Bicycle Coalition plans for "car-less" city
The Bicycle Coalition and SPUR fantasize about the future:
Designing and Planning for a Car-less City
12:30-1:30PM | SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street
The car as we know it could be gone within the next few decades. The prospect of driverless taxis, increased ridesharing and other new kinds of mobility is forcing us to rethink how our streets and cities function. Learn what a car-less future might look like and what it means for planners and urban designers.
Rob's comment:
According to the latest numbers from the Department of Motor Vehicles, there are 477,314 motor vehicles now registered in San Francisco (I don't include trailers in that total). Back in 2000 there were only 451,879 motor vehicles registered in the city. Looks like the city's anti-car movement, led by the Bicycle Coalition, has a lot of work to do to make the city "car-less." As the city gentrifies, it's not surprising that there are more cars registered in the city. And 35,400 (page 3) more motor vehicles drive into the city on workdays. Millions of tourists (page 10) drive into and around the city every year.
And you don't want to miss this:
Treehouse Talk: How to Win Your Arguments About Bike Lanes
6:30-7:30PM | SF Bicycle Coalition HQ, 833 Market Street
Ever feel put on the spot to speak for everyone who rides a bike? Join Aaron Bialick, editor of Streetsblog SF, for a discussion about the way we talk about bicycling, and why it’s as important as making the most convincing points.
Rob's comment:
According to the latest numbers from the Department of Motor Vehicles, there are 477,314 motor vehicles now registered in San Francisco (I don't include trailers in that total). Back in 2000 there were only 451,879 motor vehicles registered in the city. Looks like the city's anti-car movement, led by the Bicycle Coalition, has a lot of work to do to make the city "car-less." As the city gentrifies, it's not surprising that there are more cars registered in the city. And 35,400 (page 3) more motor vehicles drive into the city on workdays. Millions of tourists (page 10) drive into and around the city every year.
And you don't want to miss this:
Treehouse Talk: How to Win Your Arguments About Bike Lanes
6:30-7:30PM | SF Bicycle Coalition HQ, 833 Market Street
Ever feel put on the spot to speak for everyone who rides a bike? Join Aaron Bialick, editor of Streetsblog SF, for a discussion about the way we talk about bicycling, and why it’s as important as making the most convincing points.
Rob's comment:
Bialick tries to win these arguments with distortions and suppressing those with contrary opinions, not that he gets much dissent on Streetsblog, where Streetfighters go to congratulate themselves for being cool and car-free. Maybe one of them will provide us with those "most convincing points."
Labels: Anti-Car, Bicycle Coalition, SPUR, Streetsblog
posted by Rob Anderson @ 1:06 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
These SPUR types need to go (yes--go!) to any DMV anywhere in the Bay Area on any day of the week and see how many people are standing in line, waiting in chairs, and taking tests all to become automobile drivers.
The future is more cars: the cars will be smaller (especially urban cars), more fuel efficient, more environmentally friendly and (this is the Big Plus) more easily parked on the streets. Merely look at The New York Times: every day the NYT updates a section on "Automobiles"! And the NYT has a lot more readers than SPUR and sf.creepsblog.com has put together.
Bicycles and bicycle shops in this the early 21st Century are the waterbeds and waterbed shops of the late 1960s.
San Francisco isn't increasing in size, the streets aren't going to get any wider, and the population is going up and up. Rather than think of alternative ways of transportation within the city and commuting outside, you think that this idea of personal car ownership can continue the way it is? You don't think that bikes for intercity transit, along with car-share (people using a car as a service) won't help with these issues? We will need car-free and car-less alternatives.
You and your followers are living in a dream world if you think everyone can own a car in this city. Your myopic view is astounding. You like to win and have arguments, not solve anything.
That you lose arguments should tell you something about the quality of your arguments. Talking about transportation as if it's a stand-alone issue, for example, is a poor way to frame your argument. As I've been pointing out for years, the city's dumb "smart growth" planning policies---Treasure Island, Market Octavia Plan, UC Extension project, Parkmerced, etc.---is allowing large housing developments without any serious corresponding transportation investment in our Muni system. As everyone recognizes, the city is rapidly gentrifying, and those folks are not going to ride bikes to our upscale restaurants or to shop at Union Square.
Instead of clinging to the delusion that bicycles are somehow going to offset the traffic generated by our dumb smart growth policies and gentrification, San Francisco should stop okaying huge housing developments and invest in Muni, the only real alternative to driving in the city for most people.
Wait - you get to decide who wins or loses an argument? Is that how things work in your world? Is that why you've been so successful in life?
That's how it works on this blog. How does it work on yours? Oh, wait...
The first comment here about "bicycles and bicycle shops in this the 21st Century are the waterbeds and waterbed shops of the late 1960s" didn't age too well did it?
Record phenomenal global growth (300%) in bicycles in the last two years.
Post a Comment
<< Home