Hacker News Reader

Comment by FridayoLeary | Hacker News Reader

too bad for disabled people and people who need an ambulance, i guess. The new ulez is about to come into effect in london and i'm pretty annoyed. Together with e10 fuel, they are just political window dressing to inconvenience taxpayers with minimal impact on the climate. Like ltz's and cycle lanes.

View on HN

The mayor of Sydney made a few km of our main street pedestrian only (service vehicles can enter early morning/nighttime). Ambulances can cross the distance in a third of the time now and often route through there to cross the CBD, they aren't banned from what was once previously a horrendous congested car hell that even google maps admits will take you longer in a vehicle than on foot in peak hour.

Your predictions are misplaced.

A lot of disabled people cannot drive. A friend of mine is a quadruple amputee. Bike lanes are his best bet for getting around independently in his electric wheelchair.

And the comment about ambulances is also ridiculous considering how often cars obstruct cities. You get to the hospital quickly because dense cities have lots of hospitals.

Cars are a major source of inconvenience and health damaging pollution to a lot of other tax payers. The only window dressing is how we continue to try and nudge people into doing the right thing with taxes and fees. It is a small amount money to the people who can afford to make better choices. And a large amount to those who can't. Just be straight with people and tell them to stop.

You should see the Netherlands. 100% cyclable but lots of streets are there for emergency vehicles, buses and trams. Disabled can and do ride in the bicycle lane with their electric wheelchairs.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com