Stuck with Our Cars: The Automobile Dilemma

Gradually life changed for me. I do not remember any dramatic events, other than marriage, finishing college, and ending a few careers. Nevertheless, without me noticing anything change occurred. Let me give you an example of what I mean.

In my twenties my life was simple. First, the Marine Corps made most of the decisions for me until I was able to complete my enlistment. In those days when I wanted or could go on liberty I caught a bus to Oceanside or a cab to San Clemente where I either took the Santa Fe to Los Angeles or San Diego or in San Clemente caught the Grey-hound to Los Angeles. The effort to travel had little pain in it for me, other than the cost. When your monthly pay is about $140.00 every-thing is costly.

One weekend liberty I decided to take the Santa Fe commuter to Los Angeles, from there to travel to Hunington Park, one of LA's many outlying communities. The Santa Fe commuter kept a good schedule. I arrived at Union Station, took a trolley to Hunnington Park and walked to my friend's house; simple living.

Look on the map of the LA metropolitan area. It is crowded with inter-state and other so-called freeways. You cannot get from there to here and vice versa anymore without a car.

Years ago, in the town in which I live now, nine passenger trains came to town every day.  If you wanted to go to the big city, you could
catch a morning train, get off at the main station, catch a trolley to any part of town, shop, go to a show, have a meal in a nice restaurant, and catch the late train back to my little town all in one day. No hassle, no problem. Cannot do that today; it's by car or you do not go.

What happened? I really did not notice the change at first. Being young and wanting a car, it never crossed my mind that eventually I would be a prisoner of my automobile, or without a car, I would be stuck.

Now we are all stuck with our cars. They are expensive to maintain, the fuel we need to run them is costly and is probably running out. There is no comfortable transportation not even a bus coming to town anymore.

We can blame ourselves for this dilemma, we all wanted nice big cars with chrome trimming and a stereo radio. We got them and for awhile they were fun to drive. But now we have to struggle with "rush hour" traffic, pay to park, and worry about the demented driver high on something crossing the middle line or the median.

I would like just to go to the train station, get on a comfortable pass-enger car, sit and read a good book, as I travel to the city for a day's outing. Wouldn’t you?