The world beyond the windshield

For better or worse, the view through a car's windshield has redefined how we see the world around us. In some cases, such as the American parkway, the view the road was the be-all and end-all of the highway; in others, such as the Italian autostrada, the view of a fast, efficient transportation machine celebrating either Fascism or its absence was the goal. These varied environments are neither necessary nor accidental but the outcomes of historical negotiations, and whether we abhor them or take delight in them, they have become part of the fabric of human existence.