Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Walking?

Speculative fiction has a long history of taking the issues of the day and reframing them in a new context with the hope that people will look at them in a new way. Our "unprecedented" times are bringing all sorts of old ways and old thinking back to the forefront. On Tuesdays, I present "what if?" questions. Previously, the intent was as an idea generator. It still is. But now, I ask that you really think about all the repercussions that these ideas will have. If only these were just thought exercises. 

What if we could halt or even reverse climate change, but we all had to give up our cars?

13 comments:

  1. Some very selfish folks would keep their cars. The rest of us would adapt.

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  2. I think a lot would depend on the public transportation options that were available. It's non-existent where I live and work is 12 miles away, so walking isn't really an option. I guess, in theory, biking would be, but not if there were still lots of cars on the road.

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    1. And that's the big stumbling block. We don't really have a good public transportation infrastructure here, either. I think that's where communities need to start.

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  3. We have a bus stop near by, but it doesn't go everywhere. It would be hard for older people, of which I am one, to shop. There are rental scooters in town, but I can't possibly ride one of those! I had to think hard about your question. At first, it was a "I'd do it, no problem!" then, many people, in the US, really depend on cars. If I didn't have a car, I'd depend on delivery, so someone still needs to drive around town.

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    1. Exactly. We couldn't just give them up tomorrow, much as we'd like to.

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  4. The nearest bus stop to me is over 1/4 mile away, and located on sidewalks along a main street that aren't reliably cleaned during the winter (during which we can receive upwards of 120 inches of snow). There is a senior bus service but it is far from perfect. Better than nothing. I don't think the "give up your car" would work for most people outside of several major cities.

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    1. It totally wouldn't. But that's part of the reason why I posted the question. What could we do as a society to make this a possibility?

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  5. I would like to see more public transportion choices. If I could do my job and get my clients to were they need to go. No sweat. Living in low populated area it would a whole different world.
    Coffee is on and stay safe

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  6. I don't have any problem with it. I don't have a car and prefer much more public transport. So this change will not affect me at all.

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    1. It really does depend on where you live. Where I'm at, they've made it difficult to rely on public transportation.

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  7. I'd be all for it as long as we had a good transportation system set up like In Europe and make sure the rich folk do the same plus fine the ones who try to still use their cars.

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    1. That's the problem. We need good public transport. Although, the rich would consider the fines just the cost of doing business.

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.