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I think this is the thing - it will take some lifestyle and leisure changes to make that happen, and individual freedom is simply not as important as fixing thi

I think this is the thing - it will take some lifestyle and leisure changes to make that happen, and individual freedom is simply not as important as fixing this - given that not fixing this is equivalent to losing all individual freedom via horrific means. Where I live cars are already somewhat unwelcome - and everyone bicycles or takes trams, metro, buses and trains. They are removing parking spaces by the thousands. Cities are gradually ceasing to be built around cars. The notion of high car ownership in the future seems questionable at this point full stop.

PebblesHD 7y ago
Spot on, especially in cities where you really only use a car on weekends or other ‘special’ occasions. If I could rent a nice electric car for Saturday and Sunday for a reasonable price, that would largely offset any potential lifestyle changes that such a law would introduce, as well as encouraging more people to reconsider personal transport during the week if possible.
- jodrellblank 7y ago
  If there were enough electric cars for everyone who wants one to rent one on Saturday and Sunday at a reasonable price, they may as well be used as personal transport during the week instead of left idling during the week, right?
sgt 7y ago
I do 4x4-ing so a relatively big engine is often a must, unless you compromise in other ways. Since I don't really want to lug around a beast on mud terrain tires all day, I have a few other vehicles that I drive to offset the environmental impact, and also the fuel bill. My daily transport is a BMW 530d which is very efficient on diesel, although I wish it were gasoline to be honest.
cinnamon_bun 7y ago
I envy you. It's the other way around in the third-world country where I happen to live. As the people climb out of poverty they deem it necessary to buy bigger and bigger cars. I think easily half of transport on the roads are giant SUVs, which are built like tanks and take 1.5 lanes. Each car takes ten times then space of one fat-ass behind the wheel. Also, I personally know a guy who makes a decent living from knowing (and applying) how to circumvent pollution controls on many car models. He has a large wait list from locals who want to up their fuel consumption by 20-30% to be able to make that 100 km/h one second faster. Absolutely nobody I ever talked to gives one flying fuck about environment pollution. They don't even care if it affects them personally (and it does, judging from the constant cough you hear from everybody all day long, and my sore throat, which has been sore every day for the last I don't know how many years).
- rwallace 7y ago
  That sounds pretty grim! Which country are you in?

PebblesHD 7y ago

Spot on, especially in cities where you really only use a car on weekends or other ‘special’ occasions. If I could rent a nice electric car for Saturday and Sunday for a reasonable price, that would largely offset any potential lifestyle changes that such a law would introduce, as well as encouraging more people to reconsider personal transport during the week if possible.

jodrellblank 7y ago
If there were enough electric cars for everyone who wants one to rent one on Saturday and Sunday at a reasonable price, they may as well be used as personal transport during the week instead of left idling during the week, right?

sgt 7y ago

I do 4x4-ing so a relatively big engine is often a must, unless you compromise in other ways. Since I don't really want to lug around a beast on mud terrain tires all day, I have a few other vehicles that I drive to offset the environmental impact, and also the fuel bill. My daily transport is a BMW 530d which is very efficient on diesel, although I wish it were gasoline to be honest.

cinnamon_bun 7y ago

I envy you. It's the other way around in the third-world country where I happen to live. As the people climb out of poverty they deem it necessary to buy bigger and bigger cars. I think easily half of transport on the roads are giant SUVs, which are built like tanks and take 1.5 lanes. Each car takes ten times then space of one fat-ass behind the wheel. Also, I personally know a guy who makes a decent living from knowing (and applying) how to circumvent pollution controls on many car models. He has a large wait list from locals who want to up their fuel consumption by 20-30% to be able to make that 100 km/h one second faster. Absolutely nobody I ever talked to gives one flying fuck about environment pollution. They don't even care if it affects them personally (and it does, judging from the constant cough you hear from everybody all day long, and my sore throat, which has been sore every day for the last I don't know how many years).

rwallace 7y ago
That sounds pretty grim! Which country are you in?