is Independence.

Short distances
In many cases, travelling from one point to another is much faster in a car. In many cases, but not all. For distances less than 5 km in the city, a bicycle is definately quicker when you factor in parking. According to statistics, the majority of car travel is for distances less than 5 km. It may seem hard to believe, but I know people who travel such short distances by car every day. These people claim that walking or taking transit is too much work or hassle. Yes it does take more work, its called exercise. In reality leaving your car at home is cheaper, better for the environment and better for your health.

It is exhilirating to zip by the daily traffic jams and wonder how people can put up with wasting so much time every day.

What about longer distances?
Make good use of time!

The time you spend driving a vehicle is lost time. While driving, you have to concentrate on a simple task. All you can do other than drive is listen to the radio or perhaps talk on the phone, but for safety reasons this is becoming illegal in many countries.

When I use public transportation, I have my hands and my mind free to do other things, like reading or writing. Or get this, sleeping.

What is speed?
Speed is the distance traveled divided by the time required to travel that distance.
This is correct, but it is commonly misunderstood.
Again: Speed is the distance traveled divided by the time required to travel that distance.

What is the time you need to travel a distance?
The time you actually travel, plus the time you need to work to earn the money you spend for the travel.

When driving, this is the time that you work for the money you need to buy the car and to pay for maintainance, insurance, gasoline, parking, traffic tickets and so on. So, add this component to the time, and you get a completely different picture. Austrian car drivers travel at an average of 9 km/h (5.6 mph), when calculated this (honest) way.

This is a speed that you can easily beat with a bicycle. Plus you'll have all that money left over for other things.

Freedom of going wherever you want to has little to do with cars. On the contrary, all of these carefully registered vehicles are an excellent means to get detailed information on their owners. If you want to go about in freedom, you had better go walking.

Driving a car has got to be the most worthless way to spend your time. Strapped into your safety belt, usually intelligent people end up wasting their time in an activity a robot should be doing. Sure, it may get you to your destination somewhat earlier, but all that time is essentially wasted.

A car may give the driver a sense of freedom, but in the long run, it actually reduces the independence of everyone else (including other drivers). The more cars there are on the road, the slower traffic travels. The more cars in the city, the harder it is for pedestrians to get around safely. The more we rely on the car for our travel, the more our cities will be tailored to the car, making you more dependant on the automobile.

You have you feet,
but you don't need them.
You've got your wheels,
now thats pure freedom!

Forget your legs,
gasoline lets you cheat.
Addicted to oil,
its a high so sweet.

"Destory your towns,
in the name of progress.
Its our only goal,
to ensure quick access."

In ugly-burbs land use bows,
in obediance to the mechanical pet.
No need to walk, no need to stroll,
Force fed TV dinners till you're fat.

200 million strong, a trillion dollar bill,
uncaged, the whole Earth they range.
More than 'Nam, forty-five thousand a year,
and still we refuse to change.

Acid rain, global warming and smog,
breath it, see it, smell it; its putrid.
Killing our planet, the air, the water
to let this continue we really must be stupid.

Yet, we drive, the horizon's the limit,
On and on, ten thousand miles to nowhere.
Strip malls smeared across the country,
Commuting a thousand miles year.

Congestion mounts unceasing,
yet we desire to drive ever faster.
Your "freedom" has you chained,
the widow maker - your master.

Car bound, choking on your fumes,
Now thats pure freedom.

RH