As a teenager, I loved biking. I biked everywhere. One of my dreams was to bike through Europe as a tourist. But my love of biking ended when I got my license to drive. I bought a ’68 VW Beetle in such bad shape I devoted countless hours to keep it running.

It wasn’t long after that, that I bought a ’73 VW 412 – yes, they actually made it for 2 years before canning it. It was a sedan version of the Porsche 914, which was really a Volkswagen badged as a Porsche. I then got involved in an energy efficiency competition at my university and coming out of that, was offered a summer job with General Motors. The rest, as they say, is history.

One thing led to the next and I never looked back. I loved my job and loved that I was fortunate enough to be on the cutting edge of electronics for cars when it was just getting started. I was also fortunate to work extensively with European auto makers, giving me a firsthand view of the various cultures in Europe.

A Change in Location Brought a Change in Perspective

But after retiring and moving to Germany, I got a closer view of a world that is very different from the world I grew up and worked in. Here, everything is smaller and closer together. It provides a ton of flexibility that’s not available in the US, which can be advantageous.

People have options here that aren’t so feasible in the U.S. With everything so close, people can walk, bike ride or take buses to work. For Americans, these options aren’t even attractive, never mind feasible. But here, they work well. No parking problems with these alternatives!

In the U.S., many are upwardly mobile, fleeing neighborhoods with crime or urban blight. It seems to lengthen commutes, either because the perceived “better” neighborhoods end up being further from work, or our highways become so clogged with traffic that it extends the commute. Often people have little choice but to locate far from urban or suburban workplaces just to find affordable housing.

What follows are more highways, widened roads to support multiple lanes, more stop lights and tons of road noise – especially for those whose homes back up to major highways or main arteries. It sucks when you can’t even open your windows due to traffic noise and can’t entertain in your backyard without shouting to compete with car noise. The reality is that America is built around cars. There are rarely any other alternatives.

A Difference in History Brings a Difference in Lifestyle

Here in Germany, most people want to live in urban centers. There’s lots more to do, more cultural activities, concerts, restaurants, you name it. And here in Germany, because urban centers go back centuries, the cities and towns are typically well maintained. But it has to be pointed out, these older city centers were built centuries before cars and thus, they are not made for cars. There’s no garages, and often little or no place to park cars.

In the U.S., we’d tear these older buildings and their accompanying neighborhoods down in the name of modernization. Not here! People love living in these older buildings. They invest their life savings into renovating and modernizing the interiors while preserving the original architecture.

And I have to tell you, these neighborhoods and their centuries old homes are really charming. It’s like stepping back into the 15th century when all the homes are historic but renovated and the streets are closed to cars. Only pedestrians and bikes can gain entry. I can’t tell you how enjoyable it is to sit outside at small tables that extend the eating area of local restaurants and enjoy the fresh air and a cup of coffee. It’s peaceful, teaming with life, but without car noise. You can relax, talk with friends or just read a book.

When I lived in the U.S., the goal was to find a house close to a major highway – but not too close. You wanted to be close for easy access, but not so close that the road noise becomes audible. Most people want a backyard that gives them some privacy from their neighbors, even though it seems they’re rarely outside!

A Return Home, Drove the Point Home

My wife and I were in Lancaster, PA in November. A lot of people rave about Lancaster. But after 5 years living in Germany, I found Lancaster typical of too many places in the U.S. It’s not a terrible place. But it exemplifies what I find undesirable in the U.S. Huge shopping centers with huge stores and enormous parking lots, designed to bring people from afar. But it fills the streets with cars that fills the stores with shoppers. Four and five lane thoroughfares built to handle the traffic.

We decided to walk a half mile to a coffee shop. There were no sidewalks, the roads were noisy, cars with high performance exhaust systems and oversized tires that made the noise stunningly loud.

I didn’t see restaurants with tables outside, and I know why. Restaurants are located on busy street corners to maximize in customer traffic, making it impossible to sit outside as there’s nothing but road noise. Studies show these types of noises are bad for health.

Though the coffee was great, the walk was awful. America is built around cars: Drive through restaurants, drive through pharmacies, and drive through coffee-holics. No one walks, because no one can, and no one wants to.

In Europe, they realized decades ago, that if they didn’t have alternatives to cars, their cities would become unlivable. So, they deliberately designed them for people.

I have to say, I can’t wait for electric cars to ramp up. It can only make the streets and neighborhoods here quieter and more peaceful. It’s time to get back to enjoying the quiet majesty of God’s creation, instead of being drown out by our creations. You don’t know what you’re missing, America!