When I walk over the motorway bridge on the way into uni, and see the countless cars going in the same direction, each contributing their own bit of pollution, it brings out the philosopher in me. It's mad!

Gievn that I have no problem with walking for 30mins in order to get from a to b on a regular basis, I do tend to wonder about people who feel the need to take the car for journeys of half the distance.

a) It's bad for their health - avoiding walking even short distances isn't really a good idea

b) It's expensive - fuel prices ain't that cheap

c) It's not good for the environment

However, for long journeys, while there is the capability to travel on public transport to most places in the country (UK) without much difficulty, it is generally significantly cheaper to use cars - which is not going to help with traffic problems - even without factoring in the greater ease and freedom in travelling in a car. While public transport remains so expensive, I can't say I blame anyone who uses a car to travel long distances.

Looking at the situation in England and looking at it in the US are really two different issues. In England places are rather close together, there are developed city centres that basically house what the city has, there is dependable public transportation going to most of the city.

I live in the 7th largest city in the US and we have a public transportation system that basically consists of less than 20 buses a day. The DART system doesn't go to many of the popular suburbs. Where it does go is on the major roads (in North Dallas mostly) where there are apartments and people going to work nearby. We don't have much shopping in downtown, it's just offices. Shopping and entertainment are spread out in about a one hour driving radius throughout the city. Add all of this to the fact that it's 100 degrees/35C + throughout 4 months of the year add to the fact that Dallas is a huge driving city. I don't want to say that walking is out of the question, but really it's just not safe or practical. It's not uncommon to see 2 or 3 car families and the cars people chose to drive are usually larger old SUV's or pick up trucks.

I don't understand why people don't ride share more, considering the HOV lane (for 2 or more people in a car) on the freeways. The DART system is not allowed to enter certain communities because the communities themselves voted it out, so there's nothing to be done about that. The distances are often too long or awkward to walk through.

Another issue that isn't up yet but soon probably will be:

Not everyone can afford a fuel efficient car. I'd love for my dad to drive a hybrid, but what we have is a 1991 Caravan with horrible emissions because it is what we had to buy for my at the time wheelchair bound mom 10 years ago. Until it dies that's what we'll be driving in.

Heh the public transportation system here in Denver is huge and with the light rail expansion it'll be huge...we do still have a bad transportation problem. Anyone who has seen the thick smog can blame it on a huge population (Big by our standards) and those big mountains that block the smog from going anywhere...augh...I don't have a car (yet) and just prefer to ride my bike or take the bus...certainly keeps me healthier...

That and with rising gas prices, who would always want to drive around so much? I'd hate to have to put so much money into the tank when I can hop on a bike and save money...

What about hybrids? *ran over by a truck* No really though...I hear in Switzerland(or somewhere) they were producing engines that run on like hydrogen, I think it was. Besides they do have hybrids of electric/gas engines. I thought they had solar cell cars too, but not to sure.

www.cardomain.com/ride/2036479

thats my ride. It does fine at this time of gas prices. I live outside St Louis and Public Transportaion out here is big.

www.metrostlouis.org/

all the public transportation thats used around here

No really though...I hear in Switzerland(or somewhere) they were producing engines that run on like hydrogen, I think it was.
Have you had your head in the sand for the last decade? Hydrogen fuel cells are being developed mostly here in North America.

Walking? Well, here in my small town, public transport is literally non-existant. And the eighty-to-hundred-degree temperatures year 'round guarantee a nice amount of sweat if you stay outside for more than ten minutes. Where I live, if you walk down the street a few houses, you WILL sweat somethin' nasty. And the constant humidity from living right on the coast doesn't help, either.

Cars rock.

I am not convinced that carbon dioxide is bad for the environment, nor are many other respectable chemists and climatologists.

During the last great Ice Age CO2 levels were 14 times the current levels, and an increase in the use of coal and massive deforestation of the middle ages didn't stop the "little ice age" of Shakespeares time.

Clearly the historical evidence does not support CO2 as a regulating factor in global mean surface temperature.

Jimro

Me, I just ride my bike to work. It's really not that far, and it's a lot easier than trying to find (expensive) parking in the main tourist area of town. But, when I do have to go shopping or something on the other side of the island, yes, I do drive. I see nothing wrong with it, and my bug gets some nice mileage. It's got over 66K miles on it, and I'll keep on driving it until it dies, then get an Insight or some other hybrid, or, hell, some other alternative may be perfected by then.

As far as public transportation goes, the best that I've personally seen here in Florida would have to be Gainesville, with multiple lines running to and through UF, the mall, and all over town. Great way to get around, and not a lot of waiting, either.