The airport car rental argument is the strongest to me. Want to vacation in Hawaii? Even car-enthusiasts have no problem renting a car/getting taxies for that.
But renting a car/ridesharing/taxiing for around your own town as you need is the exact same reasoning, it just happens probably more often.
Cars are money pits. Where infrastructure exists to live car-free, I have personal experience that it can be more cost-effective even if you have to rent a car on the odd occasion that you need to make a longer journey that isn't possible by other means. The amount of money otherwise spent on insurance, fuel, maintenance, road taxes and depreciation goes a long way to covering the cost of car club membership and usage, the odd car hire, transport and taxi fares.
Absolutely, car ownership easily runs in the high hundreds per month in Canada, and for the same price most can easily save on balance with alternatives.
A major issue in Chicago, where I live, is that it's assumed that TOD residents don't have cars. Many do, and just flood the free and permitted street parking spaces. We have a ton of "luxury" 5-over-1 TOD buildings being built around CTA and Metra stations because they offer tax incentives for builders. But they don't help with housing affordability, and they cause traffic congestion issues. There's probably a solution that involves restrictions on parking permits, but that's a different bureaucratic department, and, you know, "freedom".
I live in an apartment building in downtown Toronto which has no parking and (as I later learned) is not zoned for any on street parking. You cannot get a street parking pass at my address. The problem: I work in film and need to travel to strange locations at strange hours. The solution I came up with might be cheating, but I got a motorcycle. Motorcycles are free to park pretty much anywhere in the city because of a long-standing loophole that since there's nowhere you can put a ticket on a motorcycle without it blowing away, they can't be ticketed.
I don't think motorcycles are the future of transit in any way. I still resent how loud they are (I got the quietest one I could), and acknowledge I am trading on my personal safety. For the time being, this is how I make things work when the TTC isn't an option. I am at least happy that the vehicle I am putting on the road gets twice the fuel mileage of your average car.
If your commute is under 25km then an e-bike is definitely the answer. I am currently renting a TERM cargo bike from a group called Lugg and Carrie, Melbourne. Is is absolutely brilliant for medium trips. Range 100km+ in ECO mode
Writing from Spain here, not sure how to say it without sounding arrogant... You don't know what's a shopping trolley in Canada? https://www.rolser.com/en/shopping-trolleys/ The whole paragraph about the logistics of grocery shopping sound weird from here.
If there could be more convenience or small grocery stores within walking distance, you would pick up a small number of items everyday or so. It’s how I live in Japan. Thinking of a key policy to make this happen in North America, doing away with parking minimum development rules would help.
"Our culture really needs to get over random citizens feeling they should dictate how and within which parameters other people live — building every home for every conceivable person or family makes no sense." Finally someone says it!
Exactly the same things are occurring in my home city Melbourne, Australia. People get very concerned if an apartment is built without a parking space. Personally, I think it about choice. If you have a car and want to park it at your residence then buy a residence with a car park. If you don't have a car and don't want a car then you should be able to purchase a residence without a car park. There are definitely savings to be had!
There are also a large number of home owners who have off street parking but, choose to fill up their garage with junk and then park on the street but, that is another story.
The airport car rental argument is the strongest to me. Want to vacation in Hawaii? Even car-enthusiasts have no problem renting a car/getting taxies for that.
But renting a car/ridesharing/taxiing for around your own town as you need is the exact same reasoning, it just happens probably more often.
I don't want to ban cars, I just want less cars.
For sure, there is a lot of value to be had for every bit of reduction!
Cars are money pits. Where infrastructure exists to live car-free, I have personal experience that it can be more cost-effective even if you have to rent a car on the odd occasion that you need to make a longer journey that isn't possible by other means. The amount of money otherwise spent on insurance, fuel, maintenance, road taxes and depreciation goes a long way to covering the cost of car club membership and usage, the odd car hire, transport and taxi fares.
Absolutely, car ownership easily runs in the high hundreds per month in Canada, and for the same price most can easily save on balance with alternatives.
Luckily in my city, I don't need a car, I live near a train station, multiple bus stops and cycle paths.
Indeed, many people basically *never* need a car
A major issue in Chicago, where I live, is that it's assumed that TOD residents don't have cars. Many do, and just flood the free and permitted street parking spaces. We have a ton of "luxury" 5-over-1 TOD buildings being built around CTA and Metra stations because they offer tax incentives for builders. But they don't help with housing affordability, and they cause traffic congestion issues. There's probably a solution that involves restrictions on parking permits, but that's a different bureaucratic department, and, you know, "freedom".
I think better parking enforcement is the answer!
I live in an apartment building in downtown Toronto which has no parking and (as I later learned) is not zoned for any on street parking. You cannot get a street parking pass at my address. The problem: I work in film and need to travel to strange locations at strange hours. The solution I came up with might be cheating, but I got a motorcycle. Motorcycles are free to park pretty much anywhere in the city because of a long-standing loophole that since there's nowhere you can put a ticket on a motorcycle without it blowing away, they can't be ticketed.
I don't think motorcycles are the future of transit in any way. I still resent how loud they are (I got the quietest one I could), and acknowledge I am trading on my personal safety. For the time being, this is how I make things work when the TTC isn't an option. I am at least happy that the vehicle I am putting on the road gets twice the fuel mileage of your average car.
Its an interesting option, they are certainly more common in certain parts of the world! Too far for an ebike?
If your commute is under 25km then an e-bike is definitely the answer. I am currently renting a TERM cargo bike from a group called Lugg and Carrie, Melbourne. Is is absolutely brilliant for medium trips. Range 100km+ in ECO mode
Writing from Spain here, not sure how to say it without sounding arrogant... You don't know what's a shopping trolley in Canada? https://www.rolser.com/en/shopping-trolleys/ The whole paragraph about the logistics of grocery shopping sound weird from here.
If there could be more convenience or small grocery stores within walking distance, you would pick up a small number of items everyday or so. It’s how I live in Japan. Thinking of a key policy to make this happen in North America, doing away with parking minimum development rules would help.
"Our culture really needs to get over random citizens feeling they should dictate how and within which parameters other people live — building every home for every conceivable person or family makes no sense." Finally someone says it!
Great article Reece
Exactly the same things are occurring in my home city Melbourne, Australia. People get very concerned if an apartment is built without a parking space. Personally, I think it about choice. If you have a car and want to park it at your residence then buy a residence with a car park. If you don't have a car and don't want a car then you should be able to purchase a residence without a car park. There are definitely savings to be had!
There are also a large number of home owners who have off street parking but, choose to fill up their garage with junk and then park on the street but, that is another story.