Light at the end of the tunnel

[patc]

Great interview with one of our city councillors on the 11 o'clock news last night.

Clive Doucet was in a t-shirt and jeans, with a torn knee. I liked him right away! He walks and cycles as his primary means of transportation. He is proposing a toll on cars driven downtown. The anchor interviewing him asked all the expect questions, like, "What if someone says, I already pay taxes, why should I have to pay to get downtown?" The answer, "You don't have to pay the toll to use the bus." Good for him.

[Roody]

I hope it passes and spreads to other cities. It's going to be a hard sell because people feel entitled to drive whenever and wherever thay want.

[patc]

I hope it passes and spreads to other cities. It's going to be a hard sell because people feel entitled to drive whenever and wherever thay want.

Its not going to pass this time around, not with municipal elections this fall. Doucet himself said so, and commented that in "election mode" city council won't do anything controversial. However this gets the idea out, and improves its chances for a second try.

We have the downtown for it - apparently only 14 points allow entry/exit to downtown, several of those along the same freeway.

[cerewa]

"You don't have to pay the toll to use the bus."

At first I misread this as "you have to pay the toll to use the bus".

Either one is a good argument if interpreted correctly:
Firstly, the government has no obligation to provide bus service for free to people just because they pay taxes, nor does it have to allow people to drive on a particular road for free. Secondly, buses are a good way to cheaply get people through downtown areas, and of course the government isn't going to charge a toll for a passenger riding a bus downtown.

[Ricardo]

Great. I think London has a toll for the cars going downtown. Oh, and Bogotá´s mayor also rides his bike to his office.

Ricardo

[adgrant]

Great. I think London has a toll for the cars going downtown.
Ricardo

Which U.S. diplomats are refusing to pay.

[East Hill]

Adgrant--is there a reason given for the refusal?

East Hill

[damian_]

Where I live, they are doing this pretty well.
1. All public transport within the city centre (ie. about a 5 or 10km radius) is free. I can hop on any bus or train and it is free until I leave the city limits.
2. All of the main traffic and train arteries into the city have an adjacent bike path (usually good quality). These stretch well into the suburbs - about 25-50km in each direction
3. There are extra rules and regulations about end-of-trip (showers, lockers, bike racks) for office buildings in the CBD
4. While riding the train, each carriage has a particular spot to keep your bicycle.
5. There are no tolls on any of the roads, but of course cycling and public transport is heavily subsidised.

It seems to work pretty well. I do see dozens of cyclists each day, and LOTS of people take public transport.

[cerewa]

Adgrant--is there a reason given for the refusal?

Probably just because they can. As I understand it, diplomats can't really be convicted of anything while in a foreign country, whether it's a refusal to pay a road fee or something more serious.

[Roody]

Where I live, they are doing this pretty well.
1. All public transport within the city centre (ie. about a 5 or 10km radius) is free. I can hop on any bus or train and it is free until I leave the city limits.
2. All of the main traffic and train arteries into the city have an adjacent bike path (usually good quality). These stretch well into the suburbs - about 25-50km in each direction
3. There are extra rules and regulations about end-of-trip (showers, lockers, bike racks) for office buildings in the CBD
4. While riding the train, each carriage has a particular spot to keep your bicycle.
5. There are no tolls on any of the roads, but of course cycling and public transport is heavily subsidised.

It seems to work pretty well. I do see dozens of cyclists each day, and LOTS of people take public transport.

This sounds great. Where do you live? I'm pretty sure it's not in the US. :rolleyes:

[damian_]

This sounds great. Where do you live? I'm pretty sure it's not in the US. :rolleyes:
Perth, Western Australia
http://www.westernaustralia.com/

Our Department for Planning and Infrastructure has a cycling division:
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/cycling/

They do things like build bike paths, print brochures on commuting or shopping by bike, even produce free maps:
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/cycling/1518.asp

... and a program called "TravelSmart" to promote alternatives to cars
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/travelsmart/

We're still a heavily car-centric city, but cycling is relatively easy here.... unless you want to travel (the nearest city is a few thousand kilometres away, across the other side of a massive desert).

[Roody]

Perth, Western Australia

We're still a heavily car-centric city, but cycling is relatively easy here.... unless you want to travel (the nearest city is a few thousand kilometres away, across the other side of a massive desert).
A few years ago, National Geographic magazine had a fantastic series on a guy who rode his bike around the entire perimeter of Australia. What an accomplishment that was! As I recall, the heat and the loneliness were his greatest challenges.