4 ms·

I'd love to know what sorts of reasons are given for driving a private car inside the congestion zone. I've been this close to tapping on a window of some dude

I'd love to know what sorts of reasons are given for driving a private car inside the congestion zone. I've been this close to tapping on a window of some dude in a BMW stuck in traffic in Soho or some place ask them why the hell they're there. - I've driven in from Leeds and am going to Brighton and it's cheaper than the train? - I could go by bus but it would be 50 mins as opposed to 20? - I just want to drive my car and I don't care? - I've got a case of champagne I need to get to a friend? - Something else? It's pretty mysterious. Mind you these days it's hard to tell if a car's a taxi or not with Uber and things but I wonder if the Mayor's office has any data on reasons for vehicle use?

esotericn 7y ago
There really doesn't need to be a reason other than "because I want to", because the incremental impact of one car is low enough that no-one really thinks about it. If you think of people who drive cars as some sort of careless demons you've missed the point really - it's purely an economics problem. I own a car and have used it to drive in on occasion just because I can. It's fun to roll about the streets and do stuff like drive down Shaftesbury Avenue. This is precisely why taxation is necessary, because people don't realise that what they're doing is an issue in aggregate. If you had to pay the cost of a taxi to get to the local supermarket then people would figure out alternatives like cycling/taking the bus fairly quickly (and the supermarkets would adjust their business models, you'd see smaller ones more dispersed). I think part of the issue is that people can't seem to juggle the concept of something being fun and good but ultimately damaging. I might enjoy a pint every now and then, but I'm fairly happy about the fact that we tax it.
alimw 7y ago
I don't understand this comment. You've thought up some good reasons, so why the mystery?

esotericn 7y ago

There really doesn't need to be a reason other than "because I want to", because the incremental impact of one car is low enough that no-one really thinks about it. If you think of people who drive cars as some sort of careless demons you've missed the point really - it's purely an economics problem. I own a car and have used it to drive in on occasion just because I can. It's fun to roll about the streets and do stuff like drive down Shaftesbury Avenue. This is precisely why taxation is necessary, because people don't realise that what they're doing is an issue in aggregate. If you had to pay the cost of a taxi to get to the local supermarket then people would figure out alternatives like cycling/taking the bus fairly quickly (and the supermarkets would adjust their business models, you'd see smaller ones more dispersed). I think part of the issue is that people can't seem to juggle the concept of something being fun and good but ultimately damaging. I might enjoy a pint every now and then, but I'm fairly happy about the fact that we tax it.

alimw 7y ago

I don't understand this comment. You've thought up some good reasons, so why the mystery?