This is an interesting intro to a radio programme as it actually brings up some fresh ideas on why car use is falling. It's not just cost, but also environmental awareness and a creeping feeling that cars are simply no longer cool. They are now seen as safe and fuddy-duddy, quite a contrast to the big American cars of the 50s or the classic British cars of the 60s (which I still love). I think you can extrapolate from this that the doomed electric, hybrid and other exotic fuel cars which may or not appear will be equally - or even more - uncool and safe.
Yet at the same time trams and trains are seen as increasingly cool, everybody wants them and everyone wants to use them. Even the old hobby of trainspotting's current manifestation as railway enthusiasm is cool. I wonder why?
Thanks to David Robins for the link!
Is it simply that insurance costs have rocketed for young drivers? Is it because the young remain in education for longer? Are our youth becoming more environmentally aware or is it because cars have become safe, reliable and downright dull?
In 'Costing the Earth' Tom Heap takes to the road from the Streets of San Francisco to the inner ring roads of the West Midlands to find out if the age of the car is coming to an end. He meets the marketing men, the manufacturers and the innovators struggling to retain a place in our affections for the motor car.
Producer: Martin Poyntz-Roberts.
Broadcasts
- Tue 6 Mar 201215:30
- Wed 7 Mar 201221:00
5 comments:
Ah, the Morris Marina. What a car! I remember that particular grotty shade of mustard (Dad owned an Austin 1800 in the same gopping colour). Where did they all go? Scrappies of course!
Interesting that my younger son was very anxious to learn to drive and my eldest son really can't be bothered. Both are now at city universities and a car would be at best an expensive nuisance and at worst, well a very expensive taxi and nuisance. I don't think my eldest son will ever learn to drive to be honest and maybe he doesn't really need to - lets hope he doesn't. I have to laugh when I see people whinging on the TV news about the price of petrol/diesel because this is just the start. Exellent images of Midford btw and some wonderful photos now on the Shillingstone site.
I once drove one of these monstrosities - took it to Germany and back once!
i had one. cost me £40 and i drove it for three months with no use of the clutch!
early morning on a route with no junctions, well ones that i had to stop at. and a roll down the hill to start. Kids today don't know what we had to go through in the car culture 80/90's?
it went to the scrappies, soon after!
much safer by train.....
When I think of some of the things car-related I did when I was younger I'm amazed I'm still here. I once drove the whole length of France without brakes. Drove through a blizzard in Scotland without windscreen wipers. Once got driven round Littlehampton by a maniac after he'd drained the car of oil and water and was overtaking on blind corners - and if something was coming would slow down and accelerate away at literally the last second!
I've never been a danger on trains though I did lob a pig's heart out of a train window at Angmering level crossing - but I was only 13!
My first company car was an Austin Maxi. I thought i was a bus driver.
The reason was simple - Austin Bide was chairman of BL and also chairman of Glaxo group. No-one worked out how he could have two full time jobs.
We had several thousand cars nationwide and they were all from British Leyland. When he retired I became the first person in the company to drive a Ford Cortina (Mark 4 !!)
Happy days
Post a Comment