Comments on: Unintended Consequences of Paris’s Traffic-Reduction Policies http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Angus Grieve-Smith http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/comment-page-1/#comment-28785 Angus Grieve-Smith Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:32:17 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/#comment-28785 The right-wing politician quoted in the articles, Panafieu, is full of it. Connections between Paris and the suburbs are better than they've been in years; just hop on the RER or "Transilien" and there you are. There are a whole bunch of improvements in the works, too. If Panafieu wants to talk about barriers, there's already a barrier between Paris and the suburbs: the "Périph" highway, which used to be an actual city wall. The "portes" crossing it are some of the least pedestrian-friendly spaces in the region. If she actually cared about connections between Paris and the suburbs she'd propose a solution to that, but she's just trying to capitalize on the short-term difficulties of traffic calming. I hope it doesn't work. The right-wing politician quoted in the articles, Panafieu, is full of it. Connections between Paris and the suburbs are better than they've been in years; just hop on the RER or "Transilien" and there you are. There are a whole bunch of improvements in the works, too.

If Panafieu wants to talk about barriers, there's already a barrier between Paris and the suburbs: the "Périph" highway, which used to be an actual city wall. The "portes" crossing it are some of the least pedestrian-friendly spaces in the region. If she actually cared about connections between Paris and the suburbs she'd propose a solution to that, but she's just trying to capitalize on the short-term difficulties of traffic calming. I hope it doesn't work.

]]> By: Doc Barnett http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/comment-page-1/#comment-28782 Doc Barnett Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:17:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/#comment-28782 "an invasion of noisy scooters" Please. Incredibly noisy scooters covered the entirety of the Hexagon by 2002, and probably long before that. The thing to do is force Peugeot to make them vastly quieter, as Vespa somehow does when exporting "euro" scooters to silly Americans. "an invasion of noisy scooters"

Please. Incredibly noisy scooters covered the entirety of the Hexagon by 2002, and probably long before that. The thing to do is force Peugeot to make them vastly quieter, as Vespa somehow does when exporting "euro" scooters to silly Americans.

]]> By: Jason Varone http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/comment-page-1/#comment-28780 Jason Varone Mon, 12 Feb 2007 16:03:33 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/#comment-28780 Yet, their conservative counterparts in London are pushing for the tram there: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article708405.ece It sounds like there is real change going on in Paris; therefore the transition is bound to be a little bumpy. Yet, their conservative counterparts in London are pushing for the tram there:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article708405.ece

It sounds like there is real change going on in Paris; therefore the transition is bound to be a little bumpy.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/comment-page-1/#comment-28779 Glenn Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:43:27 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/02/12/unintended-consequenes-of-pariss-traffic-reduction-policies/#comment-28779 What type of scooter were they using as a standard for this measurement? Electric scooters would be awesome, but the old two stroke engines can produce more soot and CO2 from some analyses I've read because they are so inefficient. Also, many people don't know how to handle scooters. On a trip to Asia a few years ago, there were many European and American tourists that received minor and major injuries from motor bikes. Some of this is because they probably had never used one before and perhaps they were drinking, but there are many safety issues for untrained drivers. A good old electric powered bike would be a much better alternative. What type of scooter were they using as a standard for this measurement? Electric scooters would be awesome, but the old two stroke engines can produce more soot and CO2 from some analyses I've read because they are so inefficient.

Also, many people don't know how to handle scooters. On a trip to Asia a few years ago, there were many European and American tourists that received minor and major injuries from motor bikes. Some of this is because they probably had never used one before and perhaps they were drinking, but there are many safety issues for untrained drivers.

A good old electric powered bike would be a much better alternative.

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