They speak for themselves.

“Okay, the rich might have to give up a couple of first-class plane tickets to the Carribean. But the rest of us will have to give up orange juice, fresh produce, and air conditioning.”

Kevin’s comment:
An interesting set of examples that really shows class bias.

Air conditioning is, to me, an example of a foolish and wasteful luxury that the overwhelming majority of people who live in tropical climates do not have.

Orange juce and tropical fruits are nice to have, but apples and root vegetables do just as well – and store nicely in root cellars.

Kevin’s comment:
Perhaps. You never know what the future has to hold. However, current alternatives have been disappointing. In spite of billions in research, hydrogen fuel cells are a flop, and electric batteries have range and price limitations.

Ironically enough, the only electric vehicle in mass production today is electric bicycles.

Even if some magical “star trek” technology were to be revealed to us by UFO aliens, it would take a considerable amount of time to move it into mass production and even longer to replace the present car fleet.

2. I probably don’t need to remind everyone that the “need” to arrive perfectly-sheveled and kempt is itself a product of our car-culture. And the expectation that you can schedule lots of meetings with far-flung clients is also a product of cheap transportation. I wish I had some constructive ideas for culture-jamming on those issues.

3. Personally, I do not look forward to an oil crisis. A falling tide sinks all boats.

I like riding a bike by choice. I like that I have the option to drive a car affordably if I want to. Yes, I like being “rich”, by global standards. I’m pretty sure that there is a touch of class envy coming from those who would wish an oil crisis on us, because they think that it would strike the gas-guzzling affluent more than it would strike them. I promise you, if we experience an energy crisis, it’s going to hurt the American working class lots more than it will hurt the rich. Okay, the rich might have to give up a couple of first-class plane tickets to the Carribean. But the rest of us will have to give up orange juice, fresh produce, and air conditioning.

Kevin: peak oil or a revolution cutting of our oil supply will not solve the problems of auto dependancy. We’ll simply find another method to power a vehicle. Hopefully, that method will be much less stressful on the environment.

But maybe in the short term, bicycle modal share would go up, and some may discover that they don’t need the “new auto” as much as they thought ….

Kevin’s comment:
Part of me is not going to be crying too much in the next few years as we go over peak oil. Or if there is a revolution in Saudi Arabia and car culture ends overnight.

It’s merely a curiosity. I don’t have a dog in this fight, I’m just fascinated with possibilities.