Overcoming Our Addiction To Autophilia

Carpooling was widely promoted during
the oil crisis of 1973.

I attended an inspirational meeting yesterday led by counselors Troy and Melissa Haas of HopeQuest. Attendance was around 200, mostly members of more conservative Mennonite groups in the Dayton area. 

Judging by the number of buggies and bicycles at the rural school where the meeting was held, a large number of those attending belonged to groups who avoid owning cars and use alternative means of transportation. While they hire drivers as needed, they see their way of life as supporting family and community solidarity and a slower-paced and simpler lifestyle.

As I drove our 2012 Corolla out of the parking lot (with me as the the sole occupant) I reflected on some on the positive value of their choice. Seeing grown men and women driving their buggies and riding their bikes together on a brisk February evening, I had to ask, Do they have a point? Is everything that is more modern and more convenient really better for our physical, emotional and relational health? And are our communities better off having become ever more dependent on our vehicle dominated culture? Are all of the changes that have resulted been for the good, and for the good of the planet?

When we moved just outside of Harrisonburg in 1988, nearby Highway 42 entering the city from Broadway was a two lane road with a growing amount of traffic. Now that portion of the road is an even busier five-lane stretch of Virginia Avenue next to where we now live at VMRC's Park Village.

By far the majority of vehicles speeding up and down Virginia Avenue have only one occupant. In our neighborhood, as is the case across the nation, in the last 50 years we have more licensed vehicles than there are licensed drivers. And the average passenger vehicle on our roads and highways weighs over a ton, has all kinds of high tech features, comfortably seats five or more passengers, and offers convenience, comfort and speed even the wealthiest monarchs could never have imagined a century ago.

One of the benefits of our location is being within walking distance of access to groceries, prescriptions, eye and dental care, the Park View Federal Credit Union and other services without my having to use a car. 

Speaking of cars, most of us in VMRC's independent living facilities own at least one of them, even as our need for this kind of convenient transportation diminishes. In fact, free transportation service is available to any other part of the VMRC campus, a Harrisonburg transit city bus stops by Heritage Haven on an hourly basis every weekday, and medical and other transportation services are also available on call fir a reasonable fee.

While only about 38% of the world's households owns a car, we North Americans have felt entitled to our SUV's, RV's, sports cars and monster pickups, resulting in a surplus of energy-guzzling machines that pose a threat to the planet.

So what if we did more walking and biking, carpooled when possible, used public transportation whenever feasible, and created car sharing co-ops as numerous groups have done across the nation? 

While our addiction to comfort, convenience (and class?) may take a hit, I'm sure our Creator God and our beloved earth would abundantly bless us.