Roads and SUVs UK

The Car Menace and how to deal with it

UK Economics Chest June 3, 2026

"The car has become an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete in the urban compound." - Marshall McLuhan

"Money may not buy happiness, but I would rather cry in a Jaguar than on a bus." - Françoise Sagan

Cars have been embedded into our culture

Cars are interwoven into the fabric of society. They are a symbol of status, freedom, and personal identity.

Roll-out of EVs not as fast as expected

EV charging capacity a limiting factor. Major automakers cautious on rollout of electric vehicles.

Good GDP vs Bad GDP

Lobbying for Car dependency reduction, must be run alongside the development of 'alternative travel.'

Now SUV's are purchased for safety for the driver in head-on collisions, and pedestrians are at greater risk.

A hybrid cannot convert back to internal combustion. Hybrids are still a good choice, as the battery costs far less to replace.

The idea of only electric vehicles, needs rethinking. Too many assumptions about their environmental benefits.