When I read articles about Fes being a car-free city, I reflect on my experience in Fes last summer. I stayed at the wonderful Riad 20 Jasmines. Located only a short walk from Batha Place, I quickly learned how to navigate my way back to the taxi stand so I could catch a ride to the modern part of town and attend the Moroccan Business Forum conference.

The sounds at night were a surprise to me. Dogs, people – those sounds I had expected. But the diesel sounds of motorized vehicles caught me by surprise. From the tiny, barred windows of my room I couldn’t look down and see what was going on in the medina alleyway below. But more than once I saw motorcycles being driven somewhat recklessly though the pedestrian and animal filled walkways. I can’t say I recall seeing anyone riding a bicycle.

The medina of Fes is a car-free city because it is an ancient place inconsiderate of cars. The truth is people use cars whenever they can. If you create environments where the car is inconvenient you can change behavior.

My own suburban town in the States was modeled on the car. It is basically a six-lane strip of road that widened over the years. Even when I want to walk to the store, the sidewalks and traffic deter me. What would my city be like if it were more of a city?

In Batha Place, I scanned the taxis to decide which one to hire. In one car the driver is smoking with the windows rolled-up. I chose another. As we start driving, the driver lights a cigarette. I shrug and light my own. “C’est interdit!” he tells me and laughs. It is a phrase overused. Everything and nothing is interdit (forbidden) in Morocco. I can still clearly picture the smiling gap-toothed cab driver nodding and laughing in the review mirror.