Originally Posted by
cooker
I linked to that site to try to find common ground with the more conservative thread participants. I was more interested that they agreed on the problem rather than the specific solution.
My point is that we should not be publicly subsidizing other people's driving, either directly or indirectly, or rich or poor. In terms of the harmful effects of exhaust, probably more of that comes from poor people's cars than rich people's cars, so why would I want to subsidize either rich or poor people driving? If poor people need my help I'll try to figure out a way to help them that doesn't involve more fossil fuel consumption.
Fair enough-but their take on sprawl-will never favor anyone but the affluent.
And in truth-since diesels have become clean living near a highway shouldn't be very toxic (most public transportation was/is diesel buses -which until recently spewed absolutely HORRIBLE soot(carcinogens) and other nasty stuff)
Yeah exhaust much cleaner now in respect to measurable health effects-
Diesels of all sorts produced horrible exhaust-and that annoying diesel clatter-
Highway noise-pretty annoying of course.
But owning a car does provide benefits-
I could probably find some study indicating owning a car benefits less affluent people relatively more than very affluent folks-
no doubt I could find the opposite too-cars drive less affluent to poor house
But they -cars-certainly allowed the parents of the baby boomers to MOVE THE HECK OUT OF CITIES and away from their too close to annoying neighbors- as they became somewhat more affluent
Many folks see cars as a net plus-quality of life wise-I certainly do
so how do you measure that benefit- not having to stand waiting for a bus-in rain/snow cold- growing your own tomatoes?
Not having to share walls ceiling with various neighbors??
The CO2 certainly could be a MUCH bigger deal than "rude,stupid,careless,inattentive drivers" which is the main knock bike free folks have in respect to "cars/roads"
But there is a tech solution to CO2 cars- electricity from wind turbines nukes etc-so cars will be with us for a while-
unless of course the more dire "MAN CO2 WARMING PREDICTIONS"- meaning famine from no rain - rain at wrong time - rain in wrong place come to pass
Whining about cars and rude drivers -will be small potatoes
And we seem to forget-Transportation riding-tiny in USA- always was tiny-
We are unimportant