Beyond Four Dollars A Gallon

The Washington Examiner has a cover feature that says out loud, "NEW RIDERS CRAM METRO: More trains, buses may be added, GM says."

But people will still drive their cars, won't they?

This writer envisions a near-future where the average family of two or more children still has two cars, but for very different purposes. Where before, a husband and wife joined their respective four-door sedans to the one household, that scenario will have to be replaced, if it isn't already. One car would be a "highway car," a minivan or crossover vehicle large enough to haul the kids with either the groceries or the luggage for vacations. The other car would be the "city car," most likely a subcompact like the Toyota Yaris, or even the new "Smart Fortwo" micro-vehicle (see photo, click for better view) that is seen buzzing around cities in steadily increasing numbers. At a length of just under nine feet, and room for two passengers and a couple of suitcases, the Smart takes up half a parking space, especially when parking crossways, which is possible at a width of just over five feet. This can be very handy in town. And while gas mileage (42 mpg) does not exceed that of popular hybrids like the Toyota Prius, a future hybrid model may. The lack of excess, in a world that can afford it less, is probably in our future.
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