Originally Posted by
UniChris
The interesting part though is that it didn't take away people's cars - or change the landscape.
It just took away the need to use a car to transcend the landscape every day.
Some of the reduction in unnecessary commuting is likely to remain.
But what we haven't yet tackled is the car-dependence of housing design. One of the things I've noticed is that even new, dense, supposedly efficient housing design isn't necessarily near life essentials. Maybe at best it's a plausible walk to the bars and nightlife - but if the actual grocery store is yet another mile and a half (making three total), and an automatic car trip for most, especially in winter.
And a mile and half trip that might be plausible for an adult, becomes a car trip once kids are involved.
In many places around by me, you'd ride your bicycle to the store & end up walking back. That walk back might introduce you to some other unpleasant folks that could only have been out ran if you had wheeled transportation.
In a perfect world, I'd like to be able to simply lock my bicycle up outside the store & come back to it unscathed or not be under new ownership.