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;void(0)) If you have ever had the opportunity to fly over a large city in this country I'm certain you may have noticed that as you move away from the downtown area there is an ever widening tapestry of checkered greenery dotted by squared and rectangular rooftops. From thousands of feet above you have probably noticed veins and arteries of roads connecting the clustered communities and leading into the downtown area. If your flight is in the evening the roadways were a string of light, winding and twisting its way throughout the area. You have probably thought to yourself: “That's me at some minuscule point in that long string.” Indeed, it is many of us on the evening commute home from work. The idea of “public” transportation in this country started prior to the advent of the automobile. During the mid to late 1800s the cities of this country were growing and drawing the labor force from the surrounding hinterlands. Since there was very little space to park one's horse in the early urban centers the early forms of transportation took the form of ferries, hansoms, stagecoaches, and trolley cars. The passenger train was actually in full use before the arrival of private cars. Today, with urban and personal physiological sprawl, air pollution, and rising gasoline prices we are seeing the inefficiency of private transportation. We are seeing it and suffering from its repercussions but like a chronic drug addict, we are overcome with denial. Our rationalizations range from saying things like, “Public transportation would curtail the sense of freedom and privacy that I feel when I drive my own car.” , to the fear of getting “mugged”. My stories of having to take two buses and a train to get to and from high school in my days of growing up in Brooklyn, New York is probably like the old: “Boy I used to walk 2 miles to and from school every day --- and with no shoes.”, that parents of my generation used to tell us. It certainly was neither demeaning nor boring for most of us back in those days and I'm sure that with enough encouragement from the right people, we can all – young and old – return to the excitement and social contact afforded to us by public transportation. With the current financial situation – the real estate market and the looming recession on the horizon – we may all soon be living out of our cars. This is not a time for confusing our wants with our needs. We do not need to continue to be willing pawns in the money games of entities that have always profited from our delusions. It's a known fact that public transportation is environmentally efficient, easier on the infrastructure, and cuts down on traffic fatalities. Our fixation with our gadgets has begun to take on science fiction dimensions where the gadgets begin to take on a life of its own, rendering the owner less human and the product, the caller of the shots. Our computers, cell phones, “bling-bling”, and cars, are now consuming us – our reason, and life force. According to statistics, public transportation ridership has actually increased about 20% since 2000. However, with the recent financial crisis many governments have found it necessary to cut back funding of their transportation services. However, there seems to be funds available for installing traffic cameras at intersections to catch traffic violators. If the city council will not support the funding, we need to try alternatives through car pooling and other means. In some communities employers have joined with local government in providing semi-private services for their employees. Something has to give, but it is clear that matters cannot remain as they are. Please e-mail me and let me know your thoughts on this matter. Oh yeah, don't forget your autographed copy of “The Ackee Chronicles”. Tony VanSluytman - the Author  Newsletter Directory The Aton Project - Home Page Tony VanSluytman info Tony VanSluytman - the Author | Return Home | The BOOK DOCTOR | The BANYON NETWORK | The Banyon Buzz Newsletters | The Aton Project Newsletters | Contact Us | |
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