The Uncomfortable Conversation | Sam Smith
A surprisingly, pretty good read on struggling to justify the love of automobiles in the face of climate change. Written from a car enthusiast point of view. Not something that I expected to read from a car magazine.
Link: The Uncomfortable Conversation
But. How else do you go anywhere in America? Outside a few select corridors, our public transit is patently terrible. And at the risk of sounding like a selfish ostrich, I like driving. You control a satisfying machine. Travel independently and with minimal restriction. In this vast country built by and for the automobile, the machine too often makes sense.
This is definitely a problem here. I've a tried a number of times to find a way for me to cycle to work, but it just won't work. My ride would force me into roads with inattentive drivers who drive with their eyes glued to their phone screens. Yeah I'm not risking my life riding my bike alongside drivers like that. Which is unfortunate, because I think cycling is a better, more environmental friendly alternative to internal combustion engines than electric cars are, as far as work commute goes.
The only way I would ride my bike to work, is if there is a bike path that is off limits to automobiles. Kind of like the bicycle highways that they have in Europe. I think bike lanes in existing roads do not offer enough protection for cyclists sharing the roads with automobile drivers. Another benefit to that is you don't get to inhale all the exhaust fumes coming from cars around you. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening anytime soon.
When the time comes to replace my daily driver, I'm going to try my best to get a more fuel efficient car. The aim being a car that can average at least 30 MPG in mixed driving conditions, not just highway MPG. I would consider a hybrid but no manufacturer makes one that looks good and is fun to drive, yet. I'm looking forward to what Mazda can come up with in the future.
Tags: #ClimateChange #Cars #Bookmarks