[sustran] Re: Tata Nano: Criminalizing Mobility or Mobilizing Crime

[Gina Anderson]

Dear Hassaan, All,

when the Model T rolled off the assembly line there was definitely  
much excitement.

Now, 80-90 years later, and with the example in the US of how  
debilitating automobile-centered development patterns are, how  
unsustainable economically and environmentally, and the health  
problems resulting in a society grown used to car-centered development  
and life - there is real cause for alarm to see something like the Nano.

The problem is, that, as you say, the "whole suite of technological  
constructs (institutions, policies, regulatory oversight, etc.)" that  
also need to be provided, won't be.  Mass, cheap car production was  
bad for the US, and it will be bad for India and other countries.  The  
seduction of allowing personal car use to become the prime mode  
catered for is too strong; other more efficient modes  
(road-space-wise, price-wise, etc) will loose out to the car.  That's  
the real tragedy for India and the masses of people there.  That is  
the tragedy in the US as well, where people are saddled with the costs  
of owning a car because in many cases there are no buses, no taxis, no  
trains available.

Gina Anderson

-- 
Regina Anderson, AICP
WholeChoice Master Planning, Pedestrian Design, Sustainability
Singapore
phone +65 6467-6594


Quoting Hassaan Ghazali <hghazali at gmail.com>:

> Friends,
>
> There was a time when a Model T rolled off the Ford assembly line every few
> seconds. I do believe that was probably the most exciting and the most
> positive time for the US economy. Now, it seems Tata's mobility breakthrough
> has everyone on the edge and I am surprised to see so many negative
> sentiments being expressed within South Asia. I don't remember so many
> issues abounding when Daimler-Chrysler's Smart car came out. Regardless of
> the fact that the Smart car was probably one major reason for the eventual
> divorce between Daimler and Chrysler, how does the economic and social
> disparity between the developed and developing world create the context to
> despise such an incredible product?
>
> Shall we all begin by shunning technology which aims to empower the masses
> or shall we encourage its uptake and ensure that the whole suite of
> technological constructs (institutions, policies, regulatory oversight,
> etc.) are also provided.
>
> Regards,
>
> Hassaan
>
>
> --
> Institutional Development Specialist
> Urban Sector Policy and Management Unit (The Urban Unit)
> Planning & Development Department,
> Government of the Punjab
>
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>
> *When conditions are right, everything will go wrong*
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