When it comes to gridlocked streets around schools every morning and afternoon, Pogo was right when he said, "We have met the enemy and he is us."

To solve the problem, look in a mirror. Nobody lets their kids walk to school anymore. Youngsters who live only three or four blocks from school are—you guessed it—getting rides to school.

Ironically, the problem grows worse every year, just like childhood obesity. Kids ride to school in gas-guzzling SUVs so they can learn about the dangers of polluting the environment.

The excuses for not walking include fear of perverts, fear of dogs, fear of bullies and fear of bad drivers. (The latter is easily the greatest danger.) Imagine, if you will, a crowded parking lot, lots of loading and unloading, and a driver with a Starbucks in one hand and a cell phone in the other. It’s an accident waiting to happen, and it happens twice every day.

Back in the old days, you either walked or rode a bike to school. The only passengers were on buses—and that was because they lived far, far away. Maybe a blizzard or thunderstorm would change things and you’d see a few family cars, but nothing like the messes of today.

Are there any answers? The city of Calabasas is trying several programs. Subsidies make school bus transpor- tation cheaper and nicer (with limits on the number of passengers per bus). There are incentives and rewards for those who walk to school. There’s carpooling. There’s a strong emphasis on educating the public.

But until kids start walking instead of riding, the problem won’t go away––because Pogo was right.