30 Times The ‘Screw Cars’ Online Group Made Us Feel Like We’re Living In A Dystopia
Cars: you can love them, you can hate them, but you can’t deny their overwhelming prevalence in the world. And while some of us are so used to it, we don’t really pay attention to it anymore, others are getting increasingly furious.
If you’re also getting annoyed by oversized pickup trucks, this online anti-car community welcomes all car-hating folk with open arms, and so far, they have over 400k members. It’s a safe space to vent about insane traffic, car-focused city design, poor public transit infrastructure, and the lack of green and community areas.
The car-free movement idea in general is quite big these days. It is supported by many urban planners, environmentalists, social activists, and transportation engineers. They advocate for walkable cities, mixed-use buildings, high density housing, and accessible public transportation.
To get some firsthand insight, we spoke to Paul Stout, a graduate student of urban design who gained a following on TikTok because of his videos explaining it. But before we get into the nitty gritty of things, check out this collection of some of the most infuriating instances of car dominance and some of the most beautiful examples of how it could be different.
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Religious Freedom, Daytime Drag, And Robust Public Transportation
Nice Summary Of This Sub I Guess
Also a lot harder to crash a train into a skyscraper. Just sayin'.
This Awful Space Between Two Kindergardens In My Neighborhood Got The Ultimate Car-Free Makeover. Copenhagen, Denmark
Car dominance is a thing all over the world, but it’s the most noticeable in the US. Paul Stout quotes a few reasons for that, including disinvestment in city centers, urban renewal, and a strong automotive industry. However, according to him, the biggest one is the zoning law which allows cities to enforce single-use areas in city planning. This means that certain sections of a city can only be used for residential, commercial, or industry buildings. This gave rise to the suburbs, which, in turn, made cars an essential part of living.
However, the increasing concern for climate change and the often-unbearable traffic is encouraging more and more individuals to reconsider the necessity of a car in their lives. Hence, the car free movement idea is getting increasingly popular.
Carbrain Andrew Tate Taunts Greta Thunberg On Twitter. Greta Doesn't Hold Back In Her Response
F**k The Cato Institute
I Love Me Some Grassy Trams
Apart from that, more green in the city centers has been proven to reduce summer temperatures significantly, thus reducing the effect of heatwaves. There is a reason why more and more european cities experiment with green streets, superblock zones and roof gardens.
So true. My city has been trying to plant 500 trees a year for the last 2 years just try and help lower the temperature as they grow.
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Probably either Mäkelänkatu or Hämeentie (streets in Helsinki Finland)
Electric buses aren't smelly. And they make that lovely futuristic sound I like.
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This looks like the tram lines in Amsterdam, taking people from the more residential areas into the city centre. It's fantastic. It move so many people, and at a fraction of the pollution caused by cars. It's also a fraction of the noise cars make, and it's faster than cars too. The trams don't get caught up in traffic.
Several big cities in the Netherlands have trams like this as well. Looks good and works well. Although it's still only parts of the tram tracks. Public transport and bikes are all you need in the cities. No cars necessary.
Unfortunately, both them trains are stuck because there are leaves on the tracks.
THIS is how you do it. Make public transport efficient, fast, reliable and cheep, and see cars start to rapidly disappear. It's not that many people prefer cars by default, it's just that they prefer them at least for the fact that they don't have to be stuffed along with other people in one place, in sometimes horrendous physical conditions like no ventilation, no comfort whatsoever etc.
While I like the idea of greener cities I'm not sure this many trees this close to train (tram?) lines is a great idea. Makes maintenance harder and it needs to be constant. Just to keep branches away from the power line. Also increased risk of outages if something drops on the line or a big enough branch drop on the track.
When I was coming home from my last trip, I saw that my city started to renovate some tram tracks by laying grass carpets!
Noooo the little bugs living there are going to be traumatized and get squashed repeatedly 😰
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQeiVDAFpmgfthV9bAJjacvQU3kKgG3gThsNg&usqp=CAU Klevan Ukraine
This is great. Until the power goes out or it's too dry to run a cable car because it may create sparks that cause fires. This looks lovely though.
The benefits of the car-free movement are many. The study that analyzed plans for private car free city centers found significant reductions in traffic-related air pollution, noise, and temperature. The reduction of cars also minimizes the need for parking spaces, which provides more room for green and community areas. This is a point that Stout emphasizes as well, as he believes that getting rid of parking minimum mandates can make a positive impact on communities. According to him, in addition to creating more public space, it would also “bring down the cost of housing, and allow density to exist in places it currently cannot.”
On top of all that, cleaner air, communal spaces that encourage socializing, and potential for more active mobility and physical activity can also lead to health benefits. And we haven’t even started about the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Found On Insta, Thought It Fit Well Here
And on public transport ppl can play on their phones and not kill anyone
More Of This Please
Over 70 Years Later And We Still Widen Roads
It's crazy for how long it has been known that adding lanes just doesn't work and yet most city planners/councils seemingly never got the memo.
However, not all car free initiatives work as well. The impact of car free days during which car traffic is restricted in certain areas varies a lot depending on the scale and goals of the project. Diverting traffic can increase congestion and air pollution in neighborhoods where it wasn’t a problem before. Retail business owners are also weary of car free initiatives as it might deter locals from shopping.
Just Go For A Walk, You'll Feel Better, I Promise
Infrastructure Is Too Expensive
Pinterest Randomly Reminded Me That Cars Have More Rights Than Humans Sometimes
In general, it seems that the car free movement concept is embraced more readily in Europe. Madrid, Oslo, Helsinki, and Hamburg have in the past pledged their commitment to become partly car free cities while Ghent and Nuremburg are already there. Then, there’s Barcelona that is often praised for their superblocks—clusters of city blocks designed to prioritize pedestrians and reduce car traffic.
Yet Another Person Realizing What‘S Good
Good Planning
F**k These Cars A Little Less
Of course, this trend, as well the pressing matters that force it, is not limited to Europe. For example, China’s megacity Shenzhen is investing in a massive car free district, while The Line, the ambitious Saudi Arabian project city is intended to have no cars, streets, or carbon emissions. African countries such as Uganda, Ethiopia, and Rwanda have adopted monthly car free days and enough citizens are taking advantage of it to see these initiatives grow.
I Know It's An Old Tweet. I Don't Know If This Is A Repost. I Just Think People Here Will Like Something Like This
Height Of Folly (By Jen Sorensen)
I wonder how many grannys and grandpas have broken their legs trying to get out of those "cars". They look like you need a ladder to get in!
The Public Train I Take To Go To Work Has A Self Service Coffee Station
Overall, it seems that the car-free movement is the future. And, after looking at all these posts, it seems that that future cannot come soon enough.
Helicopters Exist Also
Is "Trunk Or Treat" Real And Because Of Non-Walkable Communities?
I’m Convinced A Lot Of People Wouldn’t See Something Wrong With This
My partner looked at it and shouted "dream house!" 😫 No I do not agree, unless the garage is a cat room
How Is This Legal?
Unfortunately that really is a huge safety problem. In an extra high SUV your viewing angle is so skewed you have virtually no chance to see anything smaller than an adult. Also it makes you drive more in the middle of the road instead of on the side, because you are unable to see the curb otherwise. SUVs are a traffic nightmare.
American Exceptionalism
Cool Idea? (Cannot Stand Carbrains In The Replies)
Everything Must Be Sacrificed For The Car
The poicture reminds me of the sad story of what was known as the "loneliest tree" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_of_T%C3%A9n%C3%A9r%C3%A9) . It was a single tree standing in the middle of a huge desert, hundreds of miles away even from the next road. What happend to it? Yes, you guess right: it was hit by a car.
New vs. Old Mini Cooper
Terrifying
Magic Parking Lot
6 Hour Line Of 14 Lane Traffic At Burning Man
My City (Ottawa, Canada) Removing A Pedestrianized Street In Favour Of Cars
Stolen From Facebook
The Onion Strikes Again
Housing and homelessness crisis solved! Everyone lives in their cars!
“But What About People Who Need Big Trucks For Work?”
Town Centers
Assuming This Hasn't Been Posted Here Before
Tesla Go Boom
Cars May Be The Most Important Movie Of The Past 20 Years
I'll admit,I only watched the first one, and where was it urban? Most of the movie was set in the desert, where you'd definitely need a car.
Won't Be Safe In Anything Weighing Less Than 4 Tons
True Advertisement: Our Problems Will Not Be Solved By Newer Cars. They Will Only Be Solved By Fewer Cars
I Don't Blame The Kids For Staying Inside
2021 Best Selling Automobile In The Us (Ford F150) vs. 2021 Best Selling Automobile In Italy (Fiat Panda). You Can Almost Fit 2 Pandas In A Single F150 (And A Panda Will Fit Just As Many People)
Japanese Trucks vs. American Trucks
And yet Toyota makes the Tundra and NOT exclusively for the US market.
An American Pickup In Europe
Footnote: Bought by a compensating European, parked by a compensating European.
In New York, People Are Cleaning The Walls As A Result Of Years Being Polluted By Cars
But not just by cars. This'll happen to any facade that sees plentiful moisture and shade.
Activists Install Crosswalks. The City Removes Them. Allegedly They Do This So You Know That Your Safety Isn't A Priority For Them
In Germany there was a story where they installed a crosswalk at a construction site, officially for the workers on it. But pedestrians and most importantly children used it as well to safely get over the street. Guess what: After construction ended they dead-a** removed the crosswalk too. Because, you know, it was only temporary for the construction workers.
Eff Cars
My Apologies For Trying To Bike In The Car Storage Lane
Trucks Used To Be Work Tools Before They Turned Into Death Machines
Coworkers Made Me A Bike Lane All The Way To My Desk Because Of How Much I Talk About Cars Sucking
The Onion Strikes Again
Change Is Scary For Car Brains
These must be done with some foresight though. Atlanta GA/USA put in a streetcar for a tremendous expense that goes NO WHERE that people who work/live in the city would go. It does nothing to alleve traffic and instead just muddles the intersections quite a bit.
Uber Eats Driver Is One Of Us
Sidewalks Are Car Infrastructure. Change My Mind
As a dog owner, I LOVE when there are adequate sidewalks. My neighborhood is a weird mix of streets with sidewalks and those without. I specifically plan our walks around the streets with sidewalks so I'm not in the way and my pups are safe. I luckily live within a 5 min drive of a lovely big park, too.
I Saw This And I Thought About You Guys ;)
The Oil Lobby Is Way Too Strong
Carbrainer Will Prefer To Live In Houston
Beautiful
Walking Is Illegal
Famous Beach Is Removed In Favor Of Building A Coastal Highway. Government Calls It A Massive Achievement To Relieve Traffic. Alexandria, Egypt
Parking Requirements
Road Widening Makes It Worse
Trains Are So 19th Century, Clearly The Answer Is More Cars Everywhere
Guess They've Never Heard Of Parks
We need more posts like this, it is becoming really hard to breath. Ignorance is outraging!
More sensationalized half-truth memes that support your cognitive bias? Look at every comment section, most of it is debunked by people that know the place, given clarity by research, or dunked-on with absolute sanity. You must not want half-truths, you must not take the social media "funny pages" at face value when it concerns a fact of the world. You must want more elaboration, not unreasonable fittings of emotion. "Ignorance is outraging"... hey, you said it. Know when to use "We" which is rarely, you don't speak for anyone but yourself here. Go change your tampon
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I live in Japan, and not even in Tokyo or Osaka. Not rural, but not "big city" by Japanese standards. I don't have a car. I have a license, but I actually have a phobia of cars, like not kidding here, not hyperbole: an actual phobia. Japan is great for me because I can go out of my house and in two minutes I'm at the station. At the next station, I catch a bus. Bus not convenient? I can walk. Even if the trains weren't running (like one time there was a typhoon): I walked home. Took awhile, but it wasn't so bad (except when the roof of a shed flew past me). Most of the time, I don't need a car. Clinic, dentist, supermarket, hardware store: all walking distance.
Of the nearly 3.5 years I lived in Japan, I haven't missed my car (which I drove almost daily before moving) even once. Public transport WORKS
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If anyone is interested, there's this really cool Instagrampage from a Canadian couple with all these examples about how converting to more cycle-friendly communities is really a change for the better. It's called modacitylife (no spon, it's just very interesting ).
My working hours and the place I work change every now and then, so I have to use my own car to get to work and home. But I do support public transportation.
When I lived in Chicago it didn't matter because the El ran so often. Public transit done right is better than a car for everything but large quantity hauling...and now we have peak delivery.
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I dunno public transport always sucks and it's to awfully safe as there is a lot of harassment or worse going on in there, so I'd rather never use it. It's also far more expensive than driving here compared to driving a small car or even medium sized ones as long as the fuel economy is decent. I do think they should stop banning electric scooters/steps of they want people to use cars less tho, that seems like a good option when you have the displeasure of having to go to a city to begin with. More green is also always good, but cities have none of that either. Cities just suck for everything tbh.
We need more posts like this, it is becoming really hard to breath. Ignorance is outraging!
More sensationalized half-truth memes that support your cognitive bias? Look at every comment section, most of it is debunked by people that know the place, given clarity by research, or dunked-on with absolute sanity. You must not want half-truths, you must not take the social media "funny pages" at face value when it concerns a fact of the world. You must want more elaboration, not unreasonable fittings of emotion. "Ignorance is outraging"... hey, you said it. Know when to use "We" which is rarely, you don't speak for anyone but yourself here. Go change your tampon
Load More Replies... I live in Japan, and not even in Tokyo or Osaka. Not rural, but not "big city" by Japanese standards. I don't have a car. I have a license, but I actually have a phobia of cars, like not kidding here, not hyperbole: an actual phobia. Japan is great for me because I can go out of my house and in two minutes I'm at the station. At the next station, I catch a bus. Bus not convenient? I can walk. Even if the trains weren't running (like one time there was a typhoon): I walked home. Took awhile, but it wasn't so bad (except when the roof of a shed flew past me). Most of the time, I don't need a car. Clinic, dentist, supermarket, hardware store: all walking distance.
Of the nearly 3.5 years I lived in Japan, I haven't missed my car (which I drove almost daily before moving) even once. Public transport WORKS
Load More Replies... If anyone is interested, there's this really cool Instagrampage from a Canadian couple with all these examples about how converting to more cycle-friendly communities is really a change for the better. It's called modacitylife (no spon, it's just very interesting ).
My working hours and the place I work change every now and then, so I have to use my own car to get to work and home. But I do support public transportation.
When I lived in Chicago it didn't matter because the El ran so often. Public transit done right is better than a car for everything but large quantity hauling...and now we have peak delivery.
Load More Replies... I dunno public transport always sucks and it's to awfully safe as there is a lot of harassment or worse going on in there, so I'd rather never use it. It's also far more expensive than driving here compared to driving a small car or even medium sized ones as long as the fuel economy is decent. I do think they should stop banning electric scooters/steps of they want people to use cars less tho, that seems like a good option when you have the displeasure of having to go to a city to begin with. More green is also always good, but cities have none of that either. Cities just suck for everything tbh.
