Killer Cars

I don't have a good relationship with cars. For one thing, I'm convinced that they are going to kill me. And there are just so many ways to die. I shudder sometimes when cars pass me closely as I'm crossing the road. It's probably like the feeling one gets while swimming with sharks. I've been in a brutal car accident that killed someone last year, my ex-partner's mother was killed while driving, my dad was whacked by a chump running a red light when I was a little boy. Thank God for seatbelts.

And while freak accidents are one thing, cars also belch out a lovely mix of chemicals and fine particles that impacts our health more subtly; but the results are just as deadly. A medical researcher friend just reported to me that fine particulate matter in exhaust (especially diesel vehicles) passes directly through lungs and into the bloodstream, compromsing the cardiovascular system. According to the conclusion of a recent article on the subject, "These results suggest that inflammation as well as parts of the coagulation pathway may contribute to the association between particulate air pollution and coronary events". Coronary events, so euphemistic, should be read heart disease and other uncomfortable situations. What amazes me is that even with all this evidence, parents have no issues with planting their children beside a spewing tailpipe on a daily basis while depositing them at school.

And let's not forget the contribution that all that CO2 and other greenhouse gases in our engine exhaust makes to climate change. When our houses are underwater or hurricane seasons lasts all year we probably won't be thinking of our cars; well maybe with regret that we can't whisk out to the local WalMart for some cheap stuff to fill the void.

And to make matters worse cars are now weapons in asymetrical warfare around the world (I'll offer another post to explain and comment on this concept soon). As our beloved Canadian soldiers are learning in Kandahar Province in Afghanistan and the Iraqis well know, cars are scary. You never know what's inside the trunk. Though it didn't get much coverage beyond the Guardian, cars were banned on election day in Iraq last December. Isn't that amazing? Some Iraqi official (under the watchful eye of his American attache no doubt) shared my concerns about cars . . . for a day. Imagine if they banned cars during a Canadian or American election. What would we do? Walk to the polls with our families? Ride a bike? Not vote? Ah that's it, I knew the answer was clear.

So I've made the case against cars. I guess now you're expecting me to outline a vision for a world without cars. Forget it! Do you want to give up the convenience of your car to take the bus or walk? No. So how would I convince you? Convenience kills but who cares?