4 ms·

I just don't understand this. I moved to Manhattan last year, and while there some things I've been annoyed about, it wouldn't have occurred to me to put "cars

I just don't understand this. I moved to Manhattan last year, and while there some things I've been annoyed about, it wouldn't have occurred to me to put "cars" on that list. I didn't bring my car here, and having driven a rental a couple times in the city, it's hard for me to imagine why anyone drives here if they don't have to: the experience as a driver is far, far worse than as a pedestrian.

amarshall 7y ago
Cars are noisy (engines, superfluous horns) and lower air quality. They often drive aggressively and are a hazard to bicyclists and pedestrians. They cause congestion, slowing buses that are vastly more space-efficient. Look at some of “urban plazas” [1] that have replaced short sections of road and witness how much more peaceful and open the city can feel when roads are removed in favor of people. Or, go down to 14th St. I was there this past week and it was wonderful—so much quieter and more open, and buses were moving smoothly. [1] http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/list-of-plazas.pdf http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/list-of-plazas.pdf
- randallsquared 7y ago
  Yeah, sorry, those reasons make total sense. But, > The thought of how pleasant Manhattan would become if only cabs + busses + delivery trucks + ambulances were allowed makes me almost too happy. was the part that made no sense. Cabs are at least as noisy and air-quality-deficient as other cars, and there will be a lot more of them if other cars are banned from some large part of Manhattan. As a pedestrian (which is every day), I've never felt as threatened by cars as I did when I was driving a rental in NYC, which happened only a couple times.
  - smileysteve 7y ago
    Perhaps the easiest way to implement this is to require all ultra high efficiency vehicles. - UPS already uses natural gas and often hybrid electric - Prius-es are common as cabs (often lower tco)

amarshall 7y ago

Cars are noisy (engines, superfluous horns) and lower air quality. They often drive aggressively and are a hazard to bicyclists and pedestrians. They cause congestion, slowing buses that are vastly more space-efficient. Look at some of “urban plazas” [1] that have replaced short sections of road and witness how much more peaceful and open the city can feel when roads are removed in favor of people. Or, go down to 14th St. I was there this past week and it was wonderful—so much quieter and more open, and buses were moving smoothly. [1] http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/list-of-plazas.pdf http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/list-of-plazas.pdf

randallsquared 7y ago
Yeah, sorry, those reasons make total sense. But, > The thought of how pleasant Manhattan would become if only cabs + busses + delivery trucks + ambulances were allowed makes me almost too happy. was the part that made no sense. Cabs are at least as noisy and air-quality-deficient as other cars, and there will be a lot more of them if other cars are banned from some large part of Manhattan. As a pedestrian (which is every day), I've never felt as threatened by cars as I did when I was driving a rental in NYC, which happened only a couple times.
- smileysteve 7y ago
  Perhaps the easiest way to implement this is to require all ultra high efficiency vehicles. - UPS already uses natural gas and often hybrid electric - Prius-es are common as cabs (often lower tco)