Cars: Blessing or Curse?
In the beginning the world was without wheels, until humans resolved that problem! Then, of necessity, something was needed to turn wheels, so eventually came the clip-clop of horse-drawn carriages, which was followed at some distance in time by the horseless carriage— commonly known as the automobile or car.
Many claim to have invented the first form of horseless mobile carriage during the 18th century, but its invention is most widely recognised as being that of Cugnot, a Frenchman, who developed a steam-driven vehicle to tow heavy artillery pieces around 1770. Later the invention was used to carry people—ever so slowly.
The evolution of the motor car is quite a miracle, despite slow progress, involving experimentation with steam, electricity and gas engines.
More than a century after Cugnot’s self-propelled vehicle, a German, Karl Benz, son of a locomotive driver, designed a four-stroke engine that he fitted to a three-wheeled contraption. Benz is considered the father of the modern motor car, while former apprentice gunsmith Gottlieb Daimler invented a crude form of the motorbike before devoting his attention to refining internal-combustion, petrol engines.
Most will know that Daimler and Benz later joined together, forming the Mercedes-Benz company, which gave birth to the more general motor vehicle industry, particularly in Europe. From its humble beginnings, and some years later, Mercedes-Benz was renamed Daimler-Benz, and in 1998 merged with Chrysler Corporation (in a deal worth around $A38 billion), to become Daimler-Chrysler, the world’s third largest car manufacturer after General Motors and Ford.
Initially the development of the automobile in America was relatively slow, but it was the pioneering Henry Ford with his Model T who established the motor car as an affordable form of transport for the masses. It soon achieved widespread acceptance, no longer viewed as merely an exclusive toy for the wealthy.
With extraordinary foresight, Ford achieved his ultimate dream and produced a small, inexpensive car but, according to USA Today, dealers “had to will the industry to life, staking their life savings on a largely unproven invention.” In June 2003, the Ford Motor Company celebrated its 100th year of production, and although its founder died in 1947, his dream lives on and flourishes.
There are no accurate figures for the number of cars manufactured worldwide since production lines began rolling, but currently there are around 100 automobile manufacturers producing in the vicinity of 55 million vehicles each year. The Holden factory in Adelaide operates around the clock, churning out an average 780 cars a day. The car industry is massive, a major pillar of the global economy!
The impact of motor cars on our lives is far reaching. Whereas when life was simpler and our instinct was to first seek security in solid and suitable housing, the first adult thoughts of today’s younger generation usually centre on purchasing a good car.
Not only have we become obsessed with car ownership, our need for speed and owning a hot set of wheels is part of our culture. It’s common for families to have what looks like a small used-car sales lot in their front yard, depending on the number (and gender) of their children. With the decline in public transport and increase in urban sprawl, it’s generally accepted that a new or near-new car isn’t one of life’s luxuries, but an essential part of living and working.
a few more observations:
Cars are a status symbol. With a spiffy top-of-the-range new car, we’re not only able to keep up with the Joneses next door, we’re able to get ahead of them! Unfortunately, that’s a reflection on our material and covetous natures and focus.
For some, car ownership is following fashion, yielding to peer and advertising pressures. It’s also been suggested that our choice of car reflects our personality (within the limit of our budget), projecting and reinforcing our self-image. Reflect for a moment on those GT-styled racing stripes, the nodding dog on the back window ledge, the bauble dangling from the rear-view mirror and think what that says about your life in the past!
Cars attach us to groups. Did you ever own a Mini (the Brick)? A VW (Beetle)? A Kombi (Flower Power)? A Monaro? Each said something about our position in society and where we saw ourselves as belonging. (I’m unsure as to where the Goggomobile fitted in.) Currently, car manufacturers are exploiting the cult-car craze with such nostalgic offerings as the retro-styled PT Cruiser, the BMW Mini and born-again VW Beetle. (The last original-style Beetle rolled off a production line in August 2003.)
With your choice of vehicle and the price you pay for it, you do say something about yourself, so it needs to be a message consistent with your convictions.
A car can become an idol. Irrespective of whether it cost $1500 or $50,000 (or $A985,000 in the case of the new Rolls-Royce Phantom), its ownership and your attitude toward it needs to be kept in perspective. A car can swallow your valuable resources, be it in maintenance on an older, cheaper heap, or in interest and depreciation on a new, less affordable model.
For some, their car is like their girlfriend—the object of devotion, tender care and great expense. Five-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher, who cruises at 300 km/h in his race car, confessed (over his Ferrari), “I’m so much in love with this car.”
Cars damage our environment. Pollution is an enormous problem for our environment and motor vehicles are a major contributor, despite regulation of fuel economy, taxes on fuel and the imposition of emission controls. But as fuel supplies are finite and will one day be exhausted or become prohibitively expensive, we, with responsible manufacturers, need to embrace alternatives.
Both Jaguar and Citroen are developing a diesel V6, which is also expected to be used by Peugeot and Ford. Others are looking at high-tech, hydrogen, fuel-cell technology, which replaces petrol-powered cars, and cleaner reciprocating–electric hybrids and combinations.
My award for the best of these goes to Mercedes for its micromini Smart car, first sold in 1998. There are more than 500,000 on the road today. It’s so small that two Smarts can be parked in a normal-size parking bay. Apart from being extremely economical, it’s also advertised as the latest in car fashion, coming with interchangeable colour panels to suit one’s mood or the occasion!
Cars are becoming smarter. They can almost park themselves these days, with rear radar to avoid bumper-to-bumper bingles and rear-view television screens. They can find their own way with the help of satellite navigation, telling the driver which way to turn, and thinking for themselves in the event of a slip or a slide. As Jaguar’s recent advertising campaign suggests, the car is the closest thing humans will make to something that’s alive.
Cars will always be controversial. Since the Stanley Steamer, when cars had to be preceded by a man carrying a red flag, motoring has created problems that have required legislation. These problems include speeding, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, resulting in a huge death toll worldwide. Road trauma is the number one killer of youth in Australia and New Zealand.
Along with many other forms of out-of-control behaviour, road rage is becoming more prevalent, with incidents of death resulting. The highway hoon has also attracted attention in recent times, with police in all eastern states of Australia attempting to deal with this, with extreme measures, including the confiscation of the offender’s vehicle in some states.
In Queensland police can hold a car for 48 hours for a first offence, three months for the second, and permanently for third and subsequent offences.
Motor racing, a passion of mine, is among the most popular of recognised sports today, drawing fans to events in their hundreds of thousands. It’s also a win-at-all-costs game, which isn’t surprising, considering how much it costs to field a competitive car with a top driver. Formula-1 superstar Michael Schumacher, with idol status and huge drawing power, earns in excess of $A100 million per annum from fees and sponsorships.
Not surprisingly there’s no biblical reference to cars, but wheels, carriages, travel and speed are mentioned in a number of places. Chariots, for example, in Nahum 2:4 the prophet writes that “chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning,” which in the imagery of the day, is a not-inaccurate description of our cluttered highways today.
For most, cars are simply a means of transport. For some their car is a fashion accessory, or a statement. Whatever you drive, it says something about you. What is it?
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