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> You're not even allowed to buy a car without a permit that proves you have a parking space for it. I would cross out "even" in that sentence, and then step b

by jwr 1y ago

> You're not even allowed to buy a car without a permit that proves you have a parking space for it. I would cross out "even" in that sentence, and then step back and admire it. This is one of the best things about Japan. For some bizarre reason there is an implicit assumption (at least in many places in Europe, especially Central Europe) that 12m2 of public shared city space should be reserved for your metal box on wheels and that it's somehow a right.

leokennis 1y ago
It is insanity. In Amsterdam, houses go for €9,000 per square meter. So a parking space should cost around ~ €9,000 × 12m2 = €108,000. Meanwhile parking permits for inhabitants go for €500-€750 per year. It's the cheapest real estate available.
Wolfenstein98k 1y ago
Do houses and land cost more, or less, there than the US?
pjmlp 1y ago
It would help if traveling into the city for work would take also 45m, instead of 2h jumping across train, tram and bus connections, and this on a good day, when they aren't missed by "pick random DB excuse of the day".
- bartread 1y ago
  Ah, yes, DB: I am aware of their reputation and, sadly, they also run some services in the UK where reliability and timeliness of service is also already shaky enough without their further assistance. You have my sympathy.
  - pjmlp 1y ago
    I favour public transport when possible, but until goverments create reliable infrastructures that go beyond the lucky ones able to afford rents in city centers within the radius of good transport connections, or not having to go by bycicle to work while collecting km/miles as training for The Tour, most folks will go with the car option.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
m4rtink 1y ago
It also helps that apparently in general street parking is banned (possibly at least in big cities) due to disaster considerations - eq. for easy access for rescue personnel after a major earthquake or Typhoon. Not to mention tightly parkiong cars potentially being a fire spreading hazard in such a scenario. In comparison, even here in Europe there are tight rows of cars in almost every street, reducing space for greenery, eating up sidewalks, making street crossing dangerous and sometimes even making the street hard to navigate for the cars themselves, not to mention making quick stops for taxi drivers or food & grocery delivery cars almost impossible.

by jwr 1y ago

leokennis 1y ago

It is insanity. In Amsterdam, houses go for €9,000 per square meter. So a parking space should cost around ~ €9,000 × 12m2 = €108,000. Meanwhile parking permits for inhabitants go for €500-€750 per year. It's the cheapest real estate available.

Wolfenstein98k 1y ago

Do houses and land cost more, or less, there than the US?

pjmlp 1y ago

It would help if traveling into the city for work would take also 45m, instead of 2h jumping across train, tram and bus connections, and this on a good day, when they aren't missed by "pick random DB excuse of the day".

bartread 1y ago
Ah, yes, DB: I am aware of their reputation and, sadly, they also run some services in the UK where reliability and timeliness of service is also already shaky enough without their further assistance. You have my sympathy.
- pjmlp 1y ago
  I favour public transport when possible, but until goverments create reliable infrastructures that go beyond the lucky ones able to afford rents in city centers within the radius of good transport connections, or not having to go by bycicle to work while collecting km/miles as training for The Tour, most folks will go with the car option.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

m4rtink 1y ago

It also helps that apparently in general street parking is banned (possibly at least in big cities) due to disaster considerations - eq. for easy access for rescue personnel after a major earthquake or Typhoon. Not to mention tightly parkiong cars potentially being a fire spreading hazard in such a scenario. In comparison, even here in Europe there are tight rows of cars in almost every street, reducing space for greenery, eating up sidewalks, making street crossing dangerous and sometimes even making the street hard to navigate for the cars themselves, not to mention making quick stops for taxi drivers or food & grocery delivery cars almost impossible.