Photo by Jeff Turner, via Flickr creative commons.

Photo by Orange County Archives, via Flickr creative commons.

Photo by Steve Hymon.

Photo by Toshiyuki Imai, via Flickr creative commons.

Photo by Steve Hymon.

Photo: Universal Pictures.

Our friends at Zocalo Public Square are holding a fun event on Wednesday, March 11, at MOCA (250 S. Grand Avenue) in DTLA, asking this question: “Is car culture dead?”

My three cents: a definitive ‘no,’ although perhaps in some quarters we’re not quite as beholden to automobiles as we once were.

Here’s the event description:

Cars and freeways didn’t just shape the landscape of contemporary America; they shaped the national culture as well. Southern California in particular has reveled in the pleasures of the automobile, from Sunday drives and drive-in theaters to the car race in Rebel Without a Cause. But between the pressures of climate change and a younger generation’s preference for denser living and public transportation, there is a serious backlash against the car, especially in L.A., where drivers spend more than 60 hours a year stuck in traffic. Are our cruising days over forever? Petersen Automotive Museum executive director Terry Karges, DUB Magazine founder Myles Kovacs, Los Angeles Walks founder Deborah Murphy, and Drexel University Center for Mobilities Research and Policy director Mimi Sheller visit Zócalo to discuss the future of car culture, in Southern California and beyond.

The event is being held in partnership with Metro. It’s free but you need to RSVP to attend. The Red/Purple Line’s Civic Center/Grand Park Station is two blocks from MOCA. Many Metro bus lines also serve Grand Avenue and surrounding streets. Here’s the downtown L.A. Metro bus map.

Should be interesting. See everyone there!