I’m getting a lot of ‘but my car is more convenient’ arguments lately, and I’m struggling to convey why that doesn’t make sense.

Specifically how to explain to people that: Sure, if you are able to drive, and can afford it, and your city is designed to, and subsidizes making it easy to drive and park, then it’s convenient. But if everyone does it then it quickly becomes a tragedy of the commons situation.

I thought of one analogy that is: It would be ‘more convenient’ if I just threw my trash out the window, but if we all started doing that then we’d quickly end up in a mess.

But I feel like that doesn’t quite get at the essence of it. Any other ideas?

  • Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    7 months ago

    A really city-centric view mind you. Sounds like something Londoners would say

    I live in a country with amazing public transport too, but out in the sticks. Public transport is two buses a day for me, fuck that, it’s car or nothing

    Happy to drive about in a 1.2 litre shitbox though cos I don’t have a tiny penis

    • maynarkh@feddit.nl
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      edit-2
      7 months ago

      The NL is decidedly a small country, but has decent public transport even in the middle of nowhere.

      Eastern Europe used to be decent at availability, not so much at service, (if for nothing else, not many people had cars) but it is getting worse. There is a ton of rural cyclists though still.

      That said, I’m fine with my view mostly being applicable to cities only, since cars are less of a problem in rural places. If you live in or near a city, you should be able to do without a car though. As in the country has the option to make you comfortable not owning a car.

      • Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        7 months ago

        Ha ha flat country opinions Vs Alps opinions 😂 They’re never going to match!

        • maynarkh@feddit.nl
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          7 months ago

          I’ve got nothing against people buying cars to travel the Alps. I’ve got everything against people buying Dodge Rams just to not be able to park it in this whole country and block the road.