Cities 07

Tim Turi
3-7-07
Cities 07

OBE #3

In “The Drive-In Culture of Contemporary America,” by Kenneth T. Jackson, he speaks of the heavy, negative impact that the automobile has had on our cities. He does this by describing the interstate highway as a massive conglomeration of factions (government, road workers, automobile manufacturers, etc) working together to cover the U.S. in asphalt. He also fingers the garage, motel, drive-in theater, mobile-home, and drive-thru restaurant as means to facilitate our growing reliance on our cars. He says “the car is like a member of the family,” and with that in mind, we must keep it close to us in all situations. With this reliance on our car’s capability to deliver us to far off areas, we no longer need to put stock in the proximal community that the city provides for us. With the ability to come and go from any destination as we please, it has spurred on the development of suburbia, which Kenneth sees as the “anti-city.”
As Americans grew exponentially closer to their automobiles over time, they desired to have them with them at all times. They had it with them when they ate, watched movies, and of course, “utilized the backseat.” This had allowed Americans to basically become nomads during the day, only needing to go home to collect mail and sleep for the night. This has made the car a veritable, unnatural extension of our bodies. The problem with growing so accustomed to something unnatural is that you are helpless without it. Jackson suggests that since our cities have been completely designed around the automobile, without it much of our civilization would be useless. He talks about a car-hop oriented restaurant becoming a historic icon. This is a sign that even though it has just about 50 years since the “automobilization” of our country, there are already aspects of it that are dissolving into ruin. Jackson suggests that this is a hint of things to come.
If this descent of the automobile’s prominence comes to fruition, then it could mean this country would become a collective mass of useless, retired institutions built around this mode of transportation. The massive, entwining, convoluted mess of highways and streets that slither across our country will serve no purpose expect for bicyclists, pedestrians, and other more natural means of transport. Additionally, all the amenities that Jackson mentions, such as the drive-thru, the gas station, etc will all become obsolete. This will mean quintillions of dollars that have been spent, and years of becoming assimilated to automobiles will be for nil. Our society will be turned on its ear, and we will quickly have to search for new ways to move from place to place. This could be comparable to the induction of the internet, and how many services can only be paid online. If a person is accustomed to have their check book with them when making transactions, then this foreign means of commerce may be overwhelming. Failure to conform to new means would mean severe societal handicap. Just like not being able to find a new transportation to replace the car.
Additionally, I think Webber would disagree with Jackson’s apparent disdain of the mobile. Webber would see the automobile as necessary instrument in the dissolving of the spatial boundaries of the city. They are necessary in making it from the sprouting rural communities back to the reliable urban environment. I’m also certain Webber would be confident in the means of communication to remedy the lack of transportation. Communication could be used to bounce new transportation ideas around until something has been developed. Webber would agree, however, that America’s reliance on the automobile has greatly determined the course of city planning that has, and will occur.

Tim Turi