There have been many inventions to come and go. Some inventions can be good or bad. There some inventions that made life difficult without their presence. There other inventions that some found rather pointless or laughable (i.e. The Hawaii Chair). But there is both praise and criticism of the
automobile, which has left significant impact on people’s lives.
The inventors and contributions
According to
the library of congress, some credit Karl Benz from Germany with creating a gasoline powered automobile around 1885. Beforehand, Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot created Steam powered vehicle in France around 1769. Robert Anderson made an electric carriage in Scotland between the years 1832 -1839. Other automobile inventors towards the end of the 19th century included Gottlieb Wilhelm, Wilhelm Mayback, George Baldwin Selden, and the Duryea brothers (Charles Edgar and Frank). The Duryea brothers were among the first to set up an American car manufacturing company.
Some think the origins of the automobile are linked to Leonardo da Vinci creating designs and models of transportation in 15th century.
Owning a car is like a owning a piano
In European cultures in the 18th century (or the Romantic Era for musicians), the piano would have been a sign of high class or wealth. If one family owned a piano, then the family must have money. If someone could play a piano, then he or she might be smart or talent. For a portion of the 20th century and 21st century, a car in some cultures could signify higher class. Most need money to obtain a car. Driving a car usually requires a license. Also some people (unless one really has it made), use a car to go to work or a commitment that requires travel.
What to do with a car
Drivers can go places near and far (as long as the car drives on land). Depending on the model, riders can drive through rain and stay dry. Depending on the size, a driver fill a car with shopping bags, groceries, suitcases, musical instruments, sports equipment, and others items that are difficult to be carried by one person at once. Drivers can listen to music without disturbing other people (and sometimes they can let other listens in a loud volume). People of all ages can ride in car, but rules are set for who can them.
Driver’s License
According to A & E’s
History website Massachusetts and Missouri required driver’s licenses for automobiles 1903. However, it was not required for all drivers to take an exam in Massachusetts until 1920. Chauffer exams were instituted in the same state in 1907. When Henry Ford first sold the Model T, Rhode Island was the first to require drivers to have a license and pass a test. Slowly over the decades, each state adapted to rules for driver’s licenses and exams.
Can anyone drive a car?
Driving a car can be an opportunity or a danger. Depending on the culture and the rules, different types of people can drive a car. Some whom are handicap can drive a car.
Johnny Eck was born without any legs, but was able drive a vehicle as long as it was customized for him to drive and followed the local rules in Maryland.
But in cultures (including the United States), cars are rather accessible to the general public. Most people ride a plane in comparison those who can pilot one. But that can mean that drivers both good and bad can drive a car.
There are people who drive when they are happy, angry, sad, sleepy, or even drunk. There are rules for when drivers can get behind the wheel, but not everyone follows the rules. Some drivers play with their phones. Reckless driving and not paying attention to details can lead to injuries or damage.
Seatbelts
Seatbelts were created for a few reason, the most current reason is protection and restrain projections during a crash. According to
Defensive Driving, English engineer George Cayler created special seatbelts to keep pilots inside gliders in the late 19th Century. American Edward J. Claghorn in 1885 created the patented seatbelt for New York City taxi cabs in order to keep riders safe. Belt testing started in the 1930’s. Sport Car Club of American required car racers to wear lap belts during competitions in 1954. Swedish Engineer Nils Bohlin created the popular three-point seat belt. According to Defensive Driving website and History website, Volvo (the car company that hired Bohlin for his seat belts) had estimated that the seat belt had saved more than one million lives in the first four decades of its introduction.
Seat belts laws were created in Victoria, Austria in 1970, to where everyone in those cars had to wear seat belts. Although American vehicles were required to have seat belts, some states slowly implemented seat belt laws until it was mandatory for at least 49 states in 1995 (all American states enforce this law now). Some foreign nations do not enforce the seat belt law as much as first world countries. But even seat belts are a law, not everyone wears them.
The environment
A lot of cars run on gasoline, suspected to have an influence on the ozone layer and the environment in general.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) suggests that gross U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have increased by about 2 percent since 1990. EPA also implies that of the total emission in 2016 (U.S.), 28% was from transportation involving ships, planes, trains, and automobiles.
Some drivers could drive electric cars. But according to
Pod Point, an electric car can take between 30 minutes to 12 hours to charge. Some electric car brands can travel farther than other and not every parking lot has a charger for electronic cars. Careful planning or short travels might be taken into consideration when driving a car that is fully electronic. Cars using solar power could be an option, but some locations lose sunlight in the winter. Environmentally friendly cars are fairly new and require more research.
Why not ride a bike?
Not everyone is able peddle on a bike more than 2 miles through the hills, the forest, the rain, or snow to visit a town. It is very difficult peddle a bike to another town or city more than forty miles away. It takes some energy and fitness to use a bicycle.
Some cities like Chicago have bicycle stations for rent (one of the companies is
Divvy).
What about trains?
Some trains still emit gases. Although there are a few trains are more Earth friendly, there are still pros and cons.
Some cities have train systems that work pretty into their cultures (some better than others).
One can sleep, read, and sometimes eat while riding a train.
Even people in Chicago that own cars are encouraged to use train lines to ease traffic jams.
However, people have to share the trains with others and have less privacy. Also, during busy times of the day some trains can be extremely over-crowded. When necessary, the city of Tokyo has “train pushers” to help
“push” passengers onto trains.
Special planning and building is required for putting down railroad tracks. Also, some mountainous regions and low population areas are not ideal for large trains. Some cities trains are modern, while some are requiring upgrading.
Just to Conclude
Some people just love their cars, even there are other methods of transportation. Some have the opportunities to drive than others. Some people use a car regardless of their opinion when they live in an area with very limited travel methods. There is a lot of consideration of safety and for some, the environment. Different methods of fuel are in the works but require more research and adapting. The automobile makes both a good and bad invention for the human race.