this post was submitted on 10 Sep 2023
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You might notice I said we should “move away from cars” which obviously includes building alternatives not just abandoning cars.
If you’re responding in good faith and genuinely wanting to learn about this topic, you might try looking into how other countries (I presume you’re American or Canadian?) manage with fewer cars. For example, other cold countries like Finland and northern Japan walk, bike, and use public transportation all year round, even in -20 weather. Check out this video. Totally possible. Obviously, the US and Canada had big cities before the invention of cars, so I’m not sure why you think there are no possible alternatives to cars.
Finland and northern Japan are microscopic compared to Canada (or the USA). The reason it's feasible there does not make it feasible here.
I hear this argument a lot but it doesn’t make any sense. The size of the country doesn’t matter for your daily commute.
It’s also nonsensical because living without cars was feasible in Canada and the US 100 years ago, and remains feasible in many small towns and big cities. Winnipeg, Calgary, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Kansas City… they all had efficient and extensive tram and bus systems in the pre-war era. The walkable neighborhoods made before cars remain some of the most valuable and sought after real estate in North America.
Maybe in the cities. However in the 20s, for rural areas, Horse and carts were still in use. Automobiles replaced them.
A lot of rural areas built walkable town centres which still exist today. But sure, some areas will always need cars. That said, over 80% of the population of US and Canada today lives in urban areas, so let's at least work on that 80%. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.