"When I see an adult ride a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race."      H.G. Wells

Americans have the belief that our modern world is filled with opportunity and prosperity. (see patriotism)  We are well aware that there is starvation and strife in other countries, that people are unable to find food even in America, but that's simply because they don't work hard enough.  The unfortunate truth is that millions of people who work full time jobs are living at or below the minimum standard.

In America a major factor in the continuation of poverty is a lack of access to transportation.  This creates such setbacks as lack of access to jobs, minimal choice for basic needs such as food or household items (1) and minimal infrastructure.

The city planning which has become standard since WWII creates only one option for transportation....the car.  And having the use of an automobile  costs each of us virtually the same amount (direct cost calculated at $0.86 per mile) .  This means that only the upper, and upper-middle class are able to comfortably afford 2 cars per household.  The rest of the country must struggle through 8-12 hour days in order to spend 20% of their income on an unnecessary luxury. 

In addition federal subsidies for oil exploration and refinement create a large burden to taxpayers.  The following list displays most but not all federal subsidies for gasoline production.

By using options such as public transportation, bicycle or even simply walking, an individual stands to save $6500-7000 per year.  That's enough to pay the cost of a trip to Hawaii for an average family.  Think about it: you could sit in traffic every day, or you could sit on the beach for two weeks each year.

Cycling makes you feel like a kid again.

Most people believe that using alternative transportation is simply too dangerous.
Why?

Because of all of those dangerous cars of course.  The irony may be lost on some people that they are using a car because all of those vehicles make the roads too dangerous to ride a bike or walk.  Take a look at your city.  Which roadways are the most convenient to drive along, and which are the most comfortable to walk on?  You can be sure that the very roadways which are most convenient are equally the most dangerous to walk across.  Of course despite stringent efforts to avoid this, every one of us is a pedestrian at some point.  Therefore it behooves us to work for safer streets, neighborhoods, and parking lots.  This is what caused me to make the conscious decision to move to Portland, which has taken profound steps to create safe roadways.

So what is a suburban resident to do?  

Well there are several options.
First don't jump out of your car all at once (ironic isn't it?).  You don't need to demolish the garage to change the world.  Little changes can make a very big difference.  Get in touch with your co-workers and set up a carpool.  Try walking to the nearest grocery store once in a while, or pick up a prescription while you're out for your next bike ride.  Do this in the morning when traffic is infrequent.  By using your body for transportation, you increase your health, your interaction with neighbors, and your awareness of the surrounding neighborhoods.  
Second, get to know your local representatives.  Politicians are feeling an increasing amount of pressure to improve alternative transportation options.  By getting involved in the current events, you can have a voice in what  planners are designing.
Third, talk to others who have made the change.  You don't have to re-invent the wheel (pun intended) in order to make changes in your life.  This website is full of links and information from people who have been using alternative transportation for years. (living by bike)

In short there are many issues which need to be addressed with regard to our modern transportation infrastructure.  However with a few small changes, we can all take part in making our communities a comfortable place for our children to enjoy.  If we all just get out of the car and smell the flowers once in awhile, we might decide that we don't want a parking lot behind them.