# 'Cars Are Ruining Our Cities' **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 26, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298 "2018-04-26T05:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 5:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/1 "2018-04-26T05:35:07Z")
> **[Opinion | Cars Are Ruining Our Cities](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/25/opinion/cars-ruining-cities.html)** > > That’s why more and more towns are deciding to wrest control of their streets from the tyranny of the automobile. The liberals are coming for our cars!!! ---
**Author:** ![AutoMarc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AutoMarc](https://community.cartalk.com/u/AutoMarc)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 5:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/2 "2018-04-26T05:47:17Z")
Not a moment too soon it appears. ---
**Author:** ![boilerengtn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/boilerengtn/32/6955_2.png) [@boilerengtn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/boilerengtn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 9:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/3 "2018-04-26T09:55:11Z")
Typical “clickbait” article - but it worked - I clicked. No real effort in trying to understand the underlying causes. Hopefully, the traffic problem in some places will prompt change, like working from home. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 12:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/4 "2018-04-26T12:19:07Z")
Did NOT take clickbait, IMHO urban areas #1 problem is high growth rate without having infrastructure to accompany said growth rate. Having said that, let’s get back to car/truck fixes. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/5 "2018-04-26T12:39:57Z")
You people in cities should give up your cars and be herded into trains and buses. Walk, bike or just stay home. Never, ever leave the city. Unless, of course, you visit my sun-soaked town to escape the winter. Just don’t rent a car. We don’t want you on OUR roads either. Bus, Uber or walk, please. ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/6 "2018-04-26T13:25:26Z")
> [@boilerengtn](#): > > Typical “clickbait” article I didn’t read it. I thought the title told the story. I’m Paul Revere, warning the people. > [@boilerengtn](#): > > Hopefully, the traffic problem in some places will prompt change, like working from home. The traffic in Silicon Valley is proof that telecommuting doesn’t work. > [@Gpierce001](#): > > urban areas #1 problem is high growth rate No one moves there anymore, they’re too crowded. > [@Mustangman](#): > > visit my sun-soaked town to escape the winter. Just don’t rent a car. We don’t want you on OUR roads either. Work for the tourist bureau? ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/7 "2018-04-26T13:28:12Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > Work for the tourist bureau? Self appointed volunteer. C’mon down! Enjoy our winter sunshine, pay our taxes and tip our service workers. But stay off our roads. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 1:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/8 "2018-04-26T13:38:26Z")
Oh well, with Amazon, et al, you never need to leave your home. ---
**Author:** ![GorehamJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/gorehamj/32/24103_2.png) [@GorehamJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GorehamJ)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/9 "2018-04-26T14:17:15Z")
I gave up on cities long ago. I don’t care what they ban. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/10 "2018-04-26T15:06:42Z")
I have to go to Boston every now and then. And when I do - I DON’T DRIVE. Too congested and have to deal with Boston drivers. Boston does have a decent (but old) subway system and commuter rail system. When ever I visit NYC - I don’t drive there either. Excellent public transportation system. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/11 "2018-04-26T15:37:40Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > I have to go to Boston every now and then. And when I do - I DON’T DRIVE. I don’t like driving in Boston anymore, but I will if I have a good enough reason, only because I’ve driven there so much over the years. I will not drive in NYC or Chicago. Or LA. I prefer country roads. Or, even better, coastal roads. I’m not much for crowds of angry people. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/12 "2018-04-26T16:16:33Z")
> [@the\_same\_mountainbike](#): > > I don’t like driving in Boston anymore, but I will if I have a good enough reason, only because I’ve driven there so much over the years. Boston’s subway and commuter lines - is good. You can get pretty much everywhere in the city you have to by subway or even bus. Boston is also a very walkable city. More then once during the summer I’ve walked from Fenway after a game to the Theater District for dinner. I know my way around Boston, so I can drive it…but I prefer not to since mass transit is convenient and easy. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/13 "2018-04-26T20:46:40Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > Boston is also a very walkable city. It was when I could walk. ☹ I’m simply not a city boy. Boston can be entertaining to walk around, but I’d rather be at the coast. I’ve never cared to visit any city anywhere. I’ve spent a lot of time in Boston over the years because of business demands and, later on, because my son lived there. I’ve spent time in Chicago, Miami, NYC, and LA too, and I have no desire to go to any of them again except to see my son and his family. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/14 "2018-04-26T20:54:19Z")
There was a similar panic article in the New York Times around 1900 or so. The rapidly building up of horse manure on New York streets was considered an real health hazard. Besides, someone added up all the grassland needed to feed all those horses and factored in the population increase and soon in the future there would not be enough land to feed all those horses!!! Luckily, street cars and those pesky automobiles and trucks arrived to save US cities from death by horse manure! ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/15 "2018-04-26T22:43:21Z")
I drive to downtown Baltimore to visit my daughter. Sometimes I get a parking pass from her to park in her neighborhood to attend a baseball game. She lives about five blocks from Orioles Park, and the walk makes sense. If the parking pass isn’t available, I take the light rail from the Beltway to the ball park. I don’t drive into D.C. at all anymore. I did when I worked there, but otherwise the subway system is good enough that I park and ride. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/16 "2018-04-26T23:13:41Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > The liberals are coming for our cars!!! Flag you! [snip] ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 11:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/17 "2018-04-26T23:14:32Z")
Troll is just trolling! ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 4:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/18 "2018-04-27T04:30:51Z")
> [@RandomTroll](#): > > I didn’t read it Am I correct in assuming you didn’t even read the article that you provided a link for . . . ? You certainly did pick an apt screen name ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/4/4282cc4595808296651d3a2a92b2429f60831db7.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/19 "2018-04-27T15:26:56Z")
Those who believe cars are ruining our cities should get a book entitled “The Good Old Days - They Were Terrible!” by Otto L. Bettmann, published by Random House, ISBN 978-0-394-70941-3. One of the chapters describes the abysmal, disease-ridden, fly-infested muck that horses were causing in cities and how city-saving and disease-reducing the invention of the affordable automobile was considered. In addition, it’s estimated that some 40% of farmland had to be used to grow feed for the horses, most of that farmland now being used to produce food for humans. In addition, when a horse died in the city in the 1800s (which apparently was not uncommon), its harness was removed and its carcass was left to rot. Cities had to employ people to pick up these carasses and haul them out to the country. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298/20 "2018-04-27T15:35:07Z")
> [@the\_same\_mountainbike](#): > > In addition, when a horse died in the city in the 1800s (which apparently was not uncommon), its harness was removed and its carcass was left to rot. Cities had to employ people to pick up these carasses and haul them out to the country. 40+ horses a day DIED in NYC. [https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/09/when-horses-posed-a-public-health-hazard/](https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/09/when-horses-posed-a-public-health-hazard/) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cars-are-ruining-our-cities/116298.md?page=2)