Originally Posted by Ozrider

Let's talk about several things here.

First - the tipping point for people to want smaller cars is $3 a gallon. That's when hybrids make economic sense. As for bikes, I am not sure.

Second - nuclear power. Do you people all realize why Europe meets the Kyoto accord limits on pollution? It's because over half their power comes from nuclear. In France, I think it is over 70%.
I always hear people scream how about unsafe nuclear power is. Well, you might want to discuss that with the coal miners in West Virginia, China and other areas. A lot more people have died from coal mining accidents than from nuclear power. Coal is probably our best other source of energy.
In fact, with the exception of Chernobal, how many people have died from nuclear accidents? Chernobal was operator error. And, if you are going to use the death quotient, get off you bikes, out of your cars, and never fly on an airplane.
The fact is, nothing is completely safe. it is just a case of picking your poison.

Third - alternative sources such as solar and wind. They will help, but they will never, in the forseeable future, be the complete answer. Where I live, people are protesting wind farms because the 200 foot high towers are unsightly and might harm wildlife. And have you seen the chemicals that go into making a solar panel?
The technology just isn't there yet. Ah nimbys. Hydrogen is a long way away from being a viable source.

Fourth - ethanol. It takes a $1 of energy to produce a $1 of ethanol. Brazil's energy industry is state subsidized. You willing to pay the higher taxes?

Look, this country made a choice in the 1950s to build a massive interstate highway system. It was a Cold War move - the military wanted good roads to move men and material in the event of an invasion. Check an old road atlas, the actual name of the highway system is the Interstate and Defense Highway System. The Auto industry wanted to sell more cars, so they were happy. A match made somewhere. Mass transist was allowed to wither and die in many cities. We are now paying the price for the car culture we created.

Nuclear might have been part of the answer, but too many people with too little info scuttled that.

Europe went the other way - pouring money into mass transit and nuclear power. Hence the Eurorail system and cities that are easy to get around with mostly clean air. Granted Europe is much smaller than the U.S.

I think the best thing that could happen to this country would be gas going to $6 a gallon. It would finally force people to confront the problem and come up with solutions. Only then would be people be willing to make the radical choices that will have to made sooner or later. I think bikes would be part of the solution.