invest in good public transportation, accessible sidewalks, and connected communities, everyone benefits. Parents with strollers, elderly people who can’t drive, teenagers who haven’t gotten their licenses yet, people who can’t afford cars – they all get more freedom and independence. 

“We do need that funding to better transportation for people with disabilities,” Cookie says. “I really feel for the ones who can’t get out of their chairs.” 

 

Your Turn to Experience the Difference 

Cookie has been navigating Baltimore’s transportation system for over 20 years. She’s learned to plan backup routes, to carry phone numbers for late buses, and to choose her destinations based on which ones she can reach. 

But she shouldn’t have to be an expert in transportation logistics just to live her life. And neither should anyone else. 

That’s why Week Without Driving matters. It’s not just about proving you can survive without your car. It’s about understanding what millions of Americans face every day and working to make transportation better for everyone. 

So, will you take the challenge? Will you try a week without driving and see your community through Cookie’s eyes? You might discover that the problem isn’t just about buses and trains – it’s about how we build our world and who we leave behind. 

“Anything can happen in the blink of an eye,” Cookie reminds us. “People should be aware of that.” 

She’s right. Today you might be behind the wheel. Tomorrow you might be waiting for the bus. The question is: what kind of transportation system do you want to be there when you need it? 

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Charting the Life Course Workshop

A diverse group of young adults hugging and smiling at the camera

DRM is hosting a series of workshops helping student beneficiaries of Social Security age 14-21 and their parents problem-solve and build a plan for specific goals around employment.

We will use the Charting the LifeCourse framework to help students, and their parents develop their vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do to prepare for future employment, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live. 

There are several dates and locations available:

  • Baltimore County
    • Date: August 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 8 PM
    • Location: Baltimore County Library, Towson Branch Meeting Room 320 York Road, Towson, Maryland 21204
  • Frederick County
    • Date: August 16, 2025 at 10 AM-3:30 PM
    • Location: Urbana Regional Library, 9020 Amelung Street, Frederick, MD 21704
  • Howard County
    • Date: August 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM – 8 PM
    • Location: Elkridge Branch Library, Belmont Room, 6540 Washington Blvd, Elkridge, MD 21075
    • This is not an official library event.
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Take Our Annual Survey!

Disability Rights Maryland would like to hear from you! We are conducting our annual Legal Advocacy Services Plan survey (Fiscal Year 2026), asking the community to weigh in about the most important disability-related legal needs facing Marylanders and what DRM should focus on in the coming year. DRM’s current Advocacy Services Plan can be found here: 2025-Advocacy-Service-Plan-final-Board-approved.pdf. Our FY2026 Advocacy Services Plan will be finalized and issued by the end of this year.  There are so many issues we would like to tackle, but our resources are limited and we want to concentrate on the most important needs in our communities.

Please share your feedback with us by taking the online survey (link). To request a paper survey, provide feedback over the phone or in-person, or if you need an accommodation or translation to participate, call us at 410-727-6352 ext. 0 or email JackieP@disabilityrightsmd.org

Deadline to respond is August 16, 2025.

 

Take the survey in English: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/JVVPGLL   

 

Take the survey in Spanish: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFGFLK5

Need a printed version?

English Word Doc

Spanish Word Doc 

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PRESS RELEASE: DRM and Partners Reach Agreement with Baltimore City to Improve Sidewalks and Ramps for People with Mobility Disabilities​

December 18, 2024—Baltimore, MD— Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) and their legal partners Disability Rights Advocates, Fox & Robertson, and Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho, on behalf of a class of pedestrians with mobility disabilities, have reached a partial agreement with the City of Baltimore to make sidewalks and curb ramps more accessible for people with mobility disabilities. This is part of a class-action lawsuit called Goodlaxson, et al. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore (Case No. 1:21-cv-01454-JKB). 

In 2021, DRM and their legal partners filed the lawsuit on behalf of several individuals and organizations, including Susan Goodlaxson, Janice Jackson, Keyonna Mayo, and the IMAGE Center of Maryland. We argued that Baltimore City failed to follow federal disability laws because many of its sidewalks and curb ramps were not built or maintained to be accessible, making it harder for people with disabilities to safely travel around Baltimore and take part in community life. 

Baltimore City’s own data shows the issue is widespread. A 2019 review found that only about 1.3% of surveyed curb ramps met ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards. Many sidewalks were also damaged or too narrow for wheelchairs and other mobility devices, forcing people with disabilities to use the street alongside traffic, which is dangerous. 

This lawsuit aimed to help everyone with mobility disabilities who has had trouble using Baltimore’s sidewalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian pathways because they were too steep, narrow, or damaged. The agreement, known as a partial consent decree, is a step toward fixing these issues. Starting in the third year of the agreement, the parties will work on a long-term plan to make all sidewalks and ramps accessible. 

What Baltimore City Has Agreed to Do: 

  1. Spend $44–50 Million Over Four Years 
    The City will repair or build thousands of curb ramps and fix tens of thousands of square feet of sidewalks. 
  2. Focus on Key Areas First 
    Improvements will start in important places like government offices, transportation hubs, hospitals, and business areas, especially in high-need neighborhoods. 
  3. Improve the 3-1-1 System 
    People with mobility disabilities can use the City’s 3-1-1 system to report broken sidewalks or ramps. Baltimore City will: 
      • Investigate issues within 60 days. 
      • Provide a timeline for fixing the issue within 10 days after the investigation.
      • Aim to fix the problem within nine months. 
      • Quickly respond to complaints about puddles forming on ramps. 
  4. Hire ADA Coordinators 
    Baltimore will appoint coordinators to ensure the repairs meet ADA standards.
  5. Raise Awareness
    The City will educate the public about keeping sidewalks and ramps clear of snow and debris, especially near bus stops and public transportation.
  6. Create a Public Database 

Baltimore City will maintain an online system to track the conditions of sidewalks and curb ramps. 

Why This Matters 

This agreement is a big step toward making Baltimore a more accessible city for everyone. It addresses the immediate needs of the plaintiffs and sets an example for improving accessibility. Residents with mobility disabilities, and all residents, are encouraged to use 3-1-1 to report sidewalk and ramp problems. You can mention your mobility disability when reporting so repairs can be prioritized. You can report issues by calling 3-1-1 or using the website

The Court has scheduled a Fairness Hearing for March 27, 2025  at 11:00 a.m. It will be held in person at:

United States District Court
District of Maryland, Courtroom 5A
101 West Lombard Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Read the Class Notice.

You have a right to object to this Agreement. Information on how to object is in the Class Notice. Read it in English (Word/ PDF), Spanish (Word/ PDF), and Korean (Word/ PDF).

The Agreement will not become effective unless the Court approves it.

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Cayla Calderwood: Uniting Skills for Change

Photo Cayla Calderwood who is a young woman with long brown hair.

Why did you choose to take a pro bono case with DRM?
Taking a pro bono case offers a chance to collaborate with colleagues outside my usual circles. Working with diverse groups within Sidley Austin LLP has been particularly rewarding. It allows me to contribute my expertise while learning from others in different practices – like healthcare, securities, and litigation. It’s an opportunity to broaden my professional network while making a meaningful difference.

 

How has your pro bono work with DRM impacted you?
Working with DRM has been an eye-opening experience, especially coming from the West Coast. I assumed DRM worked primarily in Baltimore because that’s where the office is, but some of the communities that I’ve been working with most closely are right next to where I live in D.C.. I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the diverse communities in Maryland and the socio-economic landscape of the region. It’s helped me integrate into my new surroundings.

 

What’s it like collaborating with DRM on cases?
Sidley Austin LLP and DRM complement each other well. We come with a specialized skill set and DRM comes with the subject matter expertise. For example, as we design our case, DRM can tell us the strategic things that we should be aware of. While we could spend hours conducting case law research, they can quickly pinpoint key factors and relevant precedents in disability law. That makes the work go so much faster and easier. That’s been pretty fantastic.

 

What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with DRM?

I was nervous to start working on this case because my background wasn’t in the substantive underlying areas of law. But you don’t need to be an expert to contribute significantly.

Also, in my experience, it’s been fairly easy to make a pretty big impact with not that many hours. There’s been some very discreet, easily tackleable, and fascinating legal questions. Just having somebody spend 10 dedicated hours diving through every aspect of the legal question and then bringing the results back to the DRM team can make a world of difference.

 

Anything else you would like to add?

The cases that DRM takes can be pretty heart wrenching. It’s emotionally taxing at times, but it feels good at the end of the day when I’ve spent a chunk of my time working on something that I know is going to have an immediate and tangible impact for somebody. I’ve developed a profound respect for the DRM attorneys who navigate these challenging situations daily. Their dedication inspires me professionally and personally.

 

About Cayla

Cayla Calderwood, Managing Associate at Sidley Austin LLP, is an accomplished lawyer with significant experience navigating complex legal landscapes and achieving favorable outcomes in high-stakes litigation. Cayla focuses her practice on litigating complex matters in federal courts across the United States, including alleged violations of the U.S. Clean Air Act, enforcement of international arbitration awards, prosecuting disputes related to project financing, and coordinating complex e-discovery issues. Known for her meticulous approach, Cayla has experience developing legal claims, drafting and filing initial proceedings, conducting in-depth research, and skillfully drafting motions. Her experience extends to leading complex document discovery, coordinating with expert witnesses, negotiating with opposing counsel, and advising clients on trial risks.

 

Learn more on Sidley Austin LLP’s website (link opens to external webpage).

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