Slightly off-topic but NYC went through a similar process when congestion pricing met legal battle after legal battle. Long to short, there was a calculated effort to make midtown less and less vehicle-friendly. The "hack" was to take streets / aves and repurpose those for pedestrians. Special walking lanes, more "park cafes", bike lanes, etc. None were stated as being anti-vehicle - as that would open up legal challenges - but that was obviously the intention.
Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
41–50 of 392 posts
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#42This article has such a weird framing. It keeps repeating how the cleaner air is so good for tourists. But tourists visiting Paris for a week don’t get the majority of the benefit from cleaner air. The Parisian residents living there throughout the year do. Maybe because it’s CNN, an American outlet, they’re focused on the “tourist”, but these benefits have mostly accrued to Parisians. Also, the 4% increase in traffi…
I agree, CNN has always had a weird angle to its bias. I am by no means a FOX news nut . I really think a lot of american "news" now is similar to How The WWF ( World Wide Wrestling Federation/ World Wrestling Entertainment) isn't a Sport. CNN , FOX, MSNBC/MSNOW , Newsmax etc aren't news but unfunny entertainment.
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#43Only rich people get to drive now
I go to Berkeley Ca often on weekends. As a kid we'd go to SF too because why not. But now it's another $8+ for the bridge, and even if you find street parking it's another $2 an hour anywhere you might want to jump out for a few minutes.
Basically it's an extra $20 to get the opportunity to spend your money in SF.
So now I haven't been to my favorite coffee shop or pizza place in years. Oh well.
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#44Only rich people get to drive now
I go to Berkeley Ca often on weekends. As a kid we'd go to SF too because why not. But now it's another $8+ for the bridge, and even if you find street parking it's another $2 an hour anywhere you might want to jump out for a few minutes. Basically it's an extra $20 to get the opportunity to spend your money in SF. So now I haven't been to my favorite coffee shop or pizza place in years. Oh well.
Why not take the train...?
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#45Complete tangent, but I met my equally nerdy brother in Paris last month. It was my first time, and his fourth. We stayed South of the Republique metro station. After the literal 30th indie Manga [0] shop that we walked by, I asked him: "how are all these shops financially viable?" He said: "look inside." Holy crap, they all had customers inside! I had no idea that Japanese culture has such a strong presence in the h…
Pedestrianization of neighborhoods like Rivoli did decrease shopping at first, but ended up exploding again once people got used to it.
I have to say, I look forward to visiting Paris again as soon as I can find an excuse. I know there are things people could say negatively, as one could say about any large city, but the energy and diversity really drew me in.
I also really like French food, especially when mixed with the crazy chefs in that area that we stayed.
Edit: just so everyone knows, this is what an airport terminal could be, according to Air France: https://postimg.cc/ZCww5xFs - So cool that I had to take photo.
This was the least customer-hostile area that I have ever seen at an airport. Oh, you have to wait for a flight? Just lay back and chill.
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
A city with less cars is a net positive for mobility impaired people. It frees space for people (wider sidewalks...), reduce the risks of navigating the streets, and for the ones that have to use a car, there's less traffic and less people stealing dedicated parking spots. Less cars also means less mobility impaired people. Cars create them through crashes and a lifetime of sedentariness. Finally, it should be noted…
> and for the ones that have to use a car, there's less traffic and less people stealing dedicated parking spots. The article mentions there's now constant traffic jams for city buses in Paris. It seems best for people who can cycle, walk, or people who already live in the city and don't need to travel much.
> constant traffic jams
Well, no, the article says that
> traffic jams in Paris have risen 4% [in 11 years]
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#47I think Paris has bigger problems to worry about.
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#48Only rich people get to drive now
This is a tired and unhelpful refrain. Only rich people fill their cars with gasoline without wincing at the price. Only rich people get to own 7 houses. Only rich people get to fill their pools in the middle of a drought.
There are a lot of things that “only rich people get to do”. Reducing the number of people who engage in destructive activities is a good thing, even if it means only rich people can still do it.
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#49[flagged]
Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars
#50Earlier quoted context omitted.
But then public transport has to improve also. You cant make owning a car impossible without offering alternatives.
None of the changes in the comment make owning a car impossible, they just make driving marginally less privileged over walking and biking.
No, it's worse than that. The city council very much implemented an anti-car (harassment) policy, to the point that car owners felt hounded by their own council's policies. It seriously wasn't a matter of "marginally less privileged".