Should cars be banned in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
DC is car centered politically but practically speaking DC is second to NY in non car mode share in the US and DC's non car mode share numbers are actually very good.

On transit usage, walking, biking and even car ownership rates DC has very good rates and as all DC residents know most of the cars on our streets (and the carnage that goes with it) are from the suburbs.

There is no reason DC can't further evolve its policies to serve its residents rather than suburban drivers and there are lots of things DC could do to those ends that would not involve banning cars in any manner.

Better public transportation would be the most important step followed by better pedestrian and bike infra and yes all of those things would necessitate taking things away from drivers.

FWIW both Arlington and Montgomery Counties both have some pretty good policies around multi-modality they both make the same mistake as DC in trying to invest in both which practically doesn't really work as you are negotiating against yourself.

Amen. We should #bancars anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Berlin is close to voting on a referendum to allow people just 12 car trips per year in the city.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/07/03/berlin-moves-to-ban-autos-from-inside-the-city-widespread-chaos-looms/

I figure this might solve the problem of congress being too old if everyone has to take a bike.

It will be interesting to watch all the cyclists in DC when the temperature is 25 degrees with a wind chill temp of 18.
And, you expect the Congress members who live in VA or MD - 20+ miles from DC to bike to work?

People will be a lot fitter and thinner

And before people say that dc is thin…it’s still bigger than Paris or Milan

Even in the umc community - dc people pack a solid 20+ lbs more than their ses counterparts in Western Europe

Who is their right mind is driving inside DC if they live in DC and are walking distance away from amenities and can easily commute to their job? This is a fake grievance. People already walk by far and large. The reason we need cars when living in urban areas is because areas outside are very car dependent and we need cars to go OUTSIDE of the city. Some people have family they need to visit outside or even jobs, and with transit being limited it’s often faster to drive than take a combination of metro and buses if you don’t live/work near stations.

These limitations isn’t about improving the lives or residents in the city but controlling how many times people leave their city limits. Get real. This is precisely the thing paranoid conspiracies mean when they say “15 min city”. People should have access to personal vehicles and be allowed to use them whenever they want to get outside and have freedom of movement. And I am a big proponent of urban lifestyle and walkability and NYC is my favorite city (lived there for a very long time).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Berlin is close to voting on a referendum to allow people just 12 car trips per year in the city.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/07/03/berlin-moves-to-ban-autos-from-inside-the-city-widespread-chaos-looms/

I figure this might solve the problem of congress being too old if everyone has to take a bike.

DC does not have the density to warrant this type of action. With the height limit DC sits in a position where it needs mass transit but has difficulties paying for it- ie enough density to need mass transit but not have enough density to finance what is needs. It is trapped in a goldilocks zone.

This. DC’s only hazard for pedestrians are MD crazy drivers not presence of too many DC residents driving their cars everywhere inside the city. People in urban settings like to own cars to go OUTSIDE of the urban areas where the world is very car dependent. It’s the reason many Manhattan families indeed own personal vehicles and deal with crazy parking fees or PITA street parking and congestion pricing. You would be surprised.. Try to ban people from leaving their city limits in their cars and people will protest. USA is not Europe. Even NE Bos-Wash corridor isn’t anything close to Europe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes.

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Berlin is close to voting on a referendum to allow people just 12 car trips per year in the city.

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/07/03/berlin-moves-to-ban-autos-from-inside-the-city-widespread-chaos-looms/

I figure this might solve the problem of congress being too old if everyone has to take a bike.

It will be interesting to watch all the cyclists in DC when the temperature is 25 degrees with a wind chill temp of 18.
And, you expect the Congress members who live in VA or MD - 20+ miles from DC to bike to work?

People will be a lot fitter and thinner

And before people say that dc is thin…it’s still bigger than Paris or Milan

Even in the umc community - dc people pack a solid 20+ lbs more than their ses counterparts in Western Europe

Who is their right mind is driving inside DC if they live in DC and are walking distance away from amenities and can easily commute to their job? This is a fake grievance. People already walk by far and large. The reason we need cars when living in urban areas is because areas outside are very car dependent and we need cars to go OUTSIDE of the city. Some people have family they need to visit outside or even jobs, and with transit being limited it’s often faster to drive than take a combination of metro and buses if you don’t live/work near stations.

These limitations isn’t about improving the lives or residents in the city but controlling how many times people leave their city limits. Get real. This is precisely the thing paranoid conspiracies mean when they say “15 min city”. People should have access to personal vehicles and be allowed to use them whenever they want to get outside and have freedom of movement. And I am a big proponent of urban lifestyle and walkability and NYC is my favorite city (lived there for a very long time).

People with families. People who have to juggle picking up multiple kids from different schools, aftercare. People who need to buy groceries, who need to be in different places on tight deadlines.