The car and the American way of life

I don't own a car. Amanda doesn't own a car. Most of New York City doesn't own a car. The city of Tulsa, OK. Population circa 500,000... Everyone owns a car. Since I don't have a car and the weather was blissful, I decided to walk to the Utica Square yesterday in Tulsa, OK, a mere thirty minutes or so from my apartment. Here is what I learned: Walking is not encouraged, nor is it the slightest bit cool here in Tulsa, OK. One can not function to the fullest with out a car in this city. And I would imagine that 90 percent of this country functions in the same fashion, a fashion of hiding behind a three ton piece of metal to shade their true persons that they are never going to find.

Why is it that the infrastructure of this country is solely dependent on the automobile for means of transportation? As I visit these small cities across America, I notice that every one drives everywhere in their tiny little town, whether they are dropping the kids off at school or running to the grocery store for milk. In NYC, if you need to make a run to the store for milk, you literally RUN or WALK to the store. What you don't do is start the car, emitting toxic fumes into our atmosphere, causing traffic jams while talking on your cell-phone, and adding to your jiggle all because we have to sit to get what we need in most of America. One sits to get to the store, work, and the bar and then when you have had to much to drink, you again sit in your vehicle, now with the risk of killing someone.

As Amanda and I were walking in Downtown Tulsa we commented on how much space this country has and how we much space we as Americans take up just to run their daily chores. I wonder if we would have such problems with global warming if the country would function like urban areas do. Really, does the city of Tulsa need to spread out over 40 miles just to get milk. Do we need four Wal-Marts in a town of 500,000 people? You get the idea.