>>1123803>>1123801>>1123800The mass adoption of automobiles, and the rise of suburbia, is a perfect example of a tragedy of the commons. Cars have many advantages, as do detached houses - but when too many people drive and live in suburbia you end with sprawl, blighted inner cities, traffic congestion, pollution, and paradoxically end up depriving people from having transportation choices.
Once you end up with entire cities that put the needs of cars ahead of the needs of humans, this ends up causing all unintended harm to public health (obesity and diabetes from lack of exercise, asthma and lung cancer from breathing in pollutants), the structure of families (now both parents have to work to afford the suburban dream and two cars), childhood development (street safety concerns mean parents have to drive children everywhere, limiting their independence and cognitive development), and the social fabric of a community (less likely to encounter your neighbors in everyday life both inside and outside of your neighborhood).
