Well done Kent Police

[Joe]

The problem with cars is that people want contradictory things. They want a car, preferably their own car rather than a shared vehicle, so they can travel when and where they want, without being tied to timetables and bus/train routes. They also want to be able to park at or near their own property. However, they also want fewer cars on the road, less pollution, and less crowded roads.

The obsession with car ownership led to the insane schemes of the 60s and 70s where perfectly sound housing (which in many cases had survived the Blitz) was torn down to make way for flyovers, ring roads, urban expressways and the like. Then, in the 80s and 90s, out-of-town shopping malls became 'the thing', increasing people's dependency on the car, especially as public transport was privatised and less-profitable routes were axed. Because public transport had become mostly for those too poor or too young or too old to drive, there was little effective resistance to this.

But, of course, everyone, though perhaps recognising the problems arising from mass car ownership, is resistant to changing their own pattern of behaviour because they enjoy the freedom of choice of when and where to travel that owning one's own car enables.

[Marco]

Not only Victorian streets. There's one road in Shepperton, where just about every house has had the garden taken out, a couple of cars on the front, and the pavement on both sides pretty much all along is taken up with cars, some on the pavement, some half on-half off. Driving down the middle is just about possible - but three point turns a complete no-no. That is insane.

Well, there you go... That situation is completely unsustainable, so something drastic has to be done, as it's only going to get worse! Therefore, my proposal of introducing a law restricting households to a maximum of two cars each would go some way towards addressing the problem.

People need to start looking at the bigger picture, and the knock-on effect that their actions are having upon the environment that they're living in, rather than just selfishly protecting their own interests!

Marco.

[Joe]

Well, there you go! That situation is completely unsustainable, so something drastic has to be done to address it, as it's only going to get worse, and so my proposal of introducing a law restricting households to a maximum of two cars each would go some way to addressing the problem..

Restricting them to one car each would go even further!

[Marco]

The problem with cars is that people want contradictory things. They want a car, preferably their own car rather than a shared vehicle, so they can travel when and where they want, without being tied to timetables and bus/train routes. They also want to be able to park at or near their own property.

And, aside from increasing your carbon footprint accordingly, that's fine *PROVIDING* the property you live in and the surrounding road infrastructure, can safely accommodate it, but otherwise no. We could park 10 cars on our grounds and harm/inconvenience no-one, as we have the space, but simply no desire to own 10 cars.

Currently, we effectively have one, as Del's has Sorned her old A-Class Merc, prior to it being bought by someone (likely a friend from work), so we're car sharing until she gets her new one next year. And if we lived in the likes of London, it's unlikely either of us would own a car, *unless* the property we lived had its own private parking facility, preferably off-road.

If not, we'd simply use the tube or train, and hire a car if we wanted to drive somewhere far (say up to Scotland to visit my family, or go abroad). *That* is the kind of mentality folks need to adopt, and consider where they live first, the practicality of owning a car and its impact on the local environment (if the roads are already overcrowded), before buying one - not just thinking 'I want a car, and fuck the consequences for everyone else'...

Marco.

[tapid]

Restricting them to one car each would go even further!

The little Darlings won't like that. They pile up the narrow streets in Hampstead with there obligatory Fulham farmer vehicles and then 1 little scrawny kid
gets out the back on arrival at the school . Sometimes I see heated arguments resulting because 2 cars have met head to head in a side street. Hilarious !
And they say entertainment is dead.

[Marco]

Restricting them to one car each would go even further!

Indeed, but I think that would be a little unfair in certain circumstances. Athough, it could be 'need tested'... However, I think we'd have to start with stopping folk having 5 and 6 cars per household, simply because mum and dad (and every eligible child) think that they need a car each, which is not only ridiculous, but unsustainable.

Sort that out first, then we can move onto the next stage.

Marco.

[struth]

Restricting them to one car each would go even further!

Alas no party would run with that. sure way to be unelected and all parties would never agree to agree, even if they agreed.

[Marco]

The little Darlings won't like that. They pile up the narrow streets in Hampstead with there obligatory Fulham farmer vehicles and then 1 little scrawny kid
gets out the back on arrival at the school . Sometimes I see heated arguments resulting because 2 cars have met head to head in a side street. Hilarious !
And they say entertainment is dead.

Funny though it may be, that shit is a big part of the problem, but relatively easily solved.

You simply either introduce a law that forces car-sharing, so that pupils who live within, say, a two-mile radius of the school in question, are driven there by a set number of cars belonging to parents living in that area. You could get at least 4 kids, plus a driver, in most cars. Either that, or the government introduces suitable financial incentives (say discounted road tax) for anyone who adopts the proposed car-sharing scheme.

Or if the little darlings live near enough to the school in question, make them walk! Just like many of us used to do back in the day, with most of us surviving the experience, despite the fact that there were as many paedophiles around then, as there are now, just not as well publicised Plus, it would help tackle the current epidemic of childhood obesity, as too many kids today don't get anywhere near enough exercise.

If that were done, however, for safety reasons kids would walk to school in groups, accompanied either by a school teaching assistant, should any live near the school in question, and/or another responsible adult or adults, perhaps parents of some of the kids in question, living in the area, should they be free to do so.

Personally, I'd go for option 2, running alongside option 3 - the combination of which would no doubt go some way to addressing the problem you've described... All it takes is applying some common sense and showing a willingness to compromise and be less selfish. The fact is, living in your own private little 'bubble', cocooning your kids inside such and mollycoddling them, is simply no longer sustainable and also counterproductive.

Wouldn't the world be a better place, and much nicer to live in, if people were more courteous and considerate towards others?

Marco.

[walpurgis]

Restricting them to one car each would go even further!

I had seven cars parked outside at one time.

[struth]

ive only one and its parked off the rd in driveway at all times. but i have neighbours further dow street that have 4 or 5 cars outside one house. its a farce with pavements blocked and cars on corners.. police aint interested