If there was a true crisis they would promote the most efficient, and affordable form of transportaion available now, Motorcycle riding. Motorcycles get better fuel economy take up less space, and would by default reduce fuel consumption, emmissions, traffic congestion, and reduce parking space requirements.
If we were really in direstraights about fuel and energy consumption, simple laws like; motorcycle only lanes, toll free passage for motorcycles on toll roads, and allow motorcycles to move to the front of the line at red lights, would get people more interested in motorcycle riding right away and, would continue a trend towards motorcycling, therefore reducing consumption of fuel by more than a marginal amount rather quickly.
How is that for a run on sentence?


I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. Edgar Allan Poe