I think it's good to keep in mind that America's "love affair" was more of an arranged relationship [1]. Maybe this is exaggeration, but I can't help but wonder what the american cultural landscape would look like today without the early intense lobbying and power-plays made by those selling and manufacturing the cars... Or perhaps it was just the case that the time of automobile was ripe (compared other transit) and bound to be picked by someone.
The article touched on smartphones, but I think missed a point - a huge part of the recent "acceptability" of public transport is that people have got something to do during their trip. In fact I kind of get the feeling people almost welcome bus/train trips now as a chance to get in some uninterrupted "phone time"! Previously, unless you brought a book, riding public transport meant a long look out the window. I think that's huge.
a huge part of the recent "acceptability" of public transport is that people have got something to do during their trip
In addition, it's now much easier to mix and match transport options: Lyft at one point, bike at another, bikes at a third. Many cities have also built out much more functional light rail systems. Denver is one good example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTD_Bus_%26_Light_Rail.
It still does mean this on the US public transportation crown jewel, the NYC subway, as there's no Internet in the tunnels. So, I still do bring a book or headphones. However, I think you still make a valid point: I certainly value the stretch of forced "chill out" time in the middle of a city that never seems to let up, whereas driving I much more often find to be stressful and aggravating (in cities at least).
It's kind of funny, more at the end of the day, and in my days off, I really enjoy driving.. even some heavy traffic doesn't phase me... It's when I'm trying to get somewhere by a certain time that it gets stressful...
The past couple years I've taken a 7-10 day road trip across part of the country... It's been very fun and relaxing. I'd much rather drive in a relatively comfortable car enjoying the scenery than flying, but to each their own.
I think the self driving car will finally be the death of the car. What's the point of owning a car, if you don't drive it? You are put out of control, the fun is gone, so why pay for it instead of using public transport? (I write this from a european perspective, where public transport is available).
The only thing I think will make it worth while is this: I drove the car (I drove!) to my destination, get out and then I can tell the car: 'find a parking'.
Owning a car stopped being fun 20 years ago (at least). Today, in a big city, it only enhances the stress level. So as a consequence it makes sense not to own one (let alone the costs). And it also makes sense that people buy vintage cars. This can be fun, if you like to tinker and don't have to rely on this thing to bring you somewhere and in time.
Out of curiosity, when is the last time you actually had fun driving your car? I live in California where 99% of my driving is dealing with traffic and road hazards. The last time I had fun behind the wheel was when I went to New Zealand on vacation.
I suspect that most people in major metropolitan areas would have more fun browsing facebook on their daily commutes than they actually do driving.
"when is the last time you actually had fun driving your car"
I usually have fun looking forward to driving a longer distance. Once I am in the car, stuck in the usual jam while trying to leave the city, the fun is gone. And it doesn't come back when the road finally gets empty late in the evening.
I used to own a convertible. It was fun using it on summer evenings and nights, in the countryside.
even without the tolls & limits and what have you... I went on a roadtrip through the Southwest ( miles of open road and few limits, ripe for enjoying the drive ) and still the whole time I was bored & rather be on Facebook or reading a book
I think self-driving cars won't stop car ownership, because if your car drives itself it's basically a very small moving home. If you're 'living in' instead of 'driving' your car, you'll want it even more customized than if your attention was mostly on driving.
Take a look at the rear seats of executive towncars, for examples of this kind of thing. People who can be driven everywhere in their own cars will go to substantial lengths to get them just the way they like them, whether that's for working, entertainment, napping, or whatever else.
Eh, you're making the wildly incorrect assumption that everyone lives in the middle of a major city with quality public transport. I would guess that 75+% of Americans either have no access to public transport or the public transport available does not fulfill their needs. This isn't going to change anytime soon in the US, and the car will not die in the foreseeable future.
With the public transit in my city you're limited to a very restrictive set of hours, many stops are only serviced once an hour so you're restricted in how you go about your day (and every stop you make takes at minimum an hour!), and the travel itself can take upwards of an hour for a trip that takes ten minutes by car... during rush hour.
There is no Uber. Taxis are expensive and unreliable. It's too cold to run or bike most of the year. Everyone owns cars or has someone who does drive them around.
These articles always love to talk about Uber and public transit as eating away at the car market... But outside of the major centers where people are writing these articles, the car is still often king.
I agree with this if you amend it to "... they believe it is much ..."
It is usually faster (some metros excepted) and usually more reliable, but people seem to consistently underestimate how much they spend on their cars. If you live in a major metro area (not its suburbs) my guess is that public transit is usually much cheaper. It certainly is in the ones I have lived in. If you've got a decent transit system (and that's a big if in North America), of course.
On the other hand, there are plenty of living arrangements that make transit impractical.
I live in Atlanta 1 block from a train station and the only time I use the train is to get to the airport or dinner in the nearby city of Decatur. I do live in a highly walkable neighborhood and work is a 10 minute drive. It's a 45 minute walk which I'll do in the fall.
As a vehicle for entertainment, sure. As a professional sport, yes. Grandparent meant it more as "what's the point of owning a car if you have 5 vacation days per year and never leave the city and all your commute each day is home->work->the store->home".
Even if I won't drive my car, I would still like to own it to keep it personal. To keep my stuff in it. To not have to pair my phone every time I go somewhere. To be hygienic(I hate public transport because of this).
And yeah, I drive in a large-ish city. Still enjoy the experience. Most of the time don't even have the radio on, just listen to the engine rumbling.
But maybe the lack of these in public transportation is simply because they can be found elsewhere, I.e. a demand issue that would be solved naturally.
First a nit: 'Now, he says, “cars have become virtual reality boxes,” infantilizing the driver. BMW even pipes phony engine noises through its cars’ sound systems...'
Chevy and Ford do this too with their trucks at least.
Second: 16 years ago I chose a car loan instead of a student loan. I was living in a small town and it was a ticket out. It was key to getting a higher paying job as employers required the mobility. In areas with poor or nonexistent transit, this is still the case. I live in Toronto now, sold my car 2 years ago, walk to work and telecommute and use car sharing. Why? Roads are too congested (I consider commuting in rush our soul destroying), it is so easy to rent a car today compared to 20 years ago and the big one: Insurance. It is prohibitively expensive and I have a perfect driving record. I now rent out my parking stall, and have more money available to travel and I no longer have expensive surprise costs for car repairs.
These people are describing a hobby and the author seems to have missed that.
At least in BMWs case, the stated goal of playing the engine sound recordings is to assist the driver with shifting by reproducing the audio cues that are muted by the cabin's quiet design.
> "People talk about the open road," she says, "but in my experience, the road is tolls and traffic cameras."
There was a time when if I was having a bad day I'd hit up the highway, roll down the windows, open up the throttle and just drive for an hour. The sound of the engine, some wind in your face, isolation and freedom.
Now there are speed cameras everywhere and everyone's driving 25mph under the speed limit. There is no open road, only frustration.
They complain that our relationship with cars has become very utilitarian... But that's what our culture has made it. There will be no risk taking. There will be no excessive pollution. There will be no fun.
Believe it or not, I don't use a car (and never have) in the city where I live. You may call me a troglodyte, but I call it “ahead of my time”. I get around without the noise, the exhaust, the waste of space and the gratuitous danger.
Maybe it's a generational thing, but I know several people that have never bothered to learn to drive. When I grew up in the UK, passing your driving test was an important rite of passage.
I can understand never owning a car, but never learning to drive feels a bit like never learning to swim.
> I can understand never owning a car, but never learning to drive feels a bit like never learning to swim.
The difference being you don't need a license to swim. I can drive a car ( and agricultural tractor ) but I'm not licensed to do so on the public highway. It simply isn't worth the cost to me.
In my part of the UK one must take lessons with 'approved' i.e expensive state-vetted instructors as well as computer-based testing. Then hire of a car for the actual practical lesson, plus its cost. All-in here it costs about £3,000 to receive a license in your hand.
And then you can't actually drive on the highway without some form of insurance, starting at around £900 liability-only for new drivers.
>I can understand never owning a car, but never learning to drive feels a bit like never learning to swim.
I've never been a particular car person and the cars I've bought have tended toward the nice but practical. To never learn to drive though strikes me as just incredibly limiting.
I've almost always needed a car to get to my company's office on a day-to-day basis and even when I've worked downtown, I've pretty much needed a car for visiting customers, job sites, or while traveling. Even if some scenarios could have sometimes been handled without the need to personally drive, I would never have wanted to be "that guy who needs always needs some special accommodation because he never learned to drive."
Furthermore, I've gone on many many vacations that depended upon my ability to drive a car. Sure, I could just not do those things and attach myself to a group or avoid locations not accessible by other means but it all seems so limiting to me.
Whether you actually buy a vehicle depends on a lot of factors and, especially with the newer short-term rental options, one may be able to avoid purchasing one in borderline cases.
Only an anecdote from my life, not wanting to prove that you're wrong or something like that:
My family has never owned a car (mother is the only one who even has a license) and in the part of the world where I grew up (Switzerland) that was no problem. I make extensive use of the public transport here as I own a GA, a general subscription which is valid for almost the whole of Switzerland (exceptions are mostly ship lines and mountain railways).
For me it feels quite weird to travel by car because I am so used to take the train or bus.
Maybe I'll learn it someday but for now I have zero need to do so.
I'm not a car connoisseur like the guys in the article, but I appreciate beautiful cars.
I'm an 'old' Millennial though... I drive a 2011 Synergy Green Camaro 2SS. I got my license as soon as I turned 16. I've always lived in smaller towns/cities though, so public transportation is not a very useful thing and having a car is still very important. I just like the freedom it provides though as well.
I don't fit the 'Millennial' mold though in lots of other ways, so I'm probably just an outlier.
Readit News
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_consp...
In addition, it's now much easier to mix and match transport options: Lyft at one point, bike at another, bikes at a third. Many cities have also built out much more functional light rail systems. Denver is one good example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTD_Bus_%26_Light_Rail.
A while ago I wrote "Cars and Generational Shift" about similar themes: http://jakeseliger.com/2012/03/24/cars-and-generational-shif....
The past couple years I've taken a 7-10 day road trip across part of the country... It's been very fun and relaxing. I'd much rather drive in a relatively comfortable car enjoying the scenery than flying, but to each their own.
The only thing I think will make it worth while is this: I drove the car (I drove!) to my destination, get out and then I can tell the car: 'find a parking'.
Owning a car stopped being fun 20 years ago (at least). Today, in a big city, it only enhances the stress level. So as a consequence it makes sense not to own one (let alone the costs). And it also makes sense that people buy vintage cars. This can be fun, if you like to tinker and don't have to rely on this thing to bring you somewhere and in time.
I usually have fun looking forward to driving a longer distance. Once I am in the car, stuck in the usual jam while trying to leave the city, the fun is gone. And it doesn't come back when the road finally gets empty late in the evening.
I used to own a convertible. It was fun using it on summer evenings and nights, in the countryside.
Take a look at the rear seats of executive towncars, for examples of this kind of thing. People who can be driven everywhere in their own cars will go to substantial lengths to get them just the way they like them, whether that's for working, entertainment, napping, or whatever else.
There is no Uber. Taxis are expensive and unreliable. It's too cold to run or bike most of the year. Everyone owns cars or has someone who does drive them around.
These articles always love to talk about Uber and public transit as eating away at the car market... But outside of the major centers where people are writing these articles, the car is still often king.
It is usually faster (some metros excepted) and usually more reliable, but people seem to consistently underestimate how much they spend on their cars. If you live in a major metro area (not its suburbs) my guess is that public transit is usually much cheaper. It certainly is in the ones I have lived in. If you've got a decent transit system (and that's a big if in North America), of course.
On the other hand, there are plenty of living arrangements that make transit impractical.
There are more uses for cars than A to B devices. Watch this video. I saw it when I was around age 16 and it's stuck with me ever since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PZ5J3GLSYI
And yeah, I drive in a large-ish city. Still enjoy the experience. Most of the time don't even have the radio on, just listen to the engine rumbling.
But maybe the lack of these in public transportation is simply because they can be found elsewhere, I.e. a demand issue that would be solved naturally.
Second: 16 years ago I chose a car loan instead of a student loan. I was living in a small town and it was a ticket out. It was key to getting a higher paying job as employers required the mobility. In areas with poor or nonexistent transit, this is still the case. I live in Toronto now, sold my car 2 years ago, walk to work and telecommute and use car sharing. Why? Roads are too congested (I consider commuting in rush our soul destroying), it is so easy to rent a car today compared to 20 years ago and the big one: Insurance. It is prohibitively expensive and I have a perfect driving record. I now rent out my parking stall, and have more money available to travel and I no longer have expensive surprise costs for car repairs.
These people are describing a hobby and the author seems to have missed that.
Drive a motorcycle and filter past all the idling losers. Best feeling in the world :D
There was a time when if I was having a bad day I'd hit up the highway, roll down the windows, open up the throttle and just drive for an hour. The sound of the engine, some wind in your face, isolation and freedom.
Now there are speed cameras everywhere and everyone's driving 25mph under the speed limit. There is no open road, only frustration.
They complain that our relationship with cars has become very utilitarian... But that's what our culture has made it. There will be no risk taking. There will be no excessive pollution. There will be no fun.
I can understand never owning a car, but never learning to drive feels a bit like never learning to swim.
The difference being you don't need a license to swim. I can drive a car ( and agricultural tractor ) but I'm not licensed to do so on the public highway. It simply isn't worth the cost to me.
In my part of the UK one must take lessons with 'approved' i.e expensive state-vetted instructors as well as computer-based testing. Then hire of a car for the actual practical lesson, plus its cost. All-in here it costs about £3,000 to receive a license in your hand.
And then you can't actually drive on the highway without some form of insurance, starting at around £900 liability-only for new drivers.
Learning to swim cost me around £90.
I've never been a particular car person and the cars I've bought have tended toward the nice but practical. To never learn to drive though strikes me as just incredibly limiting.
I've almost always needed a car to get to my company's office on a day-to-day basis and even when I've worked downtown, I've pretty much needed a car for visiting customers, job sites, or while traveling. Even if some scenarios could have sometimes been handled without the need to personally drive, I would never have wanted to be "that guy who needs always needs some special accommodation because he never learned to drive."
Furthermore, I've gone on many many vacations that depended upon my ability to drive a car. Sure, I could just not do those things and attach myself to a group or avoid locations not accessible by other means but it all seems so limiting to me.
Whether you actually buy a vehicle depends on a lot of factors and, especially with the newer short-term rental options, one may be able to avoid purchasing one in borderline cases.
My family has never owned a car (mother is the only one who even has a license) and in the part of the world where I grew up (Switzerland) that was no problem. I make extensive use of the public transport here as I own a GA, a general subscription which is valid for almost the whole of Switzerland (exceptions are mostly ship lines and mountain railways).
For me it feels quite weird to travel by car because I am so used to take the train or bus.
Maybe I'll learn it someday but for now I have zero need to do so.
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