Why We Drive: The Past, Present, and Future of Automobiles in America (Real World)

Cover; TitlePage; Copyright; Chapter; Bibliography:; Alternative Transport Groups and Resources.;Andy Singer: Andy Singer's cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, Discover, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Boston's Weekly Dig, San Diego CityBeat, and many other magazines. He has been syndicated in over 24 newspapers. Taking the position that Americas love affair with cars and highways is not a cultural phenomenon but a problem of entrenched economic and political forces, this manifesto chronicles the rise of the U.S. highway system from its orchestrated genesis to our current alarming reliance on automobiles. With a format that incorporates a blend of cartoons, historic photographs and minimal text, this handbook reveals the players, the money and the politics that have led to our petroleum dependence and endless miles of asphalt. It begins by analyzing the environmental impact of driving and ends by offering a blueprint for rebuilding a more sustainable transportation system that could save American cities and the planet. Today, we're married to our cars. But life behind the wheel of an automobile didn't come naturally to Americans. Crooked politicians, unscrupulous businessmen, burning streetcars, and convoluted tax shenanigans are a few of the players in this gripping tale of corruption, greed, and endless miles of asphalt. In Andy Singer's accessible, scandalous tale of motordom, comics, text, and historic photographs tell the story of the rise of the U.S. highway system and the corresponding demise of rail and public transportation. He also explores how we can ditch the car and rebuild a functional transportation system that can bring wealth, happiness, and freedom. Taking the position that America's love affair with cars and highways is not a cultural phenomena but an problem that is entrenched in economic and political forces, this manifesto chronicles the rise of the U.S. highway system, its very orchestrated genesis, and the alarming increase in reliance on automobiles. With a format that incorporates a blend of cartoons, historic photographs, and minimal text, this handbook reveals the players-among them crooked politicians, unscrupulous businessmen, and convoluted tax shenanigans-corruption, and greed