I, for one, would like to see a return to light rail. In the 1920s you could take local light rail from Portland ME to Chicago.
At some point people are going to realize that fuel independence is going to take a World War II like effort, meaning there will have to be some sacrifice on the part of normal people.
Right now the only folks bearing the cost of the war effort are a few military families, but this is going to have to be wider spread than that. Saving gas honors them.
If you get down to brass tacks Hitler lost the war because we had the gas to fly chocolate cake and bullets to Europe.
Have you ever seen the WWII poster "when you ride alone you ride with Hitler."? You could put Bin laden in there and it would be just as valid.
People made sacrifices in WWII because they were patriotic. Part of the reason that I ride is because it's a public good. In commuter mode the SV returns about 47 MPG, the Puch, if I can make it run again can do around 100. I save a lot of gas riding and don't mind "spending" a little playing.
In the long run it will be about who can get the most GDP out of a barrel of oil. It will be about who can spend the least time and money shoring up reserves in the mid east. It will be about energy independence. There's no super fuel waiting around the corner to replace oil. It's going to be about conservation. I am willing to drive slower when I commute, to bicycle when I can. To motorcycle when I ride alone. I am willing to drive slower on the many, many miles I commute compared to sport riding. When you consider the options it's an easy choice.
