Driving Has Lost its Cool for Young Americans

[rumborak]

Bikers have always been criminally underserved in North American urban planning.  Bike lanes, especially those with separated rights-of-way are a cheap, massively useful way to free up road capacity, provide a fast way to work for many urban commuters, and improves the social fabric of neighbourhoods they're implemented in.

This. In American city-planning, bikers are an afterthought at best, something that is conceded to after 5 million town meetings. And then it's usually just a painted line on the road that nobody cares about anyway.
Interesting side reference to the "what causes obesity" thread: Biking reduces obesity, there's no question. When I was in Japan I immediately noticed how in shape everybody was. And then in the evening I went grocery shopping and saw this in front of the store:



If the United States wants to get is energy expenditure and its obesity under control, it should plan towards this kind of culture.

rumborak

[Omega]

I love driving.

Comfortable interior, good tunes, windows down, speeding at least 10 miles over the limit, etc.

Wow that almost turned into a Rebbecca Black hit right there...

[carl320]

Bikers have always been criminally underserved in North American urban planning.  Bike lanes, especially those with separated rights-of-way are a cheap, massively useful way to free up road capacity, provide a fast way to work for many urban commuters, and improves the social fabric of neighbourhoods they're implemented in.

Bike lanes are a good idea, but they have to be part of the big picture, planning wise.  In my city bike likes were added in many areas, but they seemed more like an afterthought.  There's one section of road that was two lanes, and even with bike lanes people still treat it as a two lane road.  I wouldn't ride a bike in this town.

Back to the OP:  It seems (to me at least) that teens don't understand the danger.  When people don't understand the danger, they take it for granted.

[Sigz]

Back to the OP:  It seems (to me at least) that teens don't understand the danger.  When people don't understand the danger, they take it for granted.

huh?

[black_biff_stadler]

I love driving.

Comfortable interior, good tunes, windows down, speeding at least 10 miles over the limit, etc.

Wow that almost turned into a Rebbecca Black hit right there...

 

[AcidLameLTE]

If cities worked like they do in the Netherlands, I would ride a bike everywhere.

[kári]

I study in Leuven, which is the "student's city" of Belgium. And wherever you go, there's bikes everywhere. I couldn't find a picture of our campus (which is stuffed with bikes everywhere during lesson hours) but here is the bike stall of the train station in Leuven:


I don't know how long it is but it's got to be at least a kilometer long (this picture isn't even taken from the beginnen, if you look closely you can see 13 written on the closest pole, it starts at 1). There's two lanes like the one you see in the picture (this is the one on the right).
It's perfectly possible to live in Leuven and not have a car (like 99.9% of students who live in Leuven).

Also, I love driving.

[the Catfishman]

yup it's the same here, I live near my University and around here the roads for bikes are bigger than those for cars.

[kirksnosehair]

There is absolutely no way that I could survive without a vehicle.   Last year I put just shy of 40,000 miles on my company car.

[7StringedBeast]

Bikes are nice for an every day commute or errand, but if you need to travel or take somebody with you, nothing beats having a car.  Not to mention if you are in a band, you absolutely need a car.

[carl320]

Back to the OP:  It seems (to me at least) that teens don't understand the danger.  When people don't understand the danger, they take it for granted.

huh?

Quick example.  When was the last time you passed a semi on the interstate?  How long did you wait before pulling back in front of him?  Did you know that a semi going 60 takes about 400 ft to come to a complete stop?  If you pull back in front of the semi too soon and someone (or something) stops in front of you, there isn't enough time for that truck to stop without hitting you (granted the truck will try to steer away from the accident).

Point is, in my experience, people who don't understand the danger in certain actions will do those actions because they don't understand the consequences.  Teens don't understand that texting and driving is dangerous until something happens.

[emindead]

Yeah, I did get your point right away. *Insert that brutal British ad where it shows a teenage couple crashing while going to prom*

[Sigz]

Ah okay, I was thinking you were referring to the fact that less kids are driving in general, not the whole texting while driving thing.

[hefdaddy42]

I own a car and drive it everywhere, but I live in a rural area, and there is really no alternative for me.  But I'm not a huge fan of driving; some people love to drive, but I am not one of them.  It is just something I have to do.

No one would be happier than me if there were a great public transportation system where I live.  I would lose that car (and car insurance) in a blue minute.

[rumborak]

Bikes are nice for an every day commute or errand, but if you need to travel or take somebody with you, nothing beats having a car.  Not to mention if you are in a band, you absolutely need a car.

That is true, and again, not every car owner can go without one, nobody makes that claim. I think what's just missing is the mindset to reduce car usage even. My workplace is at the end of a major bikeway that cuts out into Western Massachusetts, past many towns where coworkers of mine live. And even then in the summer there's about 4 bike riders out of the 300-odd people that work there. They'd all rather sit in traffic in the morning and then complain about their backs and their weight during lunch, than ride their bike.

rumborak

[antigoon]

During college I simultaneously lived an urban life (at school in NYC) and a suburban life (my frequent visits home to Long Island). 

I rarely wished for my car out of necessity while I was at school, but I did miss it. I love driving; it's really the only option where I live. Even to get to the closest train station to take me into NYC is a few miles away from my house, and there's no real safe place to park a bike, especially if the weather is poor.

Besides, when am I supposed to listen to sports talk radio if not in my car?!

[Orbert]

I got my permit the day after my 16th birthday, because my birthday was on a Sunday.  I got my license the day I was eligible to test for it, and have never looked back.  Driving is freedom.  Driving takes me where I want to go, quickly, and I get to listen to whatever tunes I want, loudly, the entire time if I want.

But my son had no interest in learning.  We had to hound him to sign up for Driver's Ed, and drag him away from his video games to go driving and get some hours in.  He saw learning to drive as something else he had to do.  Because kids today can interact socially, recreationally, etc., via the Internet, there's less need to physically get together anymore.

Even going out to movies has been replaced by just renting or streaming one and watching it together at someone's house.  I guess I kinda helped promote that, because I'd honestly rather drive him to a friend's house where they'll hang out all day than have him out there doing God-knows-what in a car I'm paying for.

Last year, my wife had to go into the hospital for a scheduled procedure, and she was gonna be laid up for two weeks.  My son, at 18, finally had to get his license because we needed a second driver in the family.  He passed the test with flying colors, got his license, no problem.  He just didn't want to.  I found that really weird... until just now when I think I figured it out as I was typing this up.

[GuineaPig]

I study in Leuven, which is the "student's city" of Belgium. And wherever you go, there's bikes everywhere. I couldn't find a picture of our campus (which is stuffed with bikes everywhere during lesson hours) but here is the bike stall of the train station in Leuven:


I don't know how long it is but it's got to be at least a kilometer long (this picture isn't even taken from the beginnen, if you look closely you can see 13 written on the closest pole, it starts at 1). There's two lanes like the one you see in the picture (this is the one on the right).
It's perfectly possible to live in Leuven and not have a car (like 99.9% of students who live in Leuven).

Also, I love driving.

Here's the bike rack at Amsterdam Centraal:

[AcidLameLTE]

That's what I loved about the Netherlands so much.

I didn't have to own a car to be able to go for miles and miles out of the city. I was really shocked when I saw that bike paths existed along side motorways. I mean, I cycled out to quite a remote village so it certainly is possible for this to work in rural areas.

[rumborak]

Here's the bike rack at Amsterdam Centraal:

I raise you the train station in Münster:

[El Barto]

Have to say,  in some ways I do envy the European mindset.  I loved traveling by rail.  I loved being in cities that were walkable.  I'd certainly have one of those bikes if I lived in a place where I could. 

While I can also say that I love driving,  cops and geography tend to hamper my enthusiasm quite a bit.

Alas,  America is what it is,  and it just wasn't built for anything but two cars in every garage.  Bikes aren't feasible here.  The public transportation is appallingly bad.  Everything is spread out over huge areas. 

[kári]

Here's the bike rack at Amsterdam Centraal:

I raise you the train station in Münster:

All-in.

[7StringedBeast]

Well that just looks obnoxious.

[rumborak]

Alas,  America is what it is,  and it just wasn't built for anything but two cars in every garage.  Bikes aren't feasible here.  The public transportation is appallingly bad.  Everything is spread out over huge areas.

Yes, you can't change the geology of the US, but I think you can change the mindset. One (to me) bizarre thing always happens on long weekends. It's a gorgeous day outside ... and people are sitting in the car, in huge lineups. The knee-jerk reaction of a nice day or a long weekend is to get into a car it seems, instead of just walking or riding a bike.
Same thing happened on the 26th. The lanes to the mall were backed up into the road, whereas the nearby park was deserted.

rumborak

[7StringedBeast]

I love driving around on a beautiful day.  I don't know what it is about it but I really enjoy it.

[AcidLameLTE]

Alas,  America is what it is,  and it just wasn't built for anything but two cars in every garage.  Bikes aren't feasible here.  The public transportation is appallingly bad.  Everything is spread out over huge areas.

Yes, you can't change the geology of the US, but I think you can change the mindset. One (to me) bizarre thing always happens on long weekends. It's a gorgeous day outside ... and people are sitting in the car, in huge lineups. The knee-jerk reaction of a nice day or a long weekend is to get into a car it seems, instead of just walking or riding a bike.
Same thing happened on the 26th. The lanes to the mall were backed up into the road, whereas the nearby park was deserted.

rumborak

I've also found this quite strange.

What's the point of leaving your house just to be inside a car? You may as well just open your windows and not bother going any where.

[Cool Chris]

That definitely sounds like the mindset of Americans. Driving is at different times both a necessity and a leisure activity.

To people who live outside the US: Do people who work in large, urban areas tend to live there, or in outlying areas? I work in downtown Seattle, but to my knowledge, everyone in my dept (~12 people) lives at least 12 miles away. Most of us take the bus, though a couple insist on driving, even though they admit it takes longer. If this was Europe or another country, would our equivalents live in Seattle?

Also, do non-US people take road trips like Americans do? Do retired Europeans buy an RV and drive around the country (continent?) Or is that more of an Americanism?   

[7StringedBeast]

I don't think the joy of driving is strictly American at all.  Think about all the foreign high performance luxury cars from Germany and Italy.  I mean the autobahn is awesome to drive on and there is beautiful country side to drive along there.  I think Europeans enjoy driving a lot as well. 

[Fiery Winds]

*Posting while on Amtrak with free WiFi instead of driving*

I think one thing which influences the cultural mindset of Americans is that most areas in the US were developed around the time as the automobile.  The entire infrastructure was set up for driving rather than biking or other public transportation.  Spreading jobs, shops, and other places far apart didn't matter as much, because driving was the norm.  Contrast that to most places across the pond and their infrastructure was established long before the automobile where things are much closer together, because walking and biking were the norm. 

Regarding public transportation, it really isn't cheaper for longer distances.  I'm paying $15 more than what it would cost in gas, and it takes an hour and a half longer than driving.  I'm only taking it because I'm getting a ride back after New Years.  Otherwise, I would have hopped in my car like I usually do.

[El Barto]

Alas,  America is what it is,  and it just wasn't built for anything but two cars in every garage.  Bikes aren't feasible here.  The public transportation is appallingly bad.  Everything is spread out over huge areas.

Yes, you can't change the geology of the US, but I think you can change the mindset. One (to me) bizarre thing always happens on long weekends. It's a gorgeous day outside ... and people are sitting in the car, in huge lineups. The knee-jerk reaction of a nice day or a long weekend is to get into a car it seems, instead of just walking or riding a bike.
Same thing happened on the 26th. The lanes to the mall were backed up into the road, whereas the nearby park was deserted.

rumborak

I think that has to do with people being destination oriented.  Riding a car or going for a walk is a leisure activity, one I also enjoy,  but not a viable means of transportation to some other activity.  The people you see on weekends are driving to the mall or to grandma's house.  Alas,  sitting in a park all day doesn't seem to be a popular pastime for Americans,  who always want to be doing something. 

[antigoon]

I have a question for the bike commuters. I'm sorry if this sounds silly.

Do you change into your business attire when you get to work? Aren't you all sweated up on hot days? What do you do about your person and your bike when it heavily rains?

[rumborak]

I have a question for the bike commuters. I'm sorry if this sounds silly.

Do you change into your business attire when you get to work? Aren't you all sweated up on hot days? What do you do about your person and your bike when it heavily rains?

Both companies I've worked for have showers in the building. So yeah, people arrive, take a shower, and then switch into their work clothes.

rumborak

[antigoon]

I have a question for the bike commuters. I'm sorry if this sounds silly.

Do you change into your business attire when you get to work? Aren't you all sweated up on hot days? What do you do about your person and your bike when it heavily rains?

Both companies I've worked for have showers in the building. So yeah, people arrive, take a shower, and then switch into their work clothes.

rumborak

Whoa. Maybe I just haven't experienced enough of the working world but I have never heard of anything like that before. That's pretty cool!

[Heretic]

I enjoy driving, and absolutely have to where I live-- plus, to get to many of my athletic practices like swimming or indoor soccer, I have to drive a ways to get there. It's true that the interest in driving is dying off, though, as many of my friends who are my age (18) still haven't gotten their license and don't really seem all that interested in getting it, either. I guess it depends on what you spend your time doing, and how free your parents are to take you places when you're a young adult. When you're older, I guess it depends on where you live and your occupation; if you live in the city and work in the same city, then driving probably isn't a necessity at all.

With the incredibly crowded roads, the plethora of bad drivers, and the carelessness and rushed ways of the general public, it's not surprising people are trying to stay off the roads as much. The high gas prices don't help either.

Honestly, I'd be okay with a public transit if I lived in a city, although I'd still have a car for the other things, like visiting family, going out of town, etc. etc.

[Dark Castle]

I love driving and hate not being able to drive due to totaling my car a few weeks ago.  Nothing beats driving around on a sunny day or driving in the rain.  I hate having to mooch rides off of my friends and hate it even more that I don't control what music we listen to anymore