"..motor cars are far from a blight.."

"Our new neighbourhoods can't be built on nostalgia
The good old days were good, but we shouldn't try to recreate them, writes Bernard Salt June 01, 2006
On the basis of this thinking motor cars are far from a blight on modern cities. They are important facilitators of social connection between members of the new neighbourhoods.
Accordingly, there is no need for angst over any apparent social isolation resulting from the loss of old neighbourhoods.
This is because old neighbourhoods have been replaced by stronger, more robust models of social interaction which are based on common interest rather than on common geography."