The American relationship to cars is a fascinating and complex web of economic, political, social, and psychological factors that combine to shape the identity of our nation, not to mention fuel multi-billion dollar industries. But just where did we get all our notions about cars, from “station wagons are the middle-class mommy staple” to “I need a car to maintain my independence”? In their book Carjacked: The Culture of the Automobile and Its Effect on Our Lives, Catherine Lutz and Anne Lutz Fernandez examine every aspect of our relationships to and with automobiles, and how we can change them in the face of diminishing fossil fuels, increasing traffic, and ever-rising costs.

Catherine Lutz kindly agreed to answer our questions about the book.

Infrastructurist: How can we change our relationship to cars, to create a more viable transportation system in the U.S.?

Catherine Lutz: We made some fairly modest recommendations for this in the book, which are not exactly what we’d prefer that people do, but rather what we think most readers would be willing to do. They included ways to do significant reductions in car use, and also ways to think about sustainability in other senses — financial, safety-wise, etc. — rather than just thinking about the issue of alternative fuels and gas. We argue that the cultural emphasis on putting faith in technology to save us from the fuel problem is dangerous — rather, we need to see the sociopolitical financial mess of the automobile industry for what it is. Some of the problems with it are more foundational than the technology itself.

I: What are some of the suggestions you make?

CL: Try to go from two cars to one, rather than trying to go completely car free. We didn’t really push the fact (and it’s a fact) that most of us COULD be car free if we wanted to be, Rather, we said look at your life and try to minimize car use. That’s the big difference: We imagined that saying “you can go car free” is a scary proposition for many people, and that lifestyle improvements through car reductions would be a more attractive option. Also we focused on how to improve YOUR life rather than hammering away at the larger political picture for the U.S. and transit policy. Look to make individual changes, including potentially getting more politically active — “I should really care about the debate about the gas tax, including whether car dealers get included in the financial reform bill,” that sort of thing. Look at these issues through a lens of family self-interest, and then you get more community oriented as a result.

We wanted to start where people are at right now. We were dealing with cultural beliefs and a love of cars that is just so strong. We spoke at a college a couple days ago, and spoke to students, and it was amazing: People really believe more strongly that the car is more convenient, and really does make them free. The fact that these beliefs are so powerful makes it hard to say that these beliefs really hurt you. And they do.

I: What are some ways in which the idea that “The Car Makes You Free” is harmful?

CL: It’s the main way you’re likely to die, for one. If you drive a car, you are never free of this incredible safety risk of death or disability.

Also you are not free of the incredible amounts of indebtedness that usually come with having a car. It’s one of the main ways people have lost their entire savings, even before the recession.

Also you’re trapped on the road. Everyone can see congestion: You will spend many hours of your life each day sitting in traffic — an average of 18.5 hours per passenger or driver per week, to be exact. Though some people argue that this is a form of freedom, they say that they have alone time and relaxation time in cars. But we would argue that it’s actually a time of forced isolation. Some of the craziness of people texting and using cell phones in cars is a result of people feeling socially cut off and imprisoned — this is their way of trying to get back in touch with other people. When you think about it, 18.5 hours a week is a lot of time.

I: What is your view on how to achieve sustainability in the context of American driving habits?

CL: Our view of sustainability is that we need alternative forms of transit: more biking, walking, rail, and less sprawl — all of which would reduce the number of miles driven per year. If we give people attractive options besides cars, and turn people’s attention towards all the disadvantages of driving so much, then they will change their behavior.

I: But attitudes towards using public transit have been consistently tepid. How can we transition from single-person commuting in cars to greater acceptance of public transit? Is there a good way to incorporate the two? (more…)