Peak Car

An interesting graphic in the news today:

http://www.bloomberg.com/infographics/2014-02-21/urban-migration-ma...

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on February 24, 2014 at 11:52am

Too bad Chicago is not on those graphs.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on February 24, 2014 at 6:21pm

Yeah, someone should put those graphics in front of our mayor, who wants to make Chicago the bike friendliest city in the nation. It galls me no end how we keep pouring vast sums, essentially subsidizing the automotive industry, a sunset industry no less, when mega cities would clearly benefit, on several levels, from greater funding for PBL's and the like. Here in Chicago, in particular, we can fight back against that onerous parking meter deal with 2 wheels instead of 4, and if it will make John Kass any happier, I'd be willing to buy a bike license to help make it happen.

Thanks Jeff, that was a great link.

Juan 2-8 mi. said:

Too bad Chicago is not on those graphs.

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Permalink Reply by Gecko on February 24, 2014 at 6:39pm

"Peak Car" is directly related to "Peak Oil". The "easy" oil has all been tapped and now we are in an era of ever-rising energy costs and ever-dwindling energy supplies, despite what big business wants you to think. Millenials and the energy-conscious are already aware of this, which is why they've curbed their car use, but it's still going to take some drastic paradigm-shifting to get the majority of the populace on board with the changes that are needed. "The Car" as an idea is inextricably linked to the "American Dream", which some argue died when the recession hit. "See the USA in your Chevrolet" and all that is a bygone era, and if we want to continue to survive and prosper as a country and a species, we need to fundamentally reorganize our transportation and living arrangements, because they're killing us - more quickly than we realize.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on February 24, 2014 at 8:48pm

Right on, bro. Consider the article in today's Chicago Tribune about spending 1.5 billion to upgrade just a portion of the proposed high speed rail system from here to St Louis. Now in terms of benefiting the most people with scarce transit dollars and realizing the dream of making Chicago the bike friendliest city in America, what's the better bang for the buck? For less than 100 million we could probably make the LFT bikeable year round from end to end and improve access to Navy Pier, the number 1 tourist destination in Illinois. What's good for GM is no longer the best deal for America.

Nick G said:

"Peak Car" is directly related to "Peak Oil". The "easy" oil has all been tapped and now we are in an era of ever-rising energy costs and ever-dwindling energy supplies, despite what big business wants you to think. Millenials and the energy-conscious are already aware of this, which is why they've curbed their car use, but it's still going to take some drastic paradigm-shifting to get the majority of the populace on board with the changes that are needed. "The Car" as an idea is inextricably linked to the "American Dream", which some argue died when the recession hit. "See the USA in your Chevrolet" and all that is a bygone era, and if we want to continue to survive and prosper as a country and a species, we need to fundamentally reorganize our transportation and living arrangements, because they're killing us - more quickly than we realize.