Having a car is a liability than a luxury for most Americans
America is a car-centric country. You see not only major US cities filled with highways and parking spaces but commercials on cable TV are filled with new cars on the market to buy or lease. You not only have to buy or lease a car but pay for insurance which costs money. Parking is expensive especially in New York City. The tolls on highways, police cars waiting for their catch and petrol prices. Not to mention car accidents!
Cars are an unfortunate necessity in the United States.
America moved from a public transport oriented nation to personal vehicle nation after World War II. The fault does not completely rely on the automobile and oil lobbyists. The new housing boom allowed suburbs to be built which had homes where people can park their cars. This ‘American Dream’ idea of working hard so you can get a home in one of the ‘finest’ suburbs in the country where you can have a single-family home and a car was taking shape.
Cities suffered badly as a result of this. Much of Chicago’s mass transit system was demolished to accommodate for highways. Los Angeles feels crazy! Even New York City saw neighborhoods destroyed to make way for highways.
Neighborhoods of major US cities went from grids to weird highways like an integration graph on Calculus Math lessons.
I have a car for two years and it’s draining my money despite being a major blessing. You don’t see it when you have to pay for lease payments plus insurance. The companies that provide insurance are another nuisance because they want to have ‘every’ details about you. A short driving history or any violations will raise your premiums. It’s just crazy!
Public transportation in the US is not adequate to handle most people. The subways in New York City are a mess. It’s plagued with government interference, lack of money, old infrastructure, crime, fare evasion, lack of customers post-COVID-19 Pandemic due to work-from-home. Other cities like Chicago and Washington DC are car-centric enough to not bring people to public transport.
The US needs inspiration from public transport systems in Europe to bring balance between personal vehicle and public transportation usage.
Let’s face it! Cars will not go away especially in America. Not only people are used to driving but the country is huge. Not to mention every US state has its own cultural and political dynamics. Introducing new public transport projects might be easier in New York City and Washington DC but difficult in Phoenix or Miami. Republicans are staunchly pro-cars, especially cars that run on fossil fuels. There are folks that value their huge SUVs and pickup trucks. Owning a car is considered a sign of American way of life.
Bikes will not solve all problems in cities. They may be valuable to young people but what about folks who cannot walk? People in wheelchairs, people who want to buy groceries. Not everyone can use Instacart where the delivery drivers use personal vehicles mostly. Again, not everyone uses bikes!
Moving forward
New public transport systems being introduced in the US is a step in the right direction. It will take a decade or two for America to be more public transport-friendly. Cars will not go away and neither I am advocating for the abolition of personal vehicles. The problem is there are too many cars and highways that cater them. Car, oil and insurance companies are there to profit from personal vehicles.
Balance is the key!
Let me know in the comments how you guys feel.
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