[*BCM*] Be the change you want to see in the world & SUVs

[Greg Howard]

> Anyway, if you want people to stop using SUVs, you need to offer them
> better replacements for those needs (or their more basic roots, like
> love).

While I agree with this philosophically, it does give the appearance
of my having to solve SUV drivers' need for love, belonging, or, um,
personal shortcomings (another SUV reason turtle missed) before I can
demand that they give up their death machines.  isn't this putting a
pretty big burden on the bike community?  I am all in favor of
reshaping the world to be a non-SUV place, but solving everyone's need
for love is rather a long-term project.

as for reasons people drive SUVs, I would add "advertising".  and for
reasons they might not drive SUVs, I would add, economics.
fortunately, the rising gas prices will tend to push at least some
folks to more sane cars, as the costs are better represented.

as for solutions, I have two.  one is economic: internalize the true
costs of SUV ownership (or car ownership in general), and people will
be able to make better decisions.  a gas tax is a reasonable approach
to doing so.  second, simple regulation.  it's perfectly legitimate
for a society to decide that they don't like, for example, Hummers,
and to legislate that the parking spaces will be too small to
accomodate them.  am I the oldest one here, or does anyone else
remember how there used to be a large number of parking spaces
dedicated to "compacts"?

I'm not saying we shouldn't be changing the world and the mindset of
drivers, but... intermediate steps are available.


greg


On 6/7/06, turtle <turtle at zworg.com> wrote:
>
>
> greg at isoia.com,
>         Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org> wrote:
>
> > Maybe we can discuss
> > alternatives that are more effective in other areas of the country or need
> > to be tried here first.
>
> Effective solutions come when you really understand why something is
> happening.  If you want to reduce SUV use, you have to find out why
> people own SUVs.  In my experience, I've found that people own things
> (anything really) because they believe that it fills a need.  SUVs
> probably fill, or should I say they SEEM to fill, the need for:
>
> - Personal mobility
> - Belonging/Fitting In to Society
> - Safety
> - Status (a poor replacement for love, I would say)
>
> Am I missing anything?
>
> Anyway, if you want people to stop using SUVs, you need to offer them
> better replacements for those needs (or their more basic roots, like
> love).  Find ways to get people around efficiently and safely, and help
> society to find ways to reward people with love and a sense of belonging
> in a way that is more in line with your morality and higher purpose.  So
> this, and I will guarantee you will have much success.
>
> -Turtle
>
> ----------------------------------
> "One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we
> seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal.  We must
> pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means." - Martin Luther King Jr.
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