cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/31782869
Before/After. Meaux Street, Paris.
this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2025
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Amazing! I looked this up. Rue de Meaux (Meaux St) in Paris is not in the CBD. It's way out in the 19th Arrondisement - sort of like, Mt Eden in Auckland or Hataitai in Wellington only with a really cool canal in it) and it was already designated a rue appaisée which is a low traffic area. That said Paris does have traffic limitations in the central areas.
I like the idea of fewer cars but so often it's done in a way that makes public spaces (and some shops etc) way less accessible for some disabled people. This is especially important to consider in New Zealand, because here, mobility aids are not funded for all of the disabled people who can't walk.
I'd agree with this kind of response, if the people who raised them actually gave a fuck about disabled people. But they don't - they only use it as an excuse to not improve something. It's always a blocker. Never to suggest changes that actually benefit disabled people like more disabled parks, better and wider pedestrian spaces, smoother transitions between grades, more ramps in places without them.
But it's never that. It's just another thinly veiled "muh car park".
I understand your point of view but fwiw, this isn't an excuse and I do care about disabled people.
I myself am disabled with mobility challenges. My wheelchair is very rickety and fragile because I can't afford a decent one or a power assist (most people don't know this but in New Zealand, people disabled by serious illness are generally not eligible for disability funding - so if you are not mobile, you don't get mobility aids, you are just... left to rot, which is what I was talking about in the last comment).
I also have to lie down a lot if I do go anywhere, and I can suddenly collapse or need medication or warm clothing, so my wish list for public spaces is going to be a bit different to the needs of a healthy disabled person with independent propulsion, which is who most people think of when they list the kind of things you listed.
I don't expect society to cater to my kind of disability. But I'm only human, and you possibly have no idea what a huge boost it is to me, being semi house bound, if I get to go to a shop or an event. My town took away most of the disability parking around its main street when it made it pedestrian friendly, which is why I said it matters how it is done.
Before I got sick I was never a "car person", I didn't even own one - just used public transport and walked to work every day. From an environmental perspective it's quite mortifying that I am all "but muh car park" and need a car. My only consolation is that being this disabled, my carbon footprint is pretty small by western standards.😔
Fickin' hell , you're aweaome, just wanted to say that as an able bodied dude.
I'm in Aus. Until about 2 years ago we lived on the 10th floor of an apartment block, dude diagonally opposite us had lost use of his legs. He had a wheelchair that "docked", into an electric mobility wheel thing that had a handebar with controls, battery driven. He'd use the wheel chair by itself to get around the complex, down the elevator to the indoor heated pool, had a electric lift he could use to lift himself from the chair into the seat then swing out into the pool and lower himself , float between his legs and do some laps. as wll as just get around the complex (5 towers, 13 floors on each) Then he could dock it into the electric front wheel thing and head across the road to the shopping centre to do groceries etc. Turned his manual wheel chair into a three wheel electric trike Not sure how far it could get him, I never asked but was also much faster then walking speed to get around.
I don't think anyone wants 100% car free but an 80% reduction should be an attainable goal eg electric taxi to take you places and a better chair!
Stay sane !