Why do I prefer my car?

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I go when I want. Not so on a bus.

I go where I want. Riding a bus, I may need to transfer several times.

I enjoy driving a car. I do not enjoy a bus ride.

I listen to my stereo, and I sing in the car. How would others like my singing on a bus?

I SMOKE! We all know I can't do that on a bus.

I decide who gets in the car with me. I don't like drunks sitting next to me, or people with strong cologne or bad body odors.

I can fit in the drive thru at the bank, fast food joint, latte stand, cleaners etc. Can the bus do that?

I can eat or drink in my car. I can't do that on the bus. It is against state law.

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), January 14, 2000

Answers

The reason Henry Ford had such a huge impact on American life is that he finally freed the average American from the limitations of the travel facilities that had existed for so long. Namely, instead of being restricted to either 1) Staying within a mile or so of home. Or 2) Following some route that had been decided on for him by the current authorities who provided the train and streetcar tracks.

When Ford started selling the Model T for a few hundred bucks each, he gave the common man a freedom and speed of travel that had NEVER existed throughout recorded history. This is the freedom that the transit types would now dearly love to take away, and put the whole country basically back to what it was in 1918. And make no mistake. The battle over the private auto is now being played out mainly in the urban and suburban areas. I sincerely believe that the ultimate objective of the liberals is nothing less that the outlawing of private transportation. They just hate the commoner having all that freedom. It really interferes with their planning!

-- Albert Fosha (Afosha@aol.com), January 15, 2000.


In the above transmission, the second sentence should start "Namely, being restricted .....", not "Namely, instead of being restricted..." . Sorry - lousy proofreading!

-- Albert Fosha (Afosha@aol.com), January 15, 2000.

"The reason Henry Ford had such a huge impact on American life is that he finally freed the average American from the limitations of the travel facilities that had existed for so long"

He also provided everyone with an alternative to the horse and draft animals. Can you imagine what kind of city Seattle would be if, instead of motor vehicles, they used horses and other draft animals to satisfy their transportation needs? Or would the PETA people let them do that with "companion animals." Their otherwise "wuss" mayor would probably call out the national guard if you tried it.

-- (mark842@hotmail.com), January 16, 2000.


WHY I PREFER NOT NEEDING A CAR

I live in a walkable neighborhood close to my office.

I go when I want. I don't even need to start a car!

I go where I want. Driving a car, I might need to find a parking spot, pay for said parking, and so forth. And have you ever tried to drive a car up a flight of stairs to your office?

I enjoy walking. I do not enjoy driving. If I need to go cross-town, I ride a bus. If I need to drive out in the country or farther away, only then do I drive.

I listen to the birds, I skip a little skip, and I hum. How could I even hear the birds in a car?

I DON'T SMOKE! Thus I breath better now, am a better tasting smooch, save money otherwise wasted on tobacco, and don't fear lung cancer later in life.

I get to meet people on the street. I don't like living my life through a roll-down window made by Ford. I prefer to experience life, and not watch it go by.

Not only can I can fit in the drive thru at the bank, fast food joint, latte stand, cleaners etc., but I can ALSO fit through a door, an elevator, a sidewalk, stairs, escalators, and I don't need to worry about parking!

I can eat or drink along the way any time I want. I can stop in places along the way. I can meet my neighbors every day. I can't do that in a car.

-- Common Sense (1@hotmail.com), January 17, 2000.


Sounds great! If you live in San Diego, LOL!

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), January 17, 2000.


Marsha and Mr. Fosha:

Yes! Cars are an important element of personal freedom. Your preference for them is exactly right. Liberals who want to control people understand this, but that realization doesn't stop them from continuing with their schemes. They are very energetic and they understand the political process, so eternal vigilance is required on the part of those who understand the importance of personal liberty/personal responsibility.

Craig and Gary H. have noted how heavily subsidized and inefficient mass transit is in this state. Even if it were increased more in heavily built-up King County alone, there are still remote areas of the county that are best served by individual vehicles. This is even more the case for the rest of the state. "Mass" transit can never work for everyone -- only a tiny part of the population.

IMO, There is not another invention in human history that has been as popular with people as the personal automobile. Millions of people who don't have one, want one.

Common Sense:

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your appreciation of walking, appreciating the outdoors and chatting with friends etc. while you walk. I enjoy it too. But I also know that there is a world beyond my neighborhood where I can walk, see and experience different environments, learning to appreciate them too. A car takes me there. Just show some tolerance for me and the car that takes me and "Andy" the greyhound to those places.

-- A.C. Johnson (ajohnson@thefuture.net), January 17, 2000.


common sense-

I have a canoe that my wife and I love to take on day trips like to the Nisqually and the Skagit where I too enjoy the peace and tranquility, gliding along, seeing the eagles and other waterfowl. My wife and I take it on the Sound in good weather. There's nothing like gliding along on your own power, not disturbing, not polluting, not despoiling the environment in any way. Often seals will cavort along next to you, and I even saw Orcas once. You can appreciate the water much more than you ever would from a noisy boat.

Of course, I'd find it a damn chancy way to cross the sound, compared to the ferry, and I wouldn't even attempt to take a 16 foot long 65# (we were too cheap to buy the 40# Kevlar one) canoe, three paddles (always carry a spare), three personal floatation devices (one for the dog, a mixed breed mutt we got at the pound), rain gear, change of clothes in a waterproof bag (just in case) and a lunch (pack it in, pack it out) on a Transit bus. I have a roof rack on my SUV.

Everything has a niche, including human powered vehicles. Some niches just aren't very big.

-- (craigcar@crosswinds.net), January 17, 2000.


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