I live among a people who have become motor vehicles - our "carprint" on the landscape dwarfs the footprint of our feet. Most residents of driving age have lost any sense of distinction between human self and motorized self. Access IS automobility; freedom of movement IS driving whenever, wherever, and as much as one pleases - and then parking near the entrance for free.
Any threat to automobility is by nature existential; the reaction of many a motorist is primal and savage. To point out the obvious - that when most of us drive to most of our destinations, we make our community unsafe, impractical, and unpleasant for OTHER people to walk, roll wheelchairs, push baby strollers, pedal bicycles, and share transit - is to invite furious indignation. "How dare you question my right to drive!" But those who have intellectualized and rationalized their enslavement to the automobile may be the greatest obstacle to restoring the human scale in our community and ways of life. Rants against evil corporations and the sprawl industry are welcome (naturally!); talking ABOUT the problems of automobile dependence are OK; but calls to action are nearly almost met with a stony silence. The reasons for continuing to drive virtually everywhere are invariably excellent - not enough time, too hard, too dangerous, too hot, too cold, one person doing it won't make a difference. "Why should I have to sacrifice?" In places like Oregon, Wisconsin, our commitment to NOT having any choice but to drive appears to trump everything else. What to do about it? I am at a complete loss. This is not happy talk. Perhaps our collective insistence on "positive" messages does much to explain our collective failure to grapple with the quandaries our species has managed to create for itself. Hans Noeldner <http://www.entropicjournal.blogspot.com/> www.entropicjournal.blogspot.com
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