Why don't you go over there?
09/24/2019
Ulf Poschardt, who many "petrolheads" are no doubt familiar with, wrote an eloquent column in the "Welt am Sonntag" of September 15, 2019 on the subject of "Liberating the road" (illustrated with images from the short film "c'était un rendez-vous" by Claude Lelouch, we also published a review of the film). In his text, Poschardt discusses the current hardening of the fronts between car lovers and car opponents, the environmental problems and the driving pleasure that some people still feel when they get behind the wheel.
He then refers to past discussions when left-wing critics were advised to "go over there". This referred to the GDR at the time and the socialist conditions that went with it. Of course, this is all history, but according to Poschardt, the "why don't you go over there" could now be reinterpreted as "why don't you take the step into a car-free future". He recommends that people who don't really want to drive should give up their cars and instead switch to trains, buses or bicycles to help unclog the roads.
Here is an excerpt: "The ideal mobility turnaround sorts mobility along qualities of life. If you don't want to drive, you should be able to do without it as soon as possible. This is still difficult in rural areas, but here too, artificial intelligence and innovative mobility providers can help those who don't want to pay road tax, use petrol stations or have a guilty conscience. Car enthusiasts will have emptier roads, and highways will become amusement parks for people who don't appreciate beauty and speed. That's why freight tuners should get off the roads and onto the rails. Instead of the eternal denunciation of the car, the 'go over' of the present is to dare to take the step towards a car-free future. Politicians at local, regional and national level must give priority to alternatives to the car. At the same time, the collectors, hunters and drivers of magnificent rolling cultural assets should be treated with appreciation because they enrich the lives of residents in the city. With symphonies of flat twelve-cylinder engines or roaring six-cylinder boxers, it must be just as endearing as the sight of old Beetles, polished Pagodas and antique Land Rovers in the sparse parking lots. Anyone who uses a car has an obligation to make the city more beautiful and exciting. "
Rarely has anyone argued for automotive aesthetics like this and positioned themselves against the activists who climbed onto brand new car roofs at the IAA to make their point. Thank you, Mr. Poschardt.
