Freedom of Choice:

by John Stumpner

We hear a lot about the “Freedom of Choice.” We want to be free to choose where to live, who we can be friends with, where we can go, and who we vote for. We have many rights as citizens of the United States, and having freedom of choice allows us to decide how and when we want to use our rights and freedoms. Freedom of the road which we so often talk about is based on the freedom of choice. As long as we are not hurting someone else, we want to be free to choose how we use our roads and highways.

Part of freedom of the road is how we choose to travel on the roadways. Some of us, whenever practical, prefer to walk or bicycle. Depending on the person and the situation, cars, trucks, vans, and motorcycles could be the preferred choice for using the road. While walking and bicycles are powered by “people power,” motorized vehicles need some sort of power source. This can be an engine using gasoline or diesel fuel (internal combustion engine) or a battery powered electric motor.

No one doubts that electric motor vehicles are the future of transportation. Many trains, such as the New York city subway system, are powered by electricity. But these trains need to be attached to the power source, such as an overhead line or the “third rail” in the subway system. Battery powered electric vehicles can be very practical for short trips around town or commuting to work. But these vehicles are limited by the amount of electricity they can carry in their batteries, making them hard to use for long trips.

The amount of energy available from one source has and always will be limited. Even our own sun is expected to eventually burn out millions and millions of years from now. The electric power systems are limited and simply could not support an immediate switch to all electric vehicles without cutting power to other uses. Also, most of our electricity still comes from coal, diesel, and gas-powered generators. With our current technology, we need the freedom of choice for the vehicle that best fits our needs.

Some states, such as California, have passed laws that at a certain date, gasoline and diesel-powered engines will no longer be legal to be sold. This may not be practical for all uses and does limit choices for Californians. On February 13, ABATE of Wisconsin members from all over the state are traveling to the capitol in Madison to meet with our legislators. One of the things we are asking for is a law to ensure that gasoline and diesel engines remain legal in Wisconsin. Hopefully, you can join us to help maintain our freedom of choice and our freedom of the road.

John