People in Spain (and I'm sure the rest of Europe, though I can't speak from experience) are crazy drivers. They speed like it's their job, run red lights, drive around people like maniacs. One of the things they have done responsibly, however, is convert many of the modes of personal transportation to earth-friendly machines.
The Smart Car is very popular here. It is a 2-seater car with virtually no storage room or trunk, but it can fit into virtually any parking spot and I would assume gets great gas mileage. And with gas prices at around the equivalent of $6/gallon (if you convert it from the metric system and the euro), that makes a huge difference. They look sort of silly at first sight, but I've gotten used to seeing them everywhere. And I really like the concept that commuters who usually drive themselves to work alone only use a very small car. Is there really a need to drive a Hummer or huge SUV/minivan to work with only one person in it like in the United States? I think we as Americans should take a hint from Europe. They seem to have the right idea.
Another thing I've noticed is the number of motorcyclists and people with scooters. Though I am usually very against the concept of such vehicles due to how dangerous they are, I can appreciate their value in terms of the lack of pollution they emit. They can also maneuver over sidewalks and in the streets, so I'm sure those who drive them save some commuting time to work. Go figure.
Overall, though there seems to be just as much traffic here as in the States, Spaniards seem to have the right idea when it comes to converting to more earth-friendly modes of transportation. We should think of them the next time we think of purchasing a car or motorcycle. Amen.
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