Without Cars, Sao Paulo Is Actually Kind of Pleasant Right Now

Images and news reports from Brazil over the past week depict a chaotic scene marked by gas shortages and gridlocked roadways. But the atmosphere is very different in large swaths of Sao Paulo -- at least for now.

A drive across town or a morning stroll through the city’s key financial district are downright pleasant. Rush-hour traffic jams have disappeared as more commuters either stay home or leave their cars parked and take bikes to the office instead. Several delivery trucks were making their rounds as usual in the upscale Itaim Bibi neighborhood on Tuesday, while half a dozen coffee shops and corner stores said they hadn’t yet been hit with any dramatic shortages.