15 minute cities and the conspirators

[ivykaty44]

15 minute cities being organised to mean that you don't have to rely on a car to get to everything and can easily walk to many places therefore only have to use the car for longer journeys

the conspiracy theories im seeing on social media are suggesting its a world wide control formula and we will be fined for moving from one district to another.

www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2023/02/08/15-minute-city-conspiracy-theories-insane-says-15-minute-city-creator/?sh=121378916156

I'm wondering if the car manufactures are behind the conspiracy, as they would have a lot to lose if people live in places where they don't need a car and can just ave one family car or hire a car. Billions of sales could be lost if this takes off.

Some cities have gone car free - theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/the-car-free-spanish-city/ and found after much objection, that it works well - especially for the elderly

You do if you are getting something heavy, Wilko is about 15 minutes walk from me but if I am getting compost and other garden stuff I have to take the car, I can't carry it home.

The problem with the Oxford proposals is that they aren’t rat runs, they are major cross-city routes. The alternative routes, involving the ring road, aren’t viable because the ring road is already at capacity since the LTNs pushed more traffic there.

But the biggest problem is the other modes of transport don’t exist (bus routes) or aren’t practicable for many people (unsafe cycle routes). This just means misery and hassle for many people, especially mothers of small children.

Massive traffic reduction in half term suggests there are other levers that can be pulled to reduce congestion and car use. This one feels like the bluntest possible tool. And is being carried out largely without consent. A gift to conspiracy theorists.

Has nobody heard of shopping trolleys?

www.argos.co.uk/browse/sports-and-leisure/bags-luggage-and-travel/shopping-trolleys/c:30497/

It isn't actually logical to use a tonne of dangerous, polluting, expensive, metal, plastic and petrol to transport a stone or so of shopping for a 20 min walk. We're just conditioned to think it is.

@Runaway1

I'm a mother of a small child.

She's saying clearly what she would do and how it would harm local businesses. What more support data do you expect? Jeez!!!

Lovely, I'll carry that with me next time I go to a posh restaurant in town

Oh, I thought you were talking about genuine local businesses. Not local branches of chain stores. Silly me.

Exactly. There is no reason to do any of this other than to make money. Case in point being the charge for carrier bags. I know one retailer who, for years, had only ever issued paper bags. As soon as the charge came in for single use plastic, guess what they swapped their paper bags for...?

People can call it what they want, these LTNs ARE a restriction on free movement and we need to push back against it.

@thehorsehasnowbolted

Why ever not?

Not that I imagine many people combine the weekly shop with a trip to a Michelen starred restaurant anyway!

Honestly, this car obsession is more about image than anything else

I can't drive for medical reasons. I buy food, am a mother, go to work etc. the only thing that makes my life more difficult is too many cars on the road

People do still have to shop in chain stores, there aren't enough local businesses to serve everyone within 15 minutes, there is nowhere nearer me that sells compost, independent place is 5 miles away and I think that may be a chain anyway. Asda and Waitrose are chains, they sell it. Where do you get your compost from in town a 15 minute walk away? Where do you get all your shopping from, I bet you visit a supermarket.

You can pop into Aldi, get a few groceries, put them in the car and then go for dinner.

I am fortunate and have options. I can go to many essential places by bike, I am able to walk and only need to drive occasionaly.

But I can think of many others that rely on their cars for pretty much everything for various reasons and would be trapped or massively inconvenienced by these schemes. Have some empathy

It sounds worse than ever if people are only allowed to shop in local businesses and not use supermarket chains and DIY stores. Has everyone to trek from shop to shop. No Wilko for you, you shop in an independent shop or you will be shamed

@thehorsehasnowbolted

And why can't you take the trolley in to the restaurant?

People with Blue Badges get dispensations.

Car drivers generally have zero empathy for the areas they pollute or streets that they make unsafe for children.

@QuertyGirl Restaurants do not have space for lots of people to bring in trolleys. They might manage with one, maybe.

@RedRiverShore3 They shop online. This is about buying online and shopping locally for fun in an artisan bakery.

@OutofEverything

This is actually a spectacular bit of privilege.

Pollution? RTAs? Who cares as long as posh people aren't inconvenienced going out for lunch.

It's completely disproportionate and cares nothing for those who either cannot drive or cannot afford to.

Let them eat cake, ay?

Thank goodness I don't live in a place like the one described in this thread, it sounds like lockdown all over again

So everyone has everything delivered and just goes to the butcher and bakery. What about those that shop in Aldi and Lidl as they don't deliver, will they have to change supermarket

Sure they'll offer you counselling to cope with the trauma

The alternative routes, involving the ring road, aren’t viable because the ring road is already at capacity since the LTNs pushed more traffic there.

the ring road is where the traffic should be, it was why it was built. If its at capacity its working, if it was empty it wouldn't be needed and there wouldn't have been any point in building the road.

Wales have decided not to build new roads, whether they then spend the millions on other travel options, I don't know. But if new roads weren't built in England it would free up money for other travel modes.

Ive cycled in Oxford and the cycle paths aren't great as they are filled with silt from the motor traffic. Reduce the motor traffic and the cycle paths would be improved greatly.

Its not a case of not changing though, it has to be changed, what do people purpose is done to reduce traffic?

@RedRiverShore3 They just have to walk and use a shopping trolley.

Yep I'm really traumatised, I think its quite funny actually

Haha, that everyone gotta go out with a shopping trolley, enjoy

I do see mainly young men without kids shopping at LIDL and ALDI and using backpacks to get shopping home. But they never have children with them.