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Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

theguardian.com

41–50 of 202 posts

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#41
post #2

This applies to people coming in from outside the city with SUVs. It's probably still not fully financing the parking spots. Parking spots in cities are incredibly expensive and heavily subsidized.

This is the most important part, I think.

Everybody is hyping Paris like the end of the car is near, but in fact it's just an action to get some money from visitors and other external people.

Don't see how this might change transport in large.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#42
post #11

From the article it seems that the campaign was about pollution. Heavier vehicles also consume the road much more than lighter ones. It's proportional to the fourth power of the weight on axles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_power_law

There is no math behind it and its evidence is poor. Thats why: > The accuracy of the law of the fourth power is disputed among experts

A more extended quote:

> When evaluating the series of tests, it was found that there is a connection between the thickness of the pavement, the number of load transfers and the axle load, and that these have a direct effect on the service life and condition of a road. The service life of the road is thereby reduced with approximately the fourth power of the axle load.

> The accuracy of the law of the fourth power is disputed among experts, since the test results depend on many other factors, such as climatic conditions, in addition to the factors mentioned above.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#43
post #2

This applies to people coming in from outside the city with SUVs. It's probably still not fully financing the parking spots. Parking spots in cities are incredibly expensive and heavily subsidized.

Subsidized in what way? You mean street parking?

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#45

The reality is that people like their SUVs. It doesn’t matter where in the world, SUVs are popular and growing in market share. Here’s the International Energy Agency on SUVs. https://www.iea.org/commentaries/as-their-sales-continue-to-...

SUVs are a lot bigger than typical European cars. Since people don't feel safe driving small cars around big cars the presence of SUVs causes an upwards pressure on vehicle size. That's an issue in cities where the roads and parking spaces are built to fit vehicles from 20 years ago, causing a lot of frustration for everyone. Which creates the paradox that SUVs both cause people to dislike them and to buy them, for related reasons.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

EVs in Europe and the US are on the downward trend at the moment. I’m not entirely sure why, maybe they are still too expensive.

For the downvoters, look it up - this is objectively true and has been well reported. And I’m not saying don’t buy an electric car, just that EV sales have decreased.

… Wait, how are you defining ‘downward trend’? The rate of _growth_ has slackened, which you expect as a product category matures, but sales are still very much growing.

I’d be a little more sceptical of the media sources doing this well-reporting, if I were you.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#47
post #2

This applies to people coming in from outside the city with SUVs. It's probably still not fully financing the parking spots. Parking spots in cities are incredibly expensive and heavily subsidized.

Imo you should be allowed to use the parking spots for just about whatever you want within reason. Pay the parking price and set up a hotdog stand for the day if you want. Then raise the price until some spots are usually free

Free market solutions are so simple, elegant, natural and organic...I wonder why ecologists hate it that much...not.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#48

The reality is that people like their SUVs. It doesn’t matter where in the world, SUVs are popular and growing in market share. Here’s the International Energy Agency on SUVs. https://www.iea.org/commentaries/as-their-sales-continue-to-...

I've noticed this trend, but I feel like it's down to several factors, and I think as full cost gets priced in correctly, it's likely to end.

Obviously these use more fuel than the equivalent smaller, lighter car. Over time that's going to affect both the direct fuel costs, and the other taxes and costs levied for environmental reasons, road use, etc. Credit has been remarkably cheap, particularly in cars, and that's coming to and end. Insurance premiums have been going up in many countries, and these cars generally cost more to insure. On top of all of this, in the US SUVs are more practical because of the support for much larger vehicles (parking, roads, etc), and US media is a trend-setter for much of the world, so these vehicles are considered desirable more than may otherwise be the case.

The numbers you point to are from 2022, I'd be interested to see 2023 numbers as that's where I expect things would really start to turn around.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#49
post #24

As a person with SUV and big family in Paris, I suggest we do the same with obese people and public transport - now that my kids will need to use it more frequently while paying more for sq ft.

The vote did not concern resident parking places - even if you have an SUV you can still park as usual in _your_ area. Of course, if you drive to other parts of the town where you are not a resident (i.e. drive to a different arrondissement) then you count as a visitor. Its not unlogical - within Paris public transport should be used notably by those who live there - driving less than 5 miles inside the city makes little sense with some excceptions.

Re: Parisians vote in favour of tripling parking costs for SUVs

#50
post #25
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

tiny EVs are going to be very popular in europe

EVs are not really popular in my EU city because they require a dedicated parking space with a charger and most people live in an apartment with none of that.

Daily at-home charging is needed only for plug-in hybrids. BEVs can easily do a week of city driving without needing to charge.

In my city supermarkets have charging on their parking lots, so my car charges when I'm shopping.

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