The Cost of the Car: Human, Environmental, and Economic [Hardcover]

The main argument of this book, that the automobile has exacted and continues to exact a horrible price on society in the UK and by extension all developed societies, is one that needs to be made, and amplified, and shouted from the rooftops. And a good start toward this end is made here.

Unfortunately parts of this book are rather unfocused and desultory, occasionally marred by errors both factual and typographical, and too dismissive of the status quo. And it is written for a British readership, so that Americans may be puzzled by references to eg. a "dual carriageway" (what we Yanks would call a divided highway).

The author allows himself to range far too widely, touching on subatomic particle physics, whether and how art should be displayed, the legacy of Walt Disney, and a passel of other subjects. Some could perhaps be defended as semi-related to the topic at hand (Disney is one such). Others cannot, or should be limited to a summary, referring the reader to other literature for more in-depth discussions (as in the case of global warming).

Related to this, the author tends to delve too much into his own personal history. This is not to criticize the opening of the book, where he recounts how as a young boy he was able to walk or bike to school, and so had an independence that later, ironically, was denied him when automobile traffic increased and the local rail line was shut down. This is very apropos, and serves to illustrate an important drawback to wholesale dependence on the automobile. But subsequent references to his own personal life and professional career become tiring, and occasionally muddle the issue, as when for example he refers to certain modes of transport as "broadband" modes.

All of which is really a shame, because his argument is persuasive, his message is urgent, and he makes several important points. His explanation of "modal inversion" (train vs. car), of the manner in which the affluent originally saw to it that cars, which were inherently luxuries, were accommodated by infrastructure and so became commonplace, and his analyses illustrating the inherent superiority of the bicycle on the one hand, and rail on the other, are all valuable. And a point he repeatedly makes, that in addition to the freedom to own a car, the freedom NOT to own one should also be respected, deserves special emphasis. In most of the US at least as much as the UK, the car is the only realistic option for personal travel. It doesn't have to be that way--it SHOULD NOT be that way.

I would very much like to see a revised edition of this book appear, with the above issues addressed and rectified, and with diction tailored to an American audience. This is a work and an argument that needs broader exposure, with the above caveats.