Opposition to sustainable transport projects is growing, because of distributive and identity grievances familiar from broader climate policy. Flora Baumgartner looks at how transport policies are contested locally, and how they act as glue for right-wing parties, locally and at a European level
Car companies have spent a lot of money on shaping how the very foundation of the modern world is built. Europe changed for them, and many places changed back when they realized how stupid the idea was. Car companies can only operate at such a scale when they force their way into people’s lives, when they use propaganda and money and subvert democracy and reject the human element. Cars are inherently isolating and, for most people, driving is a competition sport where everyone loses because it’s a massive, planet destroying example of crabs in a bucket where the only winners are the bucket manufacturers. Car-dependency is inherently individualistic, capitalistic, anti-democratic, and self-sabotaging so of course the right-wingers love them.
I’m a track-going BRZ owner who does all repairs themselves and I fucking HATE cars as a mode of transportation. They’re fun as toys, but I leave that shit in my parking spot unless I need it, and aside from the track I could live my entire life just as easily and more cheaply with car share, taxis, U-Haul, and a really nice racing sim setup. If anyone tells you that owning a car means you have to jerk off car infrastructure and manufacturers, you tell them I have a massive “fuck you and the piece of shit you rode in on” for them to shove right up their fucking ass and choke on.
Car companies have spent a lot of money on shaping how the very foundation of the modern world is built. Europe changed for them, and many places changed back when they realized how stupid the idea was. Car companies can only operate at such a scale when they force their way into people’s lives, when they use propaganda and money and subvert democracy and reject the human element. Cars are inherently isolating and, for most people, driving is a competition sport where everyone loses because it’s a massive, planet destroying example of crabs in a bucket where the only winners are the bucket manufacturers. Car-dependency is inherently individualistic, capitalistic, anti-democratic, and self-sabotaging so of course the right-wingers love them.
I’m a track-going BRZ owner who does all repairs themselves and I fucking HATE cars as a mode of transportation. They’re fun as toys, but I leave that shit in my parking spot unless I need it, and aside from the track I could live my entire life just as easily and more cheaply with car share, taxis, U-Haul, and a really nice racing sim setup. If anyone tells you that owning a car means you have to jerk off car infrastructure and manufacturers, you tell them I have a massive “fuck you and the piece of shit you rode in on” for them to shove right up their fucking ass and choke on.