6 ms·

No, you're guessing that because you live in a world that's been designed for cars for 50 years, so you naturally see it as the most convenient option -- becaus

No, you're guessing that because you live in a world that's been designed for cars for 50 years, so you naturally see it as the most convenient option -- because it's been designed that way. Even in NYC. Design cities for people first and not automobiles and you'll be asking why anyone would take a car over a train/bus/bike because it's more expensive, takes longer, and is more of a hassle.

dudul 7y ago
If at 3AM my kid starts feeling very sick, how do I get him to the doctor/hospital in a city where cars are banned? And I'm not trying to be facetious, I think the theory of car-less cities is really appealing, but I honestly don't see how this is a good solution.
- judge2020 7y ago
  Assuming the city is made for people as the parent comment said, you would go to your (very close) train station and get a ride to the nearest hospital or the nearest urgent care.
  - derg 7y ago
    Also assuming vital things like ambulances are cheap and or free instead of hundreds (or thousands) of dollars means it is a lot more viable to call for one and a mostly car-free city means quicker transport in said vehicle.
    - dudul 7y ago
      Sure, why stop at completely remodeling hundreds of years of urbanism, let's just also fix up the complete mess that is the US health care system while we're at it :) That being said, yes I agree. And I would not have made the same comment if I was still living in Europe where calling an ambulance is virtually free (I did it a couple of times).
  - dudul 7y ago
    So I would have to walk like what? 15 minutes with my kid who is crying, then wait another 10 to 15 minutes for a train to show up, then wait on the train for 15 to 20 minutes, then walk from the station to the hospital for maybe 5 to 10 minutes. So this is roughly 60 to 80 minutes, with my crying child, and all assuming a fairly efficient public transportation system. I think that's always the problem when we get pitchforks out to ban cars altogether. I'm all for "greener" cities, for bicycle lanes and all. All policies that try to make it less required to use your car are great, but a blanket ban is idiotic because sometimes, having a car can literally save your life.
    - pwinnski 7y ago
      There are many human-oriented cities around the world in which mass-transit reigns, and they manage to make life work. I've been in Hong Kong a lot, and I'm not sure I can pick two points in Hong Kong that are 80 minutes apart from each other. I mean, maybe getting to the New Territories from Sai Wan Ho or something, but they have their own closer hospitals, so... It's hard to explain dry land to a fish, but life without cars is possible.
      - damnyou 7y ago
        I loved Hong Kong when I visited it but I would never want to live there. My quality of life in the US is much higher.
      - Alupis 7y ago
        > There are many human-oriented cities around the world in which mass-transit reigns All of which are densely populated cities. This concept simply doesn't work in majority of America, where the average city is sparsely populated and quite spread out. People living in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Austin, Los Angeles, etc... quickly forget what life is like in say... Fiddletown, California.
        pwinnski 7y ago
        Yes, a city that bans cars would necessarily need to become a densely-populated city, for sure.
  - wincy 7y ago
    As someone who suffers from motion sickness, and whose children are the same, with trains being the worst offender (since we can't look forward which mitigates the issue somewhat), I do not look forward to this future.
    - bkor 7y ago
      In trains it's better to look towards the back of the train. So do it next to a window, but with your face towards the back of the train. This at least according to one person I was on a train with. I had a reserved seat looking towards the back of the train. I (and most people) don't like those. The other person really wanted my seat because of motion sickness. So we were both really happy to switch seats :-D
- Symbiote 7y ago
  Obviously in a taxi or ambulance, depending on the severity. We are allowed to make reasonable exceptions.
- smileysteve 7y ago
  To be nostalgic, in a non driving world, perhaps there is a neighborhood doctor's office. To relate to the other comments talking about health policy change; you should already be looking for a local urgent care for most issues. And to put the question further in U.S. medical politics perspective; if you're a rural American in a state that hasn't expanded medicaid, your local Level 1 Trauma hospital is likely too far away anyway...
- paxys 7y ago
  Car-free does not mean inaccessible. All cities that have taken these steps have also made exceptions for emergency vehicles, commercial vehicles (with permits) etc. In fact with fewer cars on the road you are going to be able to get to the hospital quicker.
derg 7y ago
Hell, even walking if it's close enough! I moved to a place slightly under a mile from work and walking to and from everyday is blissful and life changing, even accounting for the weather. Being able to safely walk to places (work, shops, points of interests) is so often overlooked, and its super good for you! * *Now if we could curtail cars inside cities it would be even better due to lack of emissions.
- jborichevskiy 7y ago
  The next best commute after a telecommute is a 15-minute walk. Agreed on emissions, and noise too!
yohannparis 7y ago
Exactly! Go to Switzerland, where it is common to take the Train + Postal bus to leave the city and hiking in the mountain.
jimmaswell 7y ago
Why would I want to walk to a train/bus station, wait around, cram into a space full of people (some crazy or smelly or muggers), then walk even more afterwards and probably have to take even more connections, or be forced to use a bike all the time (I use one recreationally but I'd hate to rely on it)? We're not all such smug masochists that we're willing to turn every day into an inconvenient exercise routine and carry the cross of carlessness for ideological reasons.
- graup 7y ago
  The things you mentioned are all implementation problems not inherent to the mode of transport. Visit any Asian megapolis (HK, Seoul, Singapore...) and you can see how public transportation can be effective and convenient.
Rapzid 7y ago
Cities are designed for people. People like cars.

dudul 7y ago

If at 3AM my kid starts feeling very sick, how do I get him to the doctor/hospital in a city where cars are banned? And I'm not trying to be facetious, I think the theory of car-less cities is really appealing, but I honestly don't see how this is a good solution.

judge2020 7y ago
Assuming the city is made for people as the parent comment said, you would go to your (very close) train station and get a ride to the nearest hospital or the nearest urgent care.
- derg 7y ago
  Also assuming vital things like ambulances are cheap and or free instead of hundreds (or thousands) of dollars means it is a lot more viable to call for one and a mostly car-free city means quicker transport in said vehicle.
  - dudul 7y ago
    Sure, why stop at completely remodeling hundreds of years of urbanism, let's just also fix up the complete mess that is the US health care system while we're at it :) That being said, yes I agree. And I would not have made the same comment if I was still living in Europe where calling an ambulance is virtually free (I did it a couple of times).
- dudul 7y ago
  So I would have to walk like what? 15 minutes with my kid who is crying, then wait another 10 to 15 minutes for a train to show up, then wait on the train for 15 to 20 minutes, then walk from the station to the hospital for maybe 5 to 10 minutes. So this is roughly 60 to 80 minutes, with my crying child, and all assuming a fairly efficient public transportation system. I think that's always the problem when we get pitchforks out to ban cars altogether. I'm all for "greener" cities, for bicycle lanes and all. All policies that try to make it less required to use your car are great, but a blanket ban is idiotic because sometimes, having a car can literally save your life.
  - pwinnski 7y ago
    There are many human-oriented cities around the world in which mass-transit reigns, and they manage to make life work. I've been in Hong Kong a lot, and I'm not sure I can pick two points in Hong Kong that are 80 minutes apart from each other. I mean, maybe getting to the New Territories from Sai Wan Ho or something, but they have their own closer hospitals, so... It's hard to explain dry land to a fish, but life without cars is possible.
    - damnyou 7y ago
      I loved Hong Kong when I visited it but I would never want to live there. My quality of life in the US is much higher.
    - Alupis 7y ago
      > There are many human-oriented cities around the world in which mass-transit reigns All of which are densely populated cities. This concept simply doesn't work in majority of America, where the average city is sparsely populated and quite spread out. People living in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Austin, Los Angeles, etc... quickly forget what life is like in say... Fiddletown, California.
      - pwinnski 7y ago
        Yes, a city that bans cars would necessarily need to become a densely-populated city, for sure.
- wincy 7y ago
  As someone who suffers from motion sickness, and whose children are the same, with trains being the worst offender (since we can't look forward which mitigates the issue somewhat), I do not look forward to this future.
  - bkor 7y ago
    In trains it's better to look towards the back of the train. So do it next to a window, but with your face towards the back of the train. This at least according to one person I was on a train with. I had a reserved seat looking towards the back of the train. I (and most people) don't like those. The other person really wanted my seat because of motion sickness. So we were both really happy to switch seats :-D
Symbiote 7y ago
Obviously in a taxi or ambulance, depending on the severity. We are allowed to make reasonable exceptions.
smileysteve 7y ago
To be nostalgic, in a non driving world, perhaps there is a neighborhood doctor's office. To relate to the other comments talking about health policy change; you should already be looking for a local urgent care for most issues. And to put the question further in U.S. medical politics perspective; if you're a rural American in a state that hasn't expanded medicaid, your local Level 1 Trauma hospital is likely too far away anyway...
paxys 7y ago
Car-free does not mean inaccessible. All cities that have taken these steps have also made exceptions for emergency vehicles, commercial vehicles (with permits) etc. In fact with fewer cars on the road you are going to be able to get to the hospital quicker.

derg 7y ago

Hell, even walking if it's close enough! I moved to a place slightly under a mile from work and walking to and from everyday is blissful and life changing, even accounting for the weather. Being able to safely walk to places (work, shops, points of interests) is so often overlooked, and its super good for you! * *Now if we could curtail cars inside cities it would be even better due to lack of emissions.

jborichevskiy 7y ago
The next best commute after a telecommute is a 15-minute walk. Agreed on emissions, and noise too!

yohannparis 7y ago

Exactly! Go to Switzerland, where it is common to take the Train + Postal bus to leave the city and hiking in the mountain.

jimmaswell 7y ago

Why would I want to walk to a train/bus station, wait around, cram into a space full of people (some crazy or smelly or muggers), then walk even more afterwards and probably have to take even more connections, or be forced to use a bike all the time (I use one recreationally but I'd hate to rely on it)? We're not all such smug masochists that we're willing to turn every day into an inconvenient exercise routine and carry the cross of carlessness for ideological reasons.

graup 7y ago
The things you mentioned are all implementation problems not inherent to the mode of transport. Visit any Asian megapolis (HK, Seoul, Singapore...) and you can see how public transportation can be effective and convenient.

Rapzid 7y ago

Cities are designed for people. People like cars.