It’s called Wombi, and they’re much nicer than the Lime bikes because they’re not public use. You get to keep it at your house and they offer great servicing options too!
Love this piece, Susan! Do you have any thought (prescriptions) for moving "The West" in the direction of more 2 and three wheeled EVs? I also have to imagine that if there were small, light "city cars" that were designed for the 80% of trips, like the Fiat Topolino, that would also be a win for the climate. Most drivers don't need 300+ miles of range on most days, and something like a Topolino could get the two kids and groceries home on a blustery, rainy day for the parent who is not willing to don rain gear and a helmet.
One thing I always come back to is the idea of charging registration fees based on GVW and wheelbase to send a price signal. Eliminating free street parking is another, but it has to be done much more widely and uniformly than in a city like Seattle where the price to park can vary by a factor of 5 from one block to the next (or from free to paid) creating a slot machine effect where people always thing they will find cheap parking.
So many great points in there, Gregory. Almost no one needs the range but everyone wants it. Your point about convenience is important too. Unfortunately, it’s clear that cars are getting bigger and bigger not more efficient, and it’s a partly function of other cars getting bigger (so you feel like you need a big one to protect yourself on the road), in a feedback loop that is having negative outcomes for climate, pro-social cities and our bank accounts! Great points on parking. There’s a whole field of research there that is probably as fascinating as it is infuriating.
I think the West needs to make it vastly less friendly to drive a car around urban cores; when it’s inconvenient, people adapt — Amsterdam-style. Right now, cities like Seattle are built for cars, not people, and everything else pays the price. We want the density of a San Francisco or New York, but we don’t want to give up 3-8 parking spots per vehicle, 1-2 vehicles per adult!
100% http://opafiets.substack.com
I’m curious what monthly ebike rental service your family tried in Seattle. I’ve seen a lot of Lime bikes and scooters in neighborhoods
It’s called Wombi, and they’re much nicer than the Lime bikes because they’re not public use. You get to keep it at your house and they offer great servicing options too!
Love this piece, Susan! Do you have any thought (prescriptions) for moving "The West" in the direction of more 2 and three wheeled EVs? I also have to imagine that if there were small, light "city cars" that were designed for the 80% of trips, like the Fiat Topolino, that would also be a win for the climate. Most drivers don't need 300+ miles of range on most days, and something like a Topolino could get the two kids and groceries home on a blustery, rainy day for the parent who is not willing to don rain gear and a helmet.
One thing I always come back to is the idea of charging registration fees based on GVW and wheelbase to send a price signal. Eliminating free street parking is another, but it has to be done much more widely and uniformly than in a city like Seattle where the price to park can vary by a factor of 5 from one block to the next (or from free to paid) creating a slot machine effect where people always thing they will find cheap parking.
So many great points in there, Gregory. Almost no one needs the range but everyone wants it. Your point about convenience is important too. Unfortunately, it’s clear that cars are getting bigger and bigger not more efficient, and it’s a partly function of other cars getting bigger (so you feel like you need a big one to protect yourself on the road), in a feedback loop that is having negative outcomes for climate, pro-social cities and our bank accounts! Great points on parking. There’s a whole field of research there that is probably as fascinating as it is infuriating.
I think the West needs to make it vastly less friendly to drive a car around urban cores; when it’s inconvenient, people adapt — Amsterdam-style. Right now, cities like Seattle are built for cars, not people, and everything else pays the price. We want the density of a San Francisco or New York, but we don’t want to give up 3-8 parking spots per vehicle, 1-2 vehicles per adult!
this is such a good article and so hopeful. I have been to Ubud but never tried the durian.