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Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

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Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#291

Post by Kankuro »

consumer451 wrote: post #19

Complete 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…

France is the 2nd largest market for manga after Japan (or it was a few years ago). That's surprising because there are almost 7 times more inhabitants in the US. Those who were a kid in the 80s and 90s in France saw a lot of Japanese anime on TV during this period, so that's part of the explanation.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#292

Post by yardie »

pkulak wrote: post #284
goldenarm wrote: post #20

I moved from LA to Paris, my mental and physical health improved dramatically. I don't even take the subway, walking and biking are enough where I live. Hopefully we can reach the comfort of dutch cities within a decade.

How's your French? Sounds like a flippant question, but I hear Parisians are not that... tolerant of even bad French speakers, let alone non-speakers. That stereotype has kept me from visiting, let alone living there, despite it probably being my dream city in every other respect. I'm in my mid 40s, and learning a new (spoken) language has become extremely difficult. I spent 2 years trying to learn German a while bac…

If you can you should go. Lived there for 12 years and my French was not amazing but no one gave me shit about it. English has been required in schools since 00s basically anyone under 40 should be able to communicate. But knowing some French goes a lot further.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#293

Post by rimbo789 »

nxm wrote: post #275
rimbo789 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes it is ideological: cars kill cities, kill communities and are bad for everyone involved. They are dangerous to drivers and non drivers alike and are deeply anti social. We need less cars everywhere period. Putting cars in cities was also deeply ideological. It was about segregation and as a way to extract as much resources from people as possible. The imposition of cars was about turning people into consumers who…

No - we chose car as we were offered a way to not have to live in shoeboxes and having freedom to drive and explore not on anyone schedule.

Look up the history of the interstate system - cars were very much imposed.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#294

Post by estimator7292 »

pkulak wrote: post #284
goldenarm wrote: post #20

I moved from LA to Paris, my mental and physical health improved dramatically. I don't even take the subway, walking and biking are enough where I live. Hopefully we can reach the comfort of dutch cities within a decade.

How's your French? Sounds like a flippant question, but I hear Parisians are not that... tolerant of even bad French speakers, let alone non-speakers. That stereotype has kept me from visiting, let alone living there, despite it probably being my dream city in every other respect. I'm in my mid 40s, and learning a new (spoken) language has become extremely difficult. I spent 2 years trying to learn German a while bac…

Paris has a population of 2 million people, a good chunk of whom are not native to France.

It's safe to assume you'll encounter a very wide variety of people speaking many different languages.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#295

Post by dwedge »

enriquto wrote: post #201
dwedge wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Motorists are an easy scapegoat but without alternatives it's just political handwaving. And most people are motorists. Take my city for example. I work in an office block around a 15 minute walk from the centre, which has free parking for employees. Monday this week the city announced that the land is now paid parking to the city effective immediately . When it was pointed out they they hadn't provided any of the ne…

> the city announced that the land is now paid parking to the city what a strange way to put it... why didn't they just say that they are not using any more taxpayer money to finance your parking space? Land in a city is not "for free". > It's very easy to call another group entitled if you're not one of them yeah, well: my point, exactly!

I'll be totally honest in that I don't know what the arrangement was before, but that free parking was previously enforced by permits so it's a reasonable assumption that it was not at the tax payers expense

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#296

Post by albedoa »

convolvatron wrote: post #274
thrance wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Both can kill you easily. What a ridiculous statement. Motorized vehicles are involved in the vast majority of road casualties. You are much, much more likely to die from a car accident than a bike accident.

as a former pedestrian only and bike rider for the last 5 years, we really do have to admit that bike riders can be real assholes. whether or not the level of injury is the same, it definitely feels an unwarranted physical threat to have a biker shoot past you from behind or run you down in the crosswalk.

Do we have to admit that in this sub-thread? Your sentiment is better placed where we are not currently deriding the absurd take that "both can kill you easily". There is no recovery to be had here.

> whether or not the level of injury is the same

It is not the same.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#297

Post by interstice »

pkulak wrote: post #284
goldenarm wrote: post #20

I moved from LA to Paris, my mental and physical health improved dramatically. I don't even take the subway, walking and biking are enough where I live. Hopefully we can reach the comfort of dutch cities within a decade.

How's your French? Sounds like a flippant question, but I hear Parisians are not that... tolerant of even bad French speakers, let alone non-speakers. That stereotype has kept me from visiting, let alone living there, despite it probably being my dream city in every other respect. I'm in my mid 40s, and learning a new (spoken) language has become extremely difficult. I spent 2 years trying to learn German a while bac…

I've had a few experiences in France, as recently as a month ago. Not speaking French (I do not) is not generally a problem, no one seems to mind. What some parts of Europe do mind is being too... How do I put this politely... Obviously from certain places with very little sensitivity for where in the the world they happen to be at the time. Often loudly.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#298

Post by occz »

mcv wrote: post #271
drnick1 wrote: post #255

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> At commute time there are frequently jammed with /cyclists/, but let's face it it's miles better than being stuck in a car. Cycling is wonderful, except when it rains, when it's cold, when it's hot, when it's windy, or when you want to carry stuff. So it's not a practical solution 80% of the year.

Get a rain coat, a warm coat, take it off, and make sure you've got a big crate on your bike. Wind does suck. I can't help you there.

Electric assist helps with the wind.

Or just building some fitness, which in my experience comes automatically when you bike

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#299

Post by ungovernableCat »

pkulak wrote: post #284
goldenarm wrote: post #20

I moved from LA to Paris, my mental and physical health improved dramatically. I don't even take the subway, walking and biking are enough where I live. Hopefully we can reach the comfort of dutch cities within a decade.

How's your French? Sounds like a flippant question, but I hear Parisians are not that... tolerant of even bad French speakers, let alone non-speakers. That stereotype has kept me from visiting, let alone living there, despite it probably being my dream city in every other respect. I'm in my mid 40s, and learning a new (spoken) language has become extremely difficult. I spent 2 years trying to learn German a while bac…

Prevented from visiting? Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, and the Parisians are pragmatic people. If you're kind and respectful they'll give you that in return.

I can only say the most basic phrases in French and have experienced zero problems.

Re: Mayor of Paris removed parking spaces, reduced the number of cars

#300

Post by watwut »

pkulak wrote: post #284
goldenarm wrote: post #20

I moved from LA to Paris, my mental and physical health improved dramatically. I don't even take the subway, walking and biking are enough where I live. Hopefully we can reach the comfort of dutch cities within a decade.

How's your French? Sounds like a flippant question, but I hear Parisians are not that... tolerant of even bad French speakers, let alone non-speakers. That stereotype has kept me from visiting, let alone living there, despite it probably being my dream city in every other respect. I'm in my mid 40s, and learning a new (spoken) language has become extremely difficult. I spent 2 years trying to learn German a while bac…

They acted like normal people when we have been there.
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