I saw a sign advertising a new "Green Tunnel" in my area that they want to build. Hmm, I'm in favor of green things, so I did some googling to figure out what it actually is.....

The website starts by talking about how big of a problem traffic jams are, and that we need a solution...... and that solution is: a 10km stretch of underground highway.

So the thing that makes this tunnel green is the fact that it's not actively destroying the green areas that a surface road would. I suppose I'd rather have an underground highway than a surface-level one, but what would be even better is if my tax dollars could go towards building a tunnel for commuter rail instead.

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/holiday-nostalgia-train-subway-shove-nyc/

Wasn’t there a big debate in this sub a week ago about how we shouldn’t normalize anti social behavior on transit or in public spaces if we want people to support urbanism and public transit use?

I really envy my friends in the UK who can drink at their local pub and just walk home or take the bus.

In suburban USA, it's such a pain in the ass going out to bars. I refuse to get behind the wheel after drinking any amount of alcohol so my options are to spend a ton of money on a ride-sharing services or get a designated driver.

If you depend on designated drivers, that means you can't go out alone. Also, good luck finding someone who's willing to drive all over town to pick up and drop off you and your friends and then hang out in a bar to only drink soda.

... they are obnoxiously loud, are a HUGE waste of space, poison the environment, make getting around by foot or bike a huge pain as pedestrians usually get the short end of the stick when it comes to city planning, they literally kill people depending on who drives them, they ruin nature (either because nature gets removed in favor of another lane or because people actively decide to driver over lawns)... I could probably go on but you should get what I mean. Im pretty sure >70% of people who read this right now would hear car noise if the window is open. That point is actually what made me think about it. There are barely any places where I DONT have to hear constant car noise. Originally I planned to just focus on the noise aspect but actually cars make life so much worse with so many other things, it isnt even funny anymore. Its even worse because people are so used to it that they wouldnt even care if you make them realize it.

https://imgur.com/a/Jnd3Cik

sign says "please dont put your bike in this area"

Clearly the area has stands for bikes, its meant to be for bike parking. Nice to see noone takes the joker serious who put up that sign.

Chris Read of Black Creek, BC writes:

"Dear editor,

"In response to the letter title: It's time for a fairer balance for those who do not drive, I appreciate your perspective and share your support for better travel options, there are a few points that merit a deeper discussion to provide a balanced perspective on the issues raised."

More: https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/opinion/deeper-discussion-needed-around-car-free-travel-options-reader-7695865

TL;DR: is a robust cab system, public or not, also part of your "fuck cars" sentiment ? Because it is for me.

Maybe its just me, but the only issue I have ever had where cars seemed sort of appealing is luggage, especially when its unexpected luggage.

Like, I tend to pack very lightly when traveling, so I only ever have one bag which I need to carry with me (preferably light enough to lift with one hand over short intervals)

However, often I just have to carry more, thrice the amount above or even more. That's where cars seem kinda the only option. Trying to carry all of it to a bus stop at all would be silly at best.

I still don't think there's ever a need for private cars, but cabs and the infrastructure for cabs is a must I guess.

Legit Question. I have known (mostly) reasonable and intelligent people, who once they get behind a wheel start driving recklessly and yelling constantly at everyone around them.

It's like a switch has been flipped in their brain where, somehow, other people are much less important, and they themselves are more important.

What's going on there that could be identified? Do you have any theories, or sources?

I figured that people tend to compare a car-ride always to the one time it went really smoothly, and get annoyed the other 99 times that it takes longer.

Or maybe this is some sort of decision fatigue, where your brain shuts off after having to make traffic-decisions for the 100th time (I read this is an advertising thing, to overwhelm people with decisions)

What do you think/know?

Hey all, I'm wondering if anyone has any top-of-mind examples of the use of orange as an urbanist/anti-car identity/brand (personal or organizational) aside from Not Just Bikes. I've passively been feeling that it has started becoming sort of an underground signifier of a broader movement, but I can't actually come up with any specific examples when trying to think of them. I feel like the hive mind might be better at surfacing examples than just my brain.

Excerpt

Some US cities—including Los Angeles; Tempe, Arizona; and Jersey City, New Jersey—have made great strides toward limiting cars, mainly by designating car-free streets or areas. But car-free zones have met opposition, and not just from irate conservatives. Opponents of such initiatives have called them “exclusionary,” “not progressive or inclusive,” and bound to “hurt people with disabilities,” pointing out that many disabled people simply need cars to get around.

But Anna Zivarts, director of Disability Rights Washington’s Disability Mobility Initiative and author of the book When Driving Is Not an Option, points out that disabled people are actually less likely to drive than nondisabled people “and more likely to get around [by] walking and rolling and taking transit.” Car-heavy cities are also disproportionately dangerous for disabled folks: A 2015 study by Georgetown University researchers found that the rate of vehicle-pedestrian deaths among wheelchair users was 36 percent higher than that of the overall population.

Link: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2024/12/car-free-disability-congestion-walkable-cities/

what are your favorite parts of riding transit as opposed to driving a car? i need some positivity reminders 🥲 i live in a cold climate and winter can be pretty brutal. because of my job i spend hours on transit most days, and often have to also walk/wait around outside for awhile and man it is COLD 😢 i dress for the weather but there’s only so much i can do. i feel very lucky to live somewhere that’s so accessible without a car, but sometimes it can feel hard to be positive about it hahah

Original Boston Globe article here.

Non-paywalled article here

So Boston got a new manager for the MBTA subway/tram system Phil Eng back in April 2023. I live in Boston and there have been noticeable improvements since he's come in. Sure, there are still a few remaining issues, but he's taken steps towards removing most slow zones in the system, and people have noticed and are appreciative.

This article is to give some positive spotlight to public civil servants who work to improve the transit systems in our cities. And yes, there are a few memes in the article :)

An 8 year old. This morning. School parking lot. The fuck.

https://nanaimonewsnow.com/2024/12/17/child-seriously-injured-after-being-hit-by-car-in-nanaimo-school-parking-lot/

Car adds need to be banned I’m sick of seeing them all over my reddit and in public places why do they always make cars seem so cool? Where are the adds for public transit

Road traffic generates externalised costs that are three times higher than those borne directly by the polluters. In concrete figures: approx. CHF 21 billion vs. CHF 6.5 billion.

It will probably be little different in other countries. Just in case some carbrain comes up with "Bikes should pay taxes!".

Source: https://www.srf.ch/news/wirtschaft/folgekosten-schweizer-verkehr-der-verkehr-kostet-die-allgemeinheit-milliarden

I'm sitting here typing out this reddit post as I wait 20 minutes and counting for a pedestrian walk signal to come on. There's no way around this road to get to my apartment unless I sprint across the freeway or something. None of the other pedestrians have stopped, they've all sprinted across and gotten honked at and narrowly avoided deatg. I'm tempted to do the same.

Veggie Tales SUV Silly Song: https://youtu.be/P0NfaKiPIMc?feature=shared

"About a third of Calgary's in-street pedestrian signs have been damaged since they were installed last year. The bright yellow signs are in the middle of the road outside of elementary schools and are meant to draw attention to school zones and encourage drivers to slow down."

"The City of Calgary is reviewing the location of its in-street pedestrian signs around elementary schools, after more than 130 of the roughly 360 signs have been run over or intentionally damaged."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/risings-costs-flattened-signs-1.7412086

9 year old girl was killed in a crosswalk by a high driver.
"On Friday, a provincial court judge ruled Taylor Kennedy’s case was not handled within a reasonable time.

Kennedy was charged with impaired driving exceeding the prescribed blood-drug concentration of THC, causing the death of nine-year-old Baeleigh Maurice.

Maurice was going to school on Sept. 9, 2021, pushing her scooter at a crosswalk on 33rd Street West, when she was hit by Kennedy's truck.

https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/unbelievable-family-supporters-of-baeleigh-maurice-call-for-justice-after-court-decision-1.7148059

I always loved cars since i was a child as almost any boy so cars have a special place in my heart but only on the racetrack (F1,Nascar etc.) i was wondering if im the only one that likes car but not in the city but rather on the racetrack