car culture. And its not dying of old age. People are still buying lots of cars. But theres been a concerted push by government
bureaucrats and environmentalists to transform car ownership from a source of pride to a
source of guilt.
Ever since Henry Ford built the Model T, cars
have been central to the American experience. Thats because cars are more than just another
way to get from point A to point B. They allow us to go wherever we want, whenever
we want, with whomever we want. Think about it: with trains, planes, and buses,
the routes are planned and the schedule is timed.
Only cars allow you to be spontaneous. When you get behind the wheel, you are in
control. You are free. The very reason people love cars personal
freedom -- is also why regulators can't stand them.
Government at all levels craves control. And when it comes to your car, they want you
off the road. So do the environmentalists with whom they
have made common cause. This antagonism toward Americas car culture
can be traced back to the 1970s.
In response to the Arab Oil Embargo in the
early part of that decade, Congress passed national fuel economy standards for cars and
light trucks. These standards, known as CAFE (short for
Corporate Average Fuel Economy), forced automakers to increase fuel efficiency. Rather than let the free market decide what
kind of cars customers wanted to buy, the government decided to do the dictating. Their regulations have cost car companies
and consumers many billions of dollars.
But in the last decade or so, the governments
heavy hand has come down harder than ever. Beginning in 2009, the Obama administration
sought to dramatically increase CAFE requirements. These Obama-era standards make cars more expensivearound $4,000 per new vehicle, according to economists Salim Furth and David Kreutzer. This prices millions of middle-class families
out of the new car market.
The regulations also encourage the production
of smaller, lighter cars, that are generally less safe than larger, heavier ones. The laws of physics are tough to argue with! To make matters worse, the new CAFE standards
push automakers to produce more electric cars, a lose-lose for consumers and, ironically,
the environment as well. Consumers lose because, according to a study
from the consulting firm Arthur D. Little, electric vehicles cost significantly more
to operate over their lifetime than comparable gasoline-powered cars -- around $20,000 more.
And the environment loses because electric
vehicles produce three times as much toxic pollution as gas powered ones when you factor
in the mining of rare earth minerals that electric car batteries require. And this doesnt include the environmental
consequences involved in ultimately disposing of these batteries. Adding insult to injury, a typical electric
car gets fewer than 100 miles per charge and can take 4 to 8 hours to fully charge the
battery. So much for the freedom of the open road.
Maybe that explains why consumers have shown
scant interest in these cars, despite hefty government subsidies and privileges. Still the regulators, bureaucrats and environmentalists
persist. Urban planners are adding bike lanes, reducing
parking spots, and pouring billions into more public transportation all to get people
out of their cars. Former Boston Mayor Tom Menino once declared,
The car is no longer king before banning all cars in a popular downtown shopping district.
Arlington, Virginia, a suburb of DC, actually
encourages people to adopt a car-free diet and live in one of the countys urban
villages. Seattle, meanwhile, plans to aggressively
discourage driving by limiting parking spots, even though cars are an unavoidable part
of work and life for most people, according to the Seattle Times. Time will tell if these regulations and strategies
will work. Americans are explorers.
We value our independence, and weve never
been good at staying put, or being told where to go and at what time. Maybe thats why, despite the governments
best laid plans, sales of trucks and SUVs are breaking records as low gasoline prices
inspire people to drive more and buy bigger vehicles. Why shouldnt they? Personal car ownership is part of Americas
fabric. It brings people together, and makes this
big country of ours seem a little smaller and more free.
Americas car culture isnt deadyet. So long as Americans still want to live in
the Land of the Free, Americas car culture will never die. Im Lauren Fix for
Prager University..
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