Americans will be slower to adapt to a system where you rent by the mile or swap out batteries, etc than Europeans and those in other countries. Until Americans view cars and trucks as modes of transportation instead of extensions of themselves, this will persist.

It's often been said that Americans don't drive their cars so much as wear them. I think this is just another symptom of American's defining themselves by what they consume/own over what they do. I do detect among some younger folks (teenagers) a general disillusion with the current system, and there may be hope for a shift to valuing the use/utility of things over owning them.

There is a small revolution occurring in my area of the flyover outback.

More and LOTS more folks are buying and driving the vehicles which started as the John Deere Gator,but now Polaris is making them and a whole lot more.

So instead of so many 4 wheel ATVs I am seeing these fourwheel contraptions driving all over the place.

None are truly licensed but they run to the mailbox,go to the back 40,even drive into town sometimes and in general make plenty of the short trips on and off the farm that used to be done with pickups and sometimes ATVs. The ATVs are a different thing. Usually kids do them. With these its a lot of more senior folks. Past their 20s, so to speak.

Yes a lot of hunters are using them, laziness I guess. But I see a brisk market developing here for them. Seem now each farm has one or two.

Don't know what kind of mileage they get but they are very simple to operate. Have a roof but usually open sides. Has a bed in back for carrying cargo. Two seats in front.

Can't compete on the highways but can run up to 40-50 mph. Don't usually go on 2 lane state highways except for short forays. Used mostly on county back roads but they are becoming very prevalent.

Perhaps pouring gas in fuel inefficient pickups is costing too much.

Seems pretty nice way to motor into the woods to pick up some deadfall or sawed up tree trunks.

Airdale