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I really don't see why taxis or Uber should be allowed, at least if they are not fully electric. They are often larger than private cars, and they drive only th
by flexie 7y ago
I really don't see why taxis or Uber should be allowed, at least if they are not fully electric. They are often larger than private cars, and they drive only the chauffeur and typically one grown up customer around, who could easily have walked, taken the metro or a bus. Half the time they are just waiting around for customers while the engine is on so the chauffeur can cool down or warm up inside.
A better exception would be EVs. Then lower their speed limit to 20 or 30 km/h in the city center, narrow car space to one lane in each direction, and free up the rest of the space on the streets for pedestrians, bikes, electric scooters, etc.
- Plasmoid2000ad 7y agoNot everyone is capable of walking long distances, using bikes or electric scooters. Taxis are a form of public transport. I'm not saying everyone who uses them needs to use them, but if you ban them outright you ban certain people outright, which is discrimination in the absence of alternatives.
- GordonS 7y agoAmsterdam in particular (mentioned in the GP) has excellent metro and tram networks, so you never have to walk far if you don't want to. That said, the trams can still be really awkward if you're disabled, particularly if you're in a wheelchair as, somewhat incredibly in this day and age, not all trams are wheelchair friendly. And on those that are, you are reliant on the conductor to manually push out a ramp for you. I do also agree that taxis are a form of public transport, and I don't personally think they should be excluded from places that buses and trams are permitted.
- oska 7y ago> in the absence of alternatives Can't make this argument any longer. Plenty of electric vehicles which can serve as taxis, and in the UK they manufacture one especially for the purpose. [1] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEVC_TX https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LEVC_TX
- gwbas1c 7y agoAt least in the US, you could make a compromise along ADA lines. Maybe I'm ignorant of this exact situation, but if it's only one road that's closed, shouldn't the other roads be close enough? What stops a car from entering an alley so someone with limited mobility can enter it?
- JulianMorrison 7y agoFor city centers, rickshaw taxis are effective. They can be pedal and/or electric.
- hnhg 7y agoNot during a Berlin winter.
- manmal 7y agoWhy not? Put big (fatbike) tires on and a strong motor in, done.
- JulianMorrison 7y agoThere are closed-cabin tuk-tuk style designs too that would provide weather shelter.
- ulfw 7y agoThen what's the difference with a small (electric) car?
- JulianMorrison 7y ago(Assuming you mean a very small EV on the "smart car" scale.) They are less broad, seating is in-line rather than side-by-side (more suited for a taxi), they are designed to move through messy traffic such as pedestrianized areas rather than on open roads, at lower speeds, with lower energy expense.
- mises 7y agoTaxis are pretty cramped already, as a rule. I cannot fit comfortably in many smaller cars, and have difficulty getting my legs in front of me and keeping my head upright. I'm considered tall, but not hugely so; what are such people to do? Let alone wheelchair transport? Keep in mind that smaller transport options such as these are typically used in places where the average person is much shorter. They are also usually not accessible to the handicapped. Finally, many Americans are too fat to fit in narrow seats.
- ulfw 7y agoShould they blow up all hotels in the city centres? Some people have 2-3 bags. Good luck rolling them around on cobblestone streets during a rain storm
- flexie 7y agoElectric taxis, metro etc.
- magduf 7y agoStop packing so much crap when you travel. You don't need it. I can fit everything I need for a 2-week trip in a backpack.
- blaser-waffle 7y agoTrip? Son I need to buy 3 boxes of bagels and donuts for work, plus 2-3 boxes of brewed coffee, and maybe pick up or drop off some camera/recording equipment. This isn't backpacking, this is a weekly meeting. I'm glad you can fit your life in a backpack but that's not realistic for many day-to-day situations.
- piffey 7y agoWe call them "carts". They have four wheels, let you haul around a lot on foot and have been in use for centuries.
- arcturus17 7y agoWell, don’t buy bagels and donuts and coffee. I don’t do lunch and I also skip breakfast on odd days. I’m also constantly in motion, like, right now, I’m doing leg lifts that are imperceptible to the the human eye - I call them hummingbirds. You really should stop cultivating mass, and start harvesting.
- criddell 7y agoSounds like you aren't traveling with a baby or young kids.