15 December 2005

Automobile apartheid & sacrifice

In a world resembling a giant car-park with a mash-up of roads, personal freedom to mobility, especially of the young, the not so young, specific groups and any non automobile users is severely limited.
As David Roberts from Grist puts it:

"Automobile apartheid means anyone who wants mobility through walking, cycling, or public transportation suffers discrimination in a built environment designed for automobiles."
"First-class citizens drive motor vehicles, second-class Americans walk, cycle, or ride public transit."
The human sacrifices of ancient civilisations are condemned, the human sacrifices to the auto-mobile 'god' becomes a mere risk calculation individually and systemically.The 'road toll' and 'road kill' fill the 2cm margins of the tabloids.
"In the past 25 years some 175,000 pedestrians have been killed on America's roadways." (grist)
Children and over 70's suffer the highest fatalities. Specific ethnic groups are also over represented in these stats.
Trees are pet-hates of road authorities: Make a 'clear zone' to improve 'roadsafety' and fell 20 km of them.

Compulsive passive driving for all who need to breathe further reduces life quality and life expectancy for all.
previous:
Motorised transport and its regulation
4 WDs

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