Across Europe, Irking Drivers Is Urban Policy

[jje10001]

Originally Posted by gta_rider

So I'm curious, why deny that there is a "war on cars"?

In Toronto, advocates of reducing car traffic by any means are adamant that there is no war on cars, it's just to improve pedestrian/cycling flow.

B.S.

Call it what you wish, there is a war on cars, and it's a worldwide movement in the developed world.

As for Toronto, we need to improve public transit before waging war on cars. I don't oppose limiting cars - but we need a viable alternative. And I don't mean $5 per token, and block car access, thus forcing people on the TTC. Build it, and they will come.

P.S. We should introduce lane-splitting, like most of Europe and cities like Lost Angeles, so people on scooters and motorcycles can beat car traffic. Miller did a great incentive when he made parking free for them. But there is little point no getting on the scooter if you're driving at the speed of cars.

Turn the war on the car into a war on single-occupancy vehicles.

[AndrewJM3D]

Originally Posted by rbt

Evidence shows more cars on the streets of Toronto today than in 2003, even downtown during non-peak hours. Peak hours downtown hit 100% capacity a long time ago.

If there is a war on the car, the car has been winning every battle for the last 70 years.

Ford is probably the only Mayor in any major city that thinks making the conditions favorable for more cars to be a good thing. It's not new info that Toronto has the worst traffic in North America, Transit City was meant to provide more choices and get people out of their cars and onto the TTC system. Now thanks to Ford we can ad on at least another 4 years of bad traffic only getting worse by the day.

[flesh_is_weak]

the fact that he's got the same name as the crappy car brand doesn't surprise me in regard to his stance on cars and urbanization

[KGB]

If there is a war on the car, the car has been winning every battle for the last 70 years.

That's pretty much exactly what has been the case.

Sure, people are much more environmentally sensitive these days, so that has put pressure on the issue. But the major reason is that the general public has become less and less interested in subsidizing car culture.

The reason we are starting to act like "europe", is because we are now starting to feel the negative effects that "europe" had to go through before us. Cars got a "free ride" so to speak during the post-war era. We just aren't so happy about how we have catered almost every aspect of urban living to the car any more.

Ford Nation is just the initial blowback as the pressure is starting to be put on what was taken for granted for the last 60 years. But the writing is on the wall....you will still be able to drive around all you want...you're just going to have to pay a lot more for the privilege.



KGB