Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Driven to Despair


















As the exurbs transform into slumburbia PBS's Now produces an excellent piece about the collapse of sprawl. It connects with real people as it dawns on them that the often overlooked nexus between the high cost of energy and the housing crises means they need to change their lives. While they still look at driving as their ticket to freedom and they don't want to sit next to others on transit, they sit as prisoners in their mcmansions, unable to finance a full tank of gas.

For contrast, host Peter Brancaccio showcases car-free and car-lite Pasadena urbanists show that yes, its possible to have a full life in Southern California without becoming a slave to the gas pump.

It runs about twenty minutes.

8 comments:

chococat78 said...

This was a fantastic story about the transportation crisis in this country. Thank you for posting it.

Anonymous said...

Today, October 30th 2008, with Mobil Exxon ( the ones who never paid their lawsuit obligations to the Alaskan victims of the Exxon Valdez spill)
posted yet another record breaking PROFIT$ mark with $14.83 Billion dollars. This coverage is so timely. Thanks for the post bike scape! A "car lite" commuter in So Cal...

chococat78 said...

After viewing this video and listening to past Bikescape Podcasts, I have purchased a bike :) I live in Pearland, Texas (a suburb ~20 minutes outside of Houston). It is definitely NOT a very bike friendly place, but I am determined to start living car-lite and eventually car-free.

Thank you again for this podcast!

When is the next one coming?

jon said...

Chocolate,

I live for comments like yours. It why I'm in this business!

New podcasts about touring and an interview with street films' Clarence Eckerson coming soon!

--jw

Ps If you're not too shy, maybe you'd like to send a voice message of your comment to 206-984-1216 to be used on the show!

chococat78 said...

Thank you so much, Jon! I will call :) I bought a 2 year old bike, so I am getting it tuned up. After that, I will be commuting to work at least 2 days a week :)

Looking forward to the next podcast :D

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