Originally Posted by
mrbubbles
I, for one, would like to see this car-centric living impossibly expensive and as inconvenient as possible.
I like to see these policies implemented, it's not going to happen in North America, but we carfree people can only dream.
$20 per gallon for gasoline and diesel sounds like a good number.
However, there should be subsidies for the following:
- transportation for products (shippers)
- occupation requiring the use of automobile (contractors, landscapers, etc)
- large item deliveries
A 200% tax on every new automobile sold.
Excessive parking fees, or better yet, no parking spaces at all. I don't fancy seeing people's property parking on public road. Just think of how less land is required with there were no parking spaces.
What do you think?
I would be curious to know why you would like to see these things implemented. What is the major reason?
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see less cars on the road. The two major reasons for me would be: ease and safety of cycling, and a reduction in pollution.
There would also be a host of spin-off benefits. A reclaiming of green space as well as a reduction in consuming of finite resources come to mind. If first world societies were forced to use other means, like walking or cycling, this would also probably give us health benefits.
However, our love affair with the combustion engine and the automobile is only a symptom of our misplaced priorities. In today's consumer world, we are given the freedon to choose whatever we deem necessary to our existence. Common sense and environmental morality are very hard to legislate.
Just look at what happened during the last civic election here in Vancouver. Then, the current administration (Larry Campbell's party) promised to dedicate two of the six lanes on the Burrard Street Bridge to bicycles, during their civic campaign. Sullivan countered with upgrading (widening) the cross walks, but I haven't seen that as of yet.
Before one starts levying taxes and prohibitive charges for vehicle owners, one must first remove tax credits/loopholes and put incentives/credits where they belong.
http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles...e-credits.html
I think that if everyone would throw away (recycle) their TV's first, the world would be a much better place.