To the editor:

I chuckled when reading the recent articles which described the need for students to be able to walk/bike to school without getting run over by a car. They reminded me of a recent incident when I was nearly struck by a car at an intersection (where I had the right of way) and I yelled at the driver, “Ride a bike!” The angry driver responded by honking and shouting at me, “Why the hell would I do that?”

Indeed, why would the average American want to go forgo the most essential American commodity? We have created an auto-based culture where living without a car is not only unthinkable but next to impossible. Our dependency upon the auto has become absolute, and one need look no further than the parking lots of our schools to discover the truth of this assertion. King-Car now rules and those who prefer to walk or bike must be doubly cautious when crossing its path.