As for National Parks… have you been to Zion yet? With their no-car policy and awesome bus service into the canyon? Awesome.

I think that in many cities, having a car is a luxury, but in the rest of the country it is an unfortunate necessity. Pollution aside, cars are dangerous and expensive. They’re also a status symbol.

It’s a tricky thing to try and figure out. I try not to judge people for driving their cars, I just try to figure out a way to escape from having to drive my own, you know? As far as cars in national parks…. I think it’s important to have good access to things. People who like nature are often old timers that don’t get around too well. And families with kids. It’s also bad to bring car noises and fumes into nature preserves, but as cars progress they emit fewer and fewer particulates. One park I went to in Croatia had it’s own mass transit system, so that people could reach remote areas, but without having any of their own cars in the park. That’s a nice compromise, I think.