Autonomous vehicles accelerate the trend begun by cars of isolating travellers from their neighbourhoods, reducing neighbors to mere obstacles our sensors try to avoid, and hence dissolving the social bonds that hold together communities
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* chance encounters that weave community
* reduced crime and anti-social behaviour through better observation and intervention
* noticing changes in your community e.g. requests for community consultation
* many micro-courtesies (e.g letting others pass) that underpin community
Agree entirely. I know way more people in our neighbourhood than my partner because I walk everywhere. He drives everywhere. I love going for walks and running into people I know, stopping for a chat. Also a great opportunity to chat with my kids when I drag them out too.
Back in the day, the women gathered at river banks and wash-houses and scubbed clothes together. Not that many would like to go back to that I'm sure, but no doubt it fostered community.
I'd bring this message round to yours, but we're isolated, so..
I think the difference lies in coercive power—no-one was forced to buy a washing machine, but people in places without transit or bike lanes absolutely are forced to get a car
A feeling probably not unjustified, as electric cars also rely on infrastructures that hinder social cohesion (in US cities: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2404.11596), and arrogantly take up street space from cyclists and pedestrians.
Comments
* chance encounters that weave community
* reduced crime and anti-social behaviour through better observation and intervention
* noticing changes in your community e.g. requests for community consultation
* many micro-courtesies (e.g letting others pass) that underpin community
Back in the day, the women gathered at river banks and wash-houses and scubbed clothes together. Not that many would like to go back to that I'm sure, but no doubt it fostered community.
I'd bring this message round to yours, but we're isolated, so..