Car-Free Cities

Humans almost feel the need to own a car almost as much as they feel the need to own a phone.  The automobile industry has been a growing industry since World War 2.  There are so many advantages to limiting car usage.  Saving on gas and getting good exercise are just a few of the great advantages of limiting car usage.

Vauban, Germany understands that according to Source 1 which talks about how they have given up their cars!  Not only is it saving them a ton of money on gas, car insurance, car payments, and fixing parts, it also gives them all great exercise.  If everyone walks everywhere everyday the whole city will be fit in no time.  Another advantage to the loss of cars, no car accidents.  180,000 people die a year due to car accidents.  The death's in this city will be reduced drastically due to no cars.  This no car movement is a growing trend in Europe, the United States and elsewhere as a component of a movement called "smart planning".

Source 2 talks about how Paris has banned driving due to smog.  Congestion went down 60 percent in the capital of France.  Delivery companies in Paris complained of lost revenue, while exceptions were made for plug-in cars, hybrids, and cars carrying three or more passengers.  The advantages of limiting car usage here is the you'd never have to worry about there being smog outside or snow etc.  Limiting car usage, you wouldn't have to worry about the weather being so terrible that you can't drive in smog or heavy rain and have a car accident.

Bogota, Colombia joins the no car movement for what is known as "Car-Free Day".  Source 3 discusses the day without cars in Bogota, Colombia.  It is an improvement campaign that began in Bogota in the mid-1990s.  It's seen the construction of 118 miles of bicycle paths, the most of any Latin American city, according to their city's mayor.  Limiting car usage in this city could be great for a lot of reasons.  One being they are the only Latin-American city to have covered 118 miles of bicycle paths.  Their parks and sports centers are now blooming throughout the city.  It's uneven, pitted sidewalks have been replaced by broad, smooth sidewalks.

Source 4 talks about the End of Car Culture.  Studies have shown that as the years go on, driving is becoming less and less popular which is sad for many automobile industries worldwide.  In America, the partial cause of the decrease in car usage is the unemployment rate being so low, it's not like someone has to go to work.  Gas is becoming to expensive, why would people even want to have cars if they can barely afford them?  Riding a bicycle is beneficial for more money in your pocket and more healthiness for your body.