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This is so relevant. In Sweden, there is currently (for the last 15 years or so) a big push to build new and bigger motorways. At the same time, Bil Sweden, the

This is so relevant. In Sweden, there is currently (for the last 15 years or so) a big push to build new and bigger motorways. At the same time, Bil Sweden, the Swedish interest organization for motor traffic, publishes statistics on the share of the population having a driver's license.[1] Ever since I found this document I've been convinced of the decline of driving. The statistics are per age group, and the only age groups where the population share with a driver's license are still increasing are 67 years and up. All the rest seem to have peaked during the last 15 years. 18 year olds are the exception, where there is a small increase during the last few years. Still, it's at around 30% up from 25% ca 10 years ago, while it was 50% in 1989. Cars are so old school. And the explosion engine is just... Well it feels like steam punk to me. I just don't get the fascination. This is from a guy who's currently working to get a license, since I moved back out to my family's farm from the city. I still view it as good to have, not something that excites me at all. [1] http://www.bilsweden.se/statistik/korkort http://www.bilsweden.se/statistik/korkort

burntsushi 11y ago
> Cars are so old school. And the explosion engine is just... Well it feels like steam punk to me. I just don't get the fascination. A lot of people don't "get" my fascination with programming. Others don't "get" my fascination with American football. Others don't "get" my fascination for living in population sparse areas. There's nothing to "get" other than the fact that all have different likes and dislikes. Some people like cars for their freedom, for their solitude and/or for their speed. Maybe there are other reasons too!
- yesbabyyes 11y ago
  Of course, and that's ok with me. I guess I'm coming from a place where it was expected for a boy to be fascinated with mopeds, tractors, cars, cranes, anything with an engine. Not that there aren't many in my generation who, like me, never shared that fascination, but it was still expected, or it felt like that in a way, you get me? And to not like that, and not even get a driver's license (regardless of whether you really need it, or a car, having access to great public transport and communications and whatnot), making certain people - in your own family, even - disregard you automatically, like you're not actually a man, or you're not actually grown up. I've come to terms with all that now, and I understand it way better than when I was in my twenties and younger, but it still exists, and again, to me it's just weird. To clarify, I don't look down on e.g. my father for not "getting" computers and the Internet, even though I know it would be a great resource for him. I get the feeling that it's not mutual, though.
hyperbovine 11y ago
Also, driving just sucks. Absolutely nobody I know looks forward to getting in their car and driving somewhere. Why? Because they all live in reasonably dense urban locations where traffic ranges from "absolute nightmare" (weekdays, 7-10am and 3-7pm) and "pretty awful" (all other times).It's surprisingly emotionally and physically draining. I'm much happier sitting in the back of a bus with my book, even if it takes twice as long. Add a nice bicycle to the mix for around town stuff, and the huge amount of money you save by not owning a car, and I can easily see why nobody in our generation desires one. (Of course this is all about the U.S.; my experience driving around Sweden was mile after mile of forest and open road!).

burntsushi 11y ago

> Cars are so old school. And the explosion engine is just... Well it feels like steam punk to me. I just don't get the fascination. A lot of people don't "get" my fascination with programming. Others don't "get" my fascination with American football. Others don't "get" my fascination for living in population sparse areas. There's nothing to "get" other than the fact that all have different likes and dislikes. Some people like cars for their freedom, for their solitude and/or for their speed. Maybe there are other reasons too!

yesbabyyes 11y ago
Of course, and that's ok with me. I guess I'm coming from a place where it was expected for a boy to be fascinated with mopeds, tractors, cars, cranes, anything with an engine. Not that there aren't many in my generation who, like me, never shared that fascination, but it was still expected, or it felt like that in a way, you get me? And to not like that, and not even get a driver's license (regardless of whether you really need it, or a car, having access to great public transport and communications and whatnot), making certain people - in your own family, even - disregard you automatically, like you're not actually a man, or you're not actually grown up. I've come to terms with all that now, and I understand it way better than when I was in my twenties and younger, but it still exists, and again, to me it's just weird. To clarify, I don't look down on e.g. my father for not "getting" computers and the Internet, even though I know it would be a great resource for him. I get the feeling that it's not mutual, though.

hyperbovine 11y ago

Also, driving just sucks. Absolutely nobody I know looks forward to getting in their car and driving somewhere. Why? Because they all live in reasonably dense urban locations where traffic ranges from "absolute nightmare" (weekdays, 7-10am and 3-7pm) and "pretty awful" (all other times).It's surprisingly emotionally and physically draining. I'm much happier sitting in the back of a bus with my book, even if it takes twice as long. Add a nice bicycle to the mix for around town stuff, and the huge amount of money you save by not owning a car, and I can easily see why nobody in our generation desires one. (Of course this is all about the U.S.; my experience driving around Sweden was mile after mile of forest and open road!).