I'd write a longer response, but it's 12:45 AM and I worked 10 hours today.
Basically, the automobile has opened up freedom of choice in a way human history has never seen before:
- Instead of being forced to live along specific transit lines, a person can live where they like.
- It's widened choices from a past world of just high-density housing, to one with a spectrum of options ranging from high-rise penthouses to sprawling country estates (with most Americans choosing a good balance in the middle).
- It's allowed the general public to truly explore America. When else in human history could the lay public be the master of their own vacation? To say goodbye to rail schedules or the beaten path.
- It's created one of the few remaining "shared democratized experiences" .... the traffic jam. In a world where a chasm separates the rich and the commoner, the good ole' Angelino-style rush hour is no respecter of persons.
The car is a
wonderful invention. A world without it would be a much darker, more unjust place. But along the way we made a few mistakes:
- We allowed G.M. to tear out our existing rail infrastructure. The goal of the car was to give consumers options, not to trade one mode for the other entirely.
- We bet only on gasoline and diesel. That makes transportation vulnerable to horrible volatility (which thankfully we've avoided for the most part, other than the 70s oil crisis).
- We mandated car-only zoning policies in all parts of town, which destroyed some urban areas.
Thankfully, I think we are on track to remedy all three problems.
- The Wasatch Front is making a huge investment into LRT to restore what rail infrastructure we once had ... but we still have a long way to go. If gov't spends money wisely, LRT will benefit both motorists and non-motorists alike. (But if they mismanage the money, it'll be a colossal waste).
- I'm starting to see three potentially viable electric cars hit the market. Honda has it's CNG car selling fairly well. In my lifetime, I believe I'll see a cafe of marketably viable fuels.
- Cities are recreating zones where the pedestrian is king. I do believe there need to be specific places that are urban, especially near rail stops. But I oppose trying to turn every ounce of city into urban zones. It waters down the efforts to revitalize parts of town. Take Midtown Villiage, for instance. It's the wrong purpose at the wrong place. That's car country in Orem. Now, if the developer had tried to build it in downtown Provo, or next to a future Frontrunner stop, perhaps it wouldn't have failed.
Anyway, long sleepy ramble short .... the car (despite it's expenses and moderate environmental impacts) has done more good to "democratize" society and allow each person to be "more in charge" of their life. (Not be a victim of train schedules, bus fare, etc.) It's not a one size fits all approach. I can drive a smaller car to save money. I can drive more economically to save more. Or I can peel out at lights in my SUV if that's my provocative. As opposed to just paying a one-size fits all fare, that might not serve my needs.
The mistake was taking away the old rail lines which force people to have to drive cars, even if they didn't want to. Did I already say that? Oop. Looks like I did.
Goodnight. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
* end of ramble *