R. James Woolsey, former Director of the CIA, speaks about oil dependency part 1 of 3

[KrunchyJD]

I dont agree that people are massively dependent on oil for transportation and that there is no other alternative today. If we design cities on a human scale the bicycle is available today, so is walking.. It is an alternative, eg Denmark. Yes the country is small but urbanising the population combined with electric rail, and bicycles and walking could drastically cut oil use for transportation..

[mrpitv]

@KrunchyJD I agree with your suggested solutions. But living in Los Angeles means being trapped in a pedestrian and bicycle unfriendly environment. There are very few safe and effective bike lanes, and that's combined with inadequate public transportation and sprawling communities. It would require a massive redesign and rebuilding to correct. All at a time when the US has squandered its financial resources and shows little enthusiasm for large infrastructure projects.  Tough problems.

[KrunchyJD]

@mrpitv This response is typical of the good responses I get from people.

I dont believe there is any choice, though. The typical automobile is extremely inefficient with only about 1% of the petrol used by the car actually transporting the occupant. There are many roads that could be converted to light rail. There is no reason that sprawled citles cannot simply stop sprawl and progressively build perople friendly higher densities over time.

[KrunchyJD]

@KrunchyJD Check out the go-one velomobile with electric assist. In terms of personal transportation, I think people have to think outside the square. It is not unreasonable that we can produce a pedal assist vehicles that weigh well under 100 kg. Because of their low weight, they only need a small amount of electric power to travel at a practical speed for city movement. You can have a covered bicycle with a small electric motor, and because of its lack of weight it is very efficient.

[etsneroj]

@KrunchyJD, First, you contradict yourself by saying we have alternatives "today," then suggest redesigning our cities and urbanising the population in the future. Second, setting aside the fact that your ideas are totally divorced from realty, the world's economy cannot function on walking and bicycling. Most of everything you eat and use comes from across the globe, transported on ships, trains, trucks, and airplanes. Without massive quantities of affordable fuel, everyone starves. Wake up.

[KrunchyJD]

@etsneroj I have woken up. Much of the transport that is undertaken, is private transport, and in fact even in countries such as the Unied States most car trips currently undertaken are less then 5km. These trips can easily be taken by bike TODAY. Designing cities in a more compact walkable & bikble way, and putting in place electric rail while we still can, makes sense. If we stop developing urban sprawl we will also have enough local food. Cars must be taken away. Look at Amsterdam.. BIKES.

[mrpitv]

@KrunchyJD You're right when you say we have to move away from oil. We need to redesign cities and make the transition. Appreciate your comments. Thanks.

[etsneroj]

@KrunchyJD, I share your love of bicycles and good urban planning. I don't own a car and I bike 10km to work everyday. More people could and should do that. Millions don't have that option because they do not live in cities. And you cannot ignore the huge commercial demand for oil. Anyway, oil dependance is a fact today. Even Denmark's economy would collapse within weeks if oil stopped flowing out of the Gulf. That's the national security issue this video is about.

[KrunchyJD]

@etsneroj The fact still remains that in order to have more energy independence the govt of Denmark encouraged the use of bicycles. Could you really say that either the Government of the USA or the Australian govt where I live is even marginally serious about this. I think not. The FACT is that we need to get off oil, and reducing unnecessary car travel is one important step, as is designing cities more around people, and bicycles and less around cars. Electric trains are also the answer.

[KrunchyJD]

"The long term solution is to move away from oil as our source of transportation and frankly to do so as quickly and as devestatingly as possible", I could not agree more.