Helen CzerskiMay 11, 2023
I keep thinking back to this Microlino at Fully Charged Live. Reusable water bottles became acceptable, being vegan is now cool, and so is wearing vintage clothes. So who is going to step up to the critical task of making small cars fashionable? The trend towards giant SUVs is ludicrous, incredibly wasteful and dangerous, and bad for our cities. If you must use a car, it should be as small as possible. Where are the micro-car visionaries/influencers? WE NEED YOU. #cars #SUV #climate
Show threadAlbert CardonaMay 11, 2023

@helenczerski

For many, me included, a cargo bicycle is an excellent alternative to cars for everyday use:

(Agree that small cars ought to be preferred over large ones. Perhaps by changing the legal width of the inner city streets so that large cars are restricted to the rural, mountainous areas they were devised for in the first place.)

Show threadwill_shakeMay 11, 2023

@albertcardona @helenczerski I can bike to our market town a mile away, no parking issues. Anything further involves faster traffic where these slower mini cars become a hazard.

For long journeys a traditional sized car is better. I have just don't use it much nowadays!

Show threadHelen CzerskiMay 11, 2023
@will_shake @albertcardona But if you don’t use it much, wouldn’t it be better (in theory) to use a shared car scheme where you only “had” a car when you were actually using it, and someone else was using it the rest of the time, as well as sharing maintenance etc? That’s the model we need - where a smaller number of cars is in use a far higher proportion of the time, and the roads are free for cargo bikes, normal bikes and walking etc.
Show threadAlbert Cardona

@helenczerski @will_shake

Would reduce the need for parking space for sure, with the knock-on effect of shrinking cities, making them denser, reducing distances among places, therefore more walkable and cyclable. Yes.

May 11, 2023 at 12:53pmWeb
Show threadCelloMom On CarsMay 11, 2023

@albertcardona @helenczerski @will_shake

The small car / active mobility visionaries are here. We're getting louder. But until there is a mandate for higher average fuel efficiency on the nation's auto fleet, carmakers will keep pushing SUVs down our throats, simply because they make more profit out of those than from small cars.

Don't wait for the influencers: be an influencer. Influence the US EPA which right now is working on the next efficiency rule.

Show threadmarkMay 11, 2023

@CelloMomOnCars @albertcardona @helenczerski @will_shake and as long as roads and parking lots keep getting bigger, then cars and SUVs grow to fill them, which causes complaints from the owners so the roads and parking spaces get bigger.... we will be stuck.

I want restrictions on what a normal license can drive, controls on bumper heights, and strict enforcement of sizes of vehicles in certain

Make the giant stuff too inconvenient