Originally Posted by
benda18
Car ownership is easy in this country because we've chosen to accommodate it into our cities and lifestyles. Personally I believe people will continue to drive cars until it becomes too difficult to do so. And the only way that's going happen is if people can no longer afford to own and operate cars. There are certain planning practices that cities can use that will help make cycling and other modes of transportation more attractive, but it's always going to be easier to drive. people generally choose the path of least resistance.
I guess that depends on what you mean by easier. It's actually faster to ride my bike to work most of the year because I'm not impacted as much by traffic congestion. I can also park my bike at the building as opposed to a ramp a few blocks away, - and the parking is free.
So from a physical effort standpoint it's more work to ride, but in other ways it's less of a hassle.
There's a lot a city can do to make driving less attractive. I remember going to Boston 15 years ago and being told not to rent a car. Parking was extremely expensive and driving just wasn't a pleasant experience there. Walking and taking the subway on the other hand worked pretty well.