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It absolutely contributes. The dependence on the car limits the amount of exercise people get day-to-day. When people balk about walking a half-mile to the store, it's gotten really bad. Back in the 50s when people walked places, you didn't see the level of obesity you do now. I think it's definitely one of the contributing factors.
Anything can be contributing factor if we go off into those irrelevant realms.
I see a lot of "excuses" made concerning this subject, but very few deal with individual responsibility. Those who are over weight, predominately are so because they choose to be. That is, they choose to live extremely sedimentary lifestyles. They choose to eat unhealthy and not exercise. The cause of this is solely in the hands of the individual. Problem with that approach is that it doesn't give people an excuse to demand government involvement to force people to live as another chooses or excuse themselves from blame.
People don't mysteriously get fat because of a bunch of "contributing factors", that is pure garbage.
Not many people know this but 60% of Japan Drives , and 65% of Europeans drive , the rest use Transit or alt modes like walking or biking to work or other places... The Reason why there obesity rates are lower then here is you have the option of using Rail , Road , Walking or biking between towns or various regions... The US is at 80% down from 90% back in 2000 , Projected to drop to 65% by 2025 , while Mass Transit and Rail Ridership are expected to double...to about 70 Million.
Times are changing , hopefully this increasing change in commuting and living habits will reverse obesity trends outside the Northeastern US. In the Northeastern states Rail Ridership hasn't stopped growing since 2005....Rail towns are outgrowing Interstate towns and have been since 2004... So clearly people are wanting to drive less , now the only thing left is to invest more and restore / expand the system out to service all the towns and cities.... This isn't bad for Highway users , this means less traffic and congestion which means you can drive faster....
Nascar is mostly a "blue-collar", WT sport. Cars going around in circles don't really appeal to people who are intelligent. The Monaco GP is about class, sophistication and wordliness. Comparing Daytona to Monaco is like comparing Bud Light to Weihenstephaner
I knew someone would bring that up and prove this European crap is just elitist snobbery....
As I told another poster, you want to get into a tit for tat on Nascar vs F1?
Look at the jobs that would be created and all of them good union scale so they would be paying taxes instead of collecting unemployment or welfare!
Spoken like a true dyed in the wool progressive liberal, dream up some hair brained idea half way through and are clueless as to where the money will come from...
Hey, I know, have bicycles pay the same registration fees as cars and charge them to ride by the tenth of a mile.
You are really clueless as to thinking a proposal through from beginning to end.....
I agree from a different perspective. I lived in NYC for several years- I loved the public transportation.
I moved to the close suburbs now but need a car, and everyone here treats their car like a diety.
I do not like driving.
Thank you.
I grew up in Brooklyn and once I had a job it was in Manhattan, took the F train twice a day to and from.
A total of 16 miles round trip, travel time? 90 minutes jam packed like sardines in the subway car, and it was fun fun fun when the train didn't have AC... Ever smell 100 New Yorkers packed together in 90 degree temperatures? Ever stand out on an elevated subway station in 4 degree weather waiting for the train which is held up because the doors are frozen open?
Better yet, taking a packed bus in Manhattan and being stuck in one of the infamous traffic jams?
Where I am now it's almost 30 miles round trip to work, travel time rush hour traffic? 30 - 40 minutes and I sit comfortably in an air conditioned car listening to tunes and enjoying my coffee or a soda.....
You can take public transportation and put it where the sun don't shine....
If there is one thing about this country that makes absolutely no sense is this stupid, lazy, car-centric culture.
After having spent sometime in Europe, it is really hard to become one of the sheep- so I ride my bicycle to work everyday and there is nothing better!
I was comparing obesity rates in countries like Germany and the Netherlands-where walking and riding a bicycle is widespread and they are about 10%. The United States will have obesity rate of 75% by the year 2020.
Something has definitely gone wrong here!
Every time I read your post I wonder if you could ride your bike the 40 miles my sons do, one way, every day. It takes them over 40 minutes to drive it and I wonder how fast you could do it with your bike.
After reading this entire thread I've to a conclusion
Some people love cars
Some people hate cars
Some people see cars as a tool.
None of these positions are inherently better than any other.
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