KL and Good News for Londoners ?
Discussion
KL targets Cayennes in LOndon ? Have a look at this from todays Gruniad.
"In his foreword to the published details of the plan, Mr Livingstone says: "All of us have a responsibility, actions taken at an individual level can have consequences that are unaccceptable for society as a whole. Buying a gas-guzzling 4x4 vehicle is an 'individual choice' but it creates carbon emisssions that contribute to global warming and harm everyone. It should be no more socially acceptable than to claim the right to dump rubbish in the street."
As mentioned before on this forum, what happens if people simply refuse to comply ? What then ?
"In his foreword to the published details of the plan, Mr Livingstone says: "All of us have a responsibility, actions taken at an individual level can have consequences that are unaccceptable for society as a whole. Buying a gas-guzzling 4x4 vehicle is an 'individual choice' but it creates carbon emisssions that contribute to global warming and harm everyone. It should be no more socially acceptable than to claim the right to dump rubbish in the street."
As mentioned before on this forum, what happens if people simply refuse to comply ? What then ?
Just a thought :
Previously we currently have a Cayenne (or similar). It is our only car and does everything from shopping, running the kids to school (where it`s size allows us to do a car share & take 3/4 kids at a time). We also use it at the weekend when we go out as a family and put our weekend clobber for 4 people (2 adults - 2 kids) in the back.
What we are now going to do is keep the Cayenne (we really do need the space at the weekend) & buy a second smaller car to go into London with. We`re dropping out of the car share scheme for the school runs as it`s too much of a squeeze to get 4 kids and a driver in the little car.
Someone did blather on about the huge polution probelms of manufacturing cars & how actually it is almost more harmful than running one but I`m sure this is rubbish otherwise Ken (Livingstone) wouldn`t have encouraged us to buy the little car to run round in during the week, (I take the tube to work). Apparently all these second cars will need to be parked up somewhere as well and that might be a problem. We keep the Cayenne parked on the drive and have blagged a parking permit for the little car so we`re all right. Presumably Ken is going to sort out parking for other people`s little cars that need to be kept on the street so they`ll be ok as well.
I have a sneaking suspicion we are not alone in our thinking.
Henry
Previously we currently have a Cayenne (or similar). It is our only car and does everything from shopping, running the kids to school (where it`s size allows us to do a car share & take 3/4 kids at a time). We also use it at the weekend when we go out as a family and put our weekend clobber for 4 people (2 adults - 2 kids) in the back.
What we are now going to do is keep the Cayenne (we really do need the space at the weekend) & buy a second smaller car to go into London with. We`re dropping out of the car share scheme for the school runs as it`s too much of a squeeze to get 4 kids and a driver in the little car.
Someone did blather on about the huge polution probelms of manufacturing cars & how actually it is almost more harmful than running one but I`m sure this is rubbish otherwise Ken (Livingstone) wouldn`t have encouraged us to buy the little car to run round in during the week, (I take the tube to work). Apparently all these second cars will need to be parked up somewhere as well and that might be a problem. We keep the Cayenne parked on the drive and have blagged a parking permit for the little car so we`re all right. Presumably Ken is going to sort out parking for other people`s little cars that need to be kept on the street so they`ll be ok as well.
I have a sneaking suspicion we are not alone in our thinking.
Henry
Just have a look at Ken's palace on the Thames, all glass, floodlit at night, fully heated and aircon'd 24hrs a day, full glass walls (you can't build a house like this now as it's not energy efficent enough, but offices have different rules....) and work out how much carbon that place creates... Then come back to me about my car!
Chris_w said:
Not a parent myself
Exactly.
Just wait until you are and then try & fit 4 children (2 with child seats) into a polo / fiesta / clio / micra or similar. Then add a bit of screaming and kicking the back of your seat just for good measure. Possibly even a bit of steaming up of the windows.
Waiting to, accident, happen.
Arrange as you see fit
H.
Henry-F said:
Chris_w said:
Not a parent myself
Exactly.
Just wait until you are and then try & fit 4 children (2 with child seats) into a polo / fiesta / clio / micra or similar. Then add a bit of screaming and kicking the back of your seat just for good measure. Possibly even a bit of steaming up of the windows.
Waiting to, accident, happen.
Arrange as you see fit
H.
Ha ha! Thanks for the insight into my future!
On a bit of a downer on the school runners this morning after getting stuck behind a queue of X5's, RR's, Rolls etc dropping off their Tarquins and Henriettas one at a time at the very door of their school!
sleep envy said:
the death nell has sounded for the private motor car in London
KL may be an utter wanker but I think the death knell for the private motor car in London sounded long ago. It is almost certainly cheaper not to own a car, use public transport and simply rent a vehicle when necessary for many city centre denizens.
What I don't understand is why Londoners voted Red Ken in. Twice!
He must be doing something right or, at least, something that a majority of Londoners prefer.
Can't think what, myself, but that's possibly because I don't live there, or work there or ever have a need to go there for any reason whatsoever.
Chris_w said:
On a bit of a downer on the school runners this morning after getting stuck behind a queue of X5's, RR's, Rolls etc dropping off their Tarquins and Henriettas one at a time at the very door of their school!
They probably felt much the same about you getting in their way (although are a bit more relaxed about it). When you are being dropped off somewhere in a car or taxi how far from your destination do you normally choose to be dropped off? Remember you are not a 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 year old child with little regard for traffic.
Would you propose schools are closed or possibly only kept open for those children fortunate to live in less densely populated areas? Urban children could be turfed out onto the streets to roam around in gangs for the day. The days of going to school at the end of your street are long gone. A journey of several miles is, I`m afraid, the norm.
Henry-F said:
Chris_w said:
On a bit of a downer on the school runners this morning after getting stuck behind a queue of X5's, RR's, Rolls etc dropping off their Tarquins and Henriettas one at a time at the very door of their school!
They probably felt much the same about you getting in their way (although are a bit more relaxed about it). When you are being dropped off somewhere in a car or taxi how far from your destination do you normally choose to be dropped off? Remember you are not a 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 year old child with little regard for traffic.
Would you propose schools are closed or possibly only kept open for those children fortunate to live in less densely populated areas? Urban children could be turfed out onto the streets to roam around in gangs for the day. The days of going to school at the end of your street are long gone. A journey of several miles is, I`m afraid, the norm.
I certainly don't have a problem with people driving their kids to school for exactly the reasons you state above, it's just that in this case they were blocking a single width road (due to residents parking on one side) one after the other with no regard for other traffic - they were so focused on stopping at the schools doorstep that they weren't showing any courtesy to the cars trying to come through in the opposite direction.
I don't profess to have the answers but a no-stopping zone would be a good start in this one particular example and school buses seem to work well in the US. Not sure how viable they are with the ever widening catchment areas that schools have though...
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