Response to Introduction

Charles Wheelan broadened my perspective on several view points in everyday life - Politically, Socially, and Environmentally. His views on the reasons behind a politician's economical beliefs are logical and well thought. The chain of logic he uses is easy to follow and understand. I personally wouldn't have thought about the subsequent consequences to follow from driving. "But we don't have to pay for some of the other significant costs of our driving: the emissions we leave behind, the congestion we cause, the wear and tear on public roads, the danger we pose to drivers in smaller cars". While I agree with his overall point, we do pay for each of the aforementioned in one way or another. Emissions we leave behind - we breathe them in and allow the toxins to enter our systems and paving the way for additional health costs. Congestion we cause - we sit in traffic jams and pay for the fuel we use in stalling idly. The wear and tear on public roads - by paying taxes to fund them and once again, by sitting in traffic and using gas. The danger we pose to drivers in smaller cars - firstly, we should all be good drivers before we get on the road and recognize potential dangers before they get out of hand (or else suffer from heightened insurance costs), and secondly, if we as drivers in a larger car happen to kill or injure the person in the smaller car, we live and pay with that guilt. We pay one way or the other. Now to completely go against my point - wouldn't we just benefit from not driving? Yes and no. Yes there would be less pollution, no traffic, less wear and tear on public roads, and less danger from emissions. Does that go to say that we don't need airplanes or buses or trains to get from one place to another? Yes, the argument can still be made. On the flip side though, do we really want to go back to the times when food perished before it reached its location? Or taking months to travel by foot? Or each family farming and tending crops rather than excelling in business? The questions run on. Cars are advancing with each passing year - causing old problems to solve and new to rise.