The Harsh Consequences of a Car-Dependent Culture

Effective transportation has always played an important role in the development of a culture. During the earlier periods of human history, the purpose of transportation was simply to import and export food and products from one part of the country to the other. Later on, horse-drawn wagons were used to help people move and settle on different areas. However, transportation was never defined by increased pollution, crime, and health problems; these are the effects that car dependency brings to most cultures. Now, observe today’s world, and notice how mass transportation is abused.

Pollution can be broken down into several factors such as air, water, and land pollution. All of these factors have endangered the health of the human race. Air pollution has been shown to cause or increase the risk of developing asthma. The contamination of potable water has caused bacteria to enter the human body and cause serious, and sometimes fatal, illnesses. Also, the increase of acid rain and chemical spills in water has greatly harmed the species in forests and jungles around the globe. Land pollution can be caused by the acid rain which erodes top soil. Perhaps the greatest land pollution contributor is the building and expansion of roads. Our car-dependent culture has caused a ridiculously large expansion in highways and busy roads in order to alleviate congestion. Although this simply creates more traffic jams.

A car-dependent culture has also created a higher crime rate. Since the car culture has increased, more roads are being built, and as a result sidewalks are deteriorating. This results in less people walking to work or as leisure and a greater risk in crime taking place. Because neighbourhood sidewalks are becoming less common, it is not rare to find a suspicious stranger walking around. However, if a neighbourhood has nice sidewalks where people are able to interact with one another, the atmosphere created is one of safety.

Moreover, the third effect car dependency has on us is diminishing health. It has been said for decades that walking is the best form of exercise. The fact that people seclude themselves in their cars can not only decrease their amount of daily exercise, but it also decreases their interaction with people and they are more prone to suffer from depression and stress. Also, studies have shown that many bus drivers have faced kidney failure because they are sitting down for too many hours a day and not getting enough exercise. This has also raised awareness and car-dependent cities are becoming walking cities. One example is Copenhagen; this city is reversing its culture and becoming a walking city.

Compared to today’s car-dependent culture, transportation centuries ago was used for the movement of food and products. Now, transportation is even used for leisure, and there is very little awareness of all the harmful effects such as increases in pollution, crime, and health problems. Such a great dependency in automobiles has caused a drastic expansion in road infrastructure, which has led to an increase in traffic congestion. As population density in cities, inhabitants are beginning to become more aware of all the consequences their decisions have caused.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House,
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Murphy, Deanna. Lecture. ENGL 1101: Rhetoric of Mass Transportation. Georgia
Institute of Technology, 23 Sept. 2011.