THIS may be an American-based study, but its conclusions are applicable worldwide.

The world has to be prepared for the impact of a two billion car threat which could put everybody in gridlock and devastate the environment while also wasting precious natural resources which could easily be used more easily and economically.

But while presenting this nightmare scenario, the authors are at pains to point out that it need not be like this, that we already have technology to tame the motor mania, to make the car the servant, not the king, and that there are sustainable energy and transportation policies that could reduce the effect of global warming. This is a message of impending disaster tinged with a promise of hope and that hope depends on man’s willingness to change in time. Sadly, we don’t have a good record in doing what is right for ourselves.