i think it is clear that no large metropolis can function without the
single passenger vehicle altogether, unless there is drastic change.
in any event, exceptions have to be made for special cases.
there are ways rapid transportation can be provided for masses of
people if it was cheap and fast enough enough to be a viable
alternative to the family car. i started riding the bus recently to
cut increasing costs for gas and parking. it works fine as long as i
remain in santa monica. any long trips i still use my car and keep
registration and insurance current. when i lived in manhattan i
managed quite well without a car, so it can be done.
there are reasons why our consumer economy in america chose to go with
automobiles rather than other means of transportation. the fact is
that the oil and automobile industries are critical to global
capitalism and i do not see those powerful lobbies allowing alternative
modes of transportation to develop.
there is a reason why the right of way for train, etc. was usurped and
eminent domain was invoked to create freeways and highways.
one factor that may relieve the necessity for long commutes is
telecommuting.
amsterdam address the pollution problem by providing free bicycles.
the canals are no longer excessively used for transportation. i don't
know the last time they froze and people could get to where they were
going on ice skates.
thee return-to-agrarian-state type of proposal is not realistic, but it
is a pragmatic way to address many problem. it would require an entire
new city/state model such as solari's arcopolis. we just can not stop
using fossil burning vehicles over night, any more than we can pull out
of iraq over night. i wish there was a way but the vested interests in
maintaining the status quo at any cost are just too powerful. it
would require a benevolent fascist state.
what i think will bring it about is a massive world wide natural
disaster brought on by continued human accelerated environmental
destruction causing out of control and rapid climate change that would
make katrina and the indonesian tsunami look like a mild weather
anomaly and bring about a collapse. after seeing the 11th hour that
would be a best case scenario allowing humanity to survive with a new
perspective, and hopefully not repeat the same mistakes.
the other extreme would be for the earth to be devoid of all forms of
life, or perhaps crossing the anaerobic/aerobic threshold with simple
celled organisms alone surviving. another scenario is that the roaches
and sea anemones will inherit the earth. my money is on a collapse of
civilization that will allow the earth to achieve a natural equilibrium.
Knowledge is Power
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