The ability to drive a car isn’t available to everyone.
Some people aren’t able to drive a car due to plenty of physical or mental reasons. Maybe there is an inescapable fear when they’re behind the wheel, or some individuals are simply not at the age to own a car and their parents aren’t around to drive them places. It is just not a preferred choice or even an option to operate a giant metal vehicle to get everywhere. And it’s about impossible to find other reliable alternatives. Our community is failing the people that it is supposed to support.
A City Built for Engines, Not Humans
Austin has been constructed around cars, rather than its own people. Many areas within Austin that could be used are taken up by the enormous space needed to accommodate parking lots and car garages. This is the reason why Texas is considered an unwalkable state. I’m sure it would be beneficial to everyone if the city provided more shelters and benches at bus stops, because people have needs that must be accommodated.
Cars have definitely become unsafe with giant iPads that distract you from the road, blinding LED lights, and an increased size to the point where it’s hard to spot what is in front of you, all while persuading you that it’s a luxury to have such inconveniences. Most companies don’t care about you and your safety; you are simply a source of income—another number on their chart.
The Cost of Modern “Innovation”
The iPads in the cars have a large chance to be the source of operating the whole vehicle; even opening the glove compartment requires you to take your eyes off the road just to access it. And like every other technical thing today, some require a subscription just to do the basic things that cars have always had. iPads are cheaper and easier for them to install compared to old physical buttons and knobs.
The increasing height of cars poses a danger to other smaller cars on the road or small children. Sure, it might be safer for the passengers within the vehicle, but others are at risk. When on the road, I’m sure most have been put in a situation where the headlights of a passing car were too bright, and that is because the older lights are softer compared to the newer LED lights that are replacing them. It also doesn’t help that the new and giant cars have headlights that beam directly into the windows of smaller cars, whether they’re in front of them or behind.
Profit Over People
They just want more and more money because it’s never enough; it has become increasingly obvious that these companies value profit over quality. So why sell you a car that works when they can have you come into the workshop every other month to supposedly fix whatever is wrong with your car until they’ve completely drained your bank account? They create new problems just to fix them afterwards and act like it’s a revelation because they’re running out of cheap ideas to sell to the public.
Insurance, roads, parking machine tickets to pay for spots, gas, cars themselves; all a market to take advantage of. Our lives revolve around cars to advance in life just like phones, so why not let these large companies choose who gets to drive?
A Path Toward Walkability
But the future is looking promising. There is a visible shift of projects being prioritized in this city of making Austin walkable, as seen with the increasing amount of sidewalks appearing, more shelters for bus stops, and the appearance of an electric train. Though there is always room for improvement, especially compared to other places outside of the United States, we should have the choice in how we live our life.
