6 ms·

I was about to object, but I think as long as Taxi/Uber/Ride share are allowed in the center it'd be a huge improvement for Amsterdam. Taking a car anywhere ins

I was about to object, but I think as long as Taxi/Uber/Ride share are allowed in the center it'd be a huge improvement for Amsterdam. Taking a car anywhere inside prisengracht is already an exercise in pain, but opening up the city a little bit more would make the few "dicey" intersections in Amsterdam easier on a bike.

jdnenej 7y ago
Why should taxis be allowed. They are even worse than personal cars because they spend a lot of time driving with no one being transported.
- robert_foss 7y ago
  Taxi exemptions make no sense to me either, it would just make life easier for well-off people. Biking or public transit it the answer.
  - barrkel 7y ago
    Bikes and public transport work well for people who can afford to live centrally, close to dense transport networks and within range of easy biking. But if you're out socializing, you may be drunk (so unsafe to bike) and late (where transport networks start getting sparse). That's when taxis make more sense.
    - dagw 7y ago
      But if you're out socializing, you may be drunk (so unsafe to bike) and late (where transport networks start getting sparse). That's when taxis make more sense. Sure, but why does the taxi have to pick you up right outside the club. Most of the time it's not unreasonable to expect people to walk a short stretch to a place where a taxi can pick you up.
      - barrkel 7y ago
        Oh I fully agree with pedestrianizing streets, what I don't agree with is banning taxis from city centres.
        dagw 7y ago
        I guess it all depends on how big your definition of "city centers" is. Is it 1 km or 10 km across? Thinking realistically about my own city, I could probably draw 3-5 "islands", each ~1km across, within in the larger city center that I would make car free, but still have roads running between/around them.
  - PedroCandeias 7y ago
    Transporting bulky or heavy items can be impractical by bike or public transport, as in when shopping or moving. People with ilnesses and/or mobility issues also come to mind. Cars' carrying capacity and weatherproofing are useful. As long as the number is limited and their usage is shared (taxis, carsharing), their existence can be a net positive in my opinion.
    - exergy 7y ago
      If you've been to Amsterdam, you'll realize that people don't give a fuck about weatherproofing. They're out riding bikes in normal clothes in the biggest of deluges. It's frankly jaw-dropping for me to see. Nevertheless, the examples you've stated are easily dealt with by allowing as-needed exceptions for the disabled. I don't see what moving houses has to do with wanting to go to the town center in a car though.
      - xaitv 7y ago
        The difference in amount of bikes you see on a rainy/cold day vs a warm spring day is huge though. I think what he means is that when you want to move a couch/bed/big television for example you don't really have good options, because even disassembled these are usually pretty bulky boxes to move through public transport or by bike.
        jchanimal 7y ago
        A flatbed bike trailer can carry more than a pickup truck. We moved house by bike. 20 friends makes easy work.
      - PedroCandeias 7y ago
        Well, some years ago I helped a friend move from a place in central Amsterdam to Berlin. It would have been really expensive to hire a moving company, compared to renting a van and a car. In Berlin, where I live (in the center in fact), we're big on reusing and recycling. I don't own a car, but quite often I need to transport bulky second hand items from wherever I bought them, or bulky trash to the recycling center. So I drive one from a car-sharing app. I've also needed to take someone to a hospital, and it was just quicker to grab a car2go than waiting for an ambulance. My point is, there are many use cases where the ability to drive or call a taxi is better than the existing alternatives. I agree that cities everywhere need far fewer cars in them, and I think Berlin with its focus on biking and public transportation but availability or car-sharing vehicles for on-demand private driving is heading in the right direction without having to outright ban cars.
  - johannes1234321 7y ago
    Taxis are important for elderly or disabled people who can't use public transport or walk medium distances.
    - jdnenej 7y ago
      Why can't they? I see people on wheelchairs and elderly get on the bus all the time. Yes walking long distances could be an issue but a good public transport system does not require you to walk long distance. Elderly people usually can't afford to get a taxi everywhere.
      - johannes1234321 7y ago
        There some that can, and some that can't. Some that can innrush our, somemthst can't in rush hour. And about costs: At least here in Germany health insurance for isntance cover some costs for Taxis (when going to a doctor ... while they got stricter) Also in Germany Taxis have regulated prices in order to give some affordability. (Which is one of the critiques on Uber over here, as Uber can pick the routes they like and can raise prices on high demand, while making it cheap innorder to compete with regulated market during other times in hardly predictable ways, which isn't good for people who depend on working transport infrastructure)
- namdnay 7y ago
  I don’t think they’re worse, because the total carbon footprint is much smaller compared to everyone owning their own car
  - pilsetnieks 7y ago
    Also much less space would be taken up by street parking. Eliminate parking space in those limited zones, and you can have wider walking spaces, more greenery, that's already a benefit. A solution doesn't have to be 100% perfect immediately to be of benefit to people.
- estsauver 7y ago
  Higher standards enforced on commercial drivers license/taxi, adhoc transit for elderly/mobility reduced (you're on crutches), things like delivery of a modest amount of heavy shopping from stores without delivery, and because the central area of Amsterdam is actually relatively large.

jdnenej 7y ago

Why should taxis be allowed. They are even worse than personal cars because they spend a lot of time driving with no one being transported.

robert_foss 7y ago
Taxi exemptions make no sense to me either, it would just make life easier for well-off people. Biking or public transit it the answer.
- barrkel 7y ago
  Bikes and public transport work well for people who can afford to live centrally, close to dense transport networks and within range of easy biking. But if you're out socializing, you may be drunk (so unsafe to bike) and late (where transport networks start getting sparse). That's when taxis make more sense.
  - dagw 7y ago
    But if you're out socializing, you may be drunk (so unsafe to bike) and late (where transport networks start getting sparse). That's when taxis make more sense. Sure, but why does the taxi have to pick you up right outside the club. Most of the time it's not unreasonable to expect people to walk a short stretch to a place where a taxi can pick you up.
    - barrkel 7y ago
      Oh I fully agree with pedestrianizing streets, what I don't agree with is banning taxis from city centres.
      - dagw 7y ago
        I guess it all depends on how big your definition of "city centers" is. Is it 1 km or 10 km across? Thinking realistically about my own city, I could probably draw 3-5 "islands", each ~1km across, within in the larger city center that I would make car free, but still have roads running between/around them.
- PedroCandeias 7y ago
  Transporting bulky or heavy items can be impractical by bike or public transport, as in when shopping or moving. People with ilnesses and/or mobility issues also come to mind. Cars' carrying capacity and weatherproofing are useful. As long as the number is limited and their usage is shared (taxis, carsharing), their existence can be a net positive in my opinion.
  - exergy 7y ago
    If you've been to Amsterdam, you'll realize that people don't give a fuck about weatherproofing. They're out riding bikes in normal clothes in the biggest of deluges. It's frankly jaw-dropping for me to see. Nevertheless, the examples you've stated are easily dealt with by allowing as-needed exceptions for the disabled. I don't see what moving houses has to do with wanting to go to the town center in a car though.
    - xaitv 7y ago
      The difference in amount of bikes you see on a rainy/cold day vs a warm spring day is huge though. I think what he means is that when you want to move a couch/bed/big television for example you don't really have good options, because even disassembled these are usually pretty bulky boxes to move through public transport or by bike.
      - jchanimal 7y ago
        A flatbed bike trailer can carry more than a pickup truck. We moved house by bike. 20 friends makes easy work.
    - PedroCandeias 7y ago
      Well, some years ago I helped a friend move from a place in central Amsterdam to Berlin. It would have been really expensive to hire a moving company, compared to renting a van and a car. In Berlin, where I live (in the center in fact), we're big on reusing and recycling. I don't own a car, but quite often I need to transport bulky second hand items from wherever I bought them, or bulky trash to the recycling center. So I drive one from a car-sharing app. I've also needed to take someone to a hospital, and it was just quicker to grab a car2go than waiting for an ambulance. My point is, there are many use cases where the ability to drive or call a taxi is better than the existing alternatives. I agree that cities everywhere need far fewer cars in them, and I think Berlin with its focus on biking and public transportation but availability or car-sharing vehicles for on-demand private driving is heading in the right direction without having to outright ban cars.
- johannes1234321 7y ago
  Taxis are important for elderly or disabled people who can't use public transport or walk medium distances.
  - jdnenej 7y ago
    Why can't they? I see people on wheelchairs and elderly get on the bus all the time. Yes walking long distances could be an issue but a good public transport system does not require you to walk long distance. Elderly people usually can't afford to get a taxi everywhere.
    - johannes1234321 7y ago
      There some that can, and some that can't. Some that can innrush our, somemthst can't in rush hour. And about costs: At least here in Germany health insurance for isntance cover some costs for Taxis (when going to a doctor ... while they got stricter) Also in Germany Taxis have regulated prices in order to give some affordability. (Which is one of the critiques on Uber over here, as Uber can pick the routes they like and can raise prices on high demand, while making it cheap innorder to compete with regulated market during other times in hardly predictable ways, which isn't good for people who depend on working transport infrastructure)
namdnay 7y ago
I don’t think they’re worse, because the total carbon footprint is much smaller compared to everyone owning their own car
- pilsetnieks 7y ago
  Also much less space would be taken up by street parking. Eliminate parking space in those limited zones, and you can have wider walking spaces, more greenery, that's already a benefit. A solution doesn't have to be 100% perfect immediately to be of benefit to people.
estsauver 7y ago
Higher standards enforced on commercial drivers license/taxi, adhoc transit for elderly/mobility reduced (you're on crutches), things like delivery of a modest amount of heavy shopping from stores without delivery, and because the central area of Amsterdam is actually relatively large.