I read an article that flying cars could be a reality in eight to twelve years. The year of The Jetsons has finally arrived.
As a writer, I was particularly interested in the article because I like to write fantasy…actually write about the real world with a twist of fantasy. I have to make a mental note that in a few years a flying car could be a real thing. In this technological age it becomes harder to dream up gadgets and gizmos. Many visions are now part of our daily lives. Can you say video chat?
There are probably many people on board with this flying car idea. When I first saw the headline, it made me want to read the article – Plans to build flying car really need to be grounded. I didn’t understand why the writer wanted the cars grounded. I always wanted to see a flying car. She presented facts I hadn’t thought about. It made me think.
Reading on, I came to the main idea of the article. Just because we can make the cars, is it a good idea? Yes, it would help with big city congestion. Yes, it would take a shorter amount of time to commute. Yet, it could create larger problems.
People may choose to live farther from their jobs because they could get to them quickly and easily. Instead of reviving the inner city, people may spread out even further.
Another issue would be air pollution. All those cars in the air, traveling many miles, would emit more fumes. Just because we can build it…should we?
The best arguments for grounding the cars are these—denser living, public transportation and walkable or bikeable commutes. In other words, make our big cities user friendly. So many are not.
Yes, I grew up watching The Jetsons. I thought it would be really cool if someone invented those things I saw on the show. We heard by the 21st century things would be vastly different. In some ways they are. Computers rule. Technology is off the charts.
Still, I want to cling to some of the old ways of doing things. What’s wrong with that? Maybe that’s why I chose for my character to travel back in time instead of forward. I must be a good old-fashioned girl at heart.