4 ms·

The author complains about the cost of fixing their car. I come from a country where vehicle ownership puts you in the top 20% in terms of wealth. A motorbike i

The author complains about the cost of fixing their car. I come from a country where vehicle ownership puts you in the top 20% in terms of wealth. A motorbike is often the farthest most get.

1v1id 1y ago
I can appreciate the totally different perspective that must bring. I would also add that living in a car-centered society where you are expected to have a car presents its own set of challenges, namely that you can't afford to live near food sources (grocery stores, etc.) or jobs because it's expected that people drive to those things. For people in those situations struggling to make ends meet, I think they view their car more as a required liability they struggle to maintain rather than a privilege.
dangus 11mo ago
95% of American commuters get to work in a personal vehicle. The distance Americans drive is very high. Driving 30 minutes to work might mean traveling ~45km because the infrastructure is heavily reliant on highways. The average daily travel is about 65km. Many motorbikes aren’t legal or fast enough for the interstate. America is just built in a way intended car infrastructure. The poorest in America have above average access to cars compared to the rest of the world as a whole, but that doesn’t make them wealthy. Owning an operating a car in the US is more affordable than many other countries, and things like gas prices, the car industry itself, and road maintenance are heavily subsidized/supported by the government. The US basically chose personal vehicles as the primary way to get around and structured society around it, with only a small amount of exceptions. A functioning car in the US is not really much more money than a motorbike, especially because it’s far more common and popular. Motorbikes are more like a niche product.

4 ms·

The author complains about the cost of fixing their car. I come from a country where vehicle ownership puts you in the top 20% in terms of wealth. A motorbike i

by haritha-j 1y ago

The author complains about the cost of fixing their car. I come from a country where vehicle ownership puts you in the top 20% in terms of wealth. A motorbike is often the farthest most get.

1v1id 1y ago
I can appreciate the totally different perspective that must bring. I would also add that living in a car-centered society where you are expected to have a car presents its own set of challenges, namely that you can't afford to live near food sources (grocery stores, etc.) or jobs because it's expected that people drive to those things. For people in those situations struggling to make ends meet, I think they view their car more as a required liability they struggle to maintain rather than a privilege.
dangus 11mo ago
95% of American commuters get to work in a personal vehicle. The distance Americans drive is very high. Driving 30 minutes to work might mean traveling ~45km because the infrastructure is heavily reliant on highways. The average daily travel is about 65km. Many motorbikes aren’t legal or fast enough for the interstate. America is just built in a way intended car infrastructure. The poorest in America have above average access to cars compared to the rest of the world as a whole, but that doesn’t make them wealthy. Owning an operating a car in the US is more affordable than many other countries, and things like gas prices, the car industry itself, and road maintenance are heavily subsidized/supported by the government. The US basically chose personal vehicles as the primary way to get around and structured society around it, with only a small amount of exceptions. A functioning car in the US is not really much more money than a motorbike, especially because it’s far more common and popular. Motorbikes are more like a niche product.