Let’s do more, city council, to rid Nelson of the “car culture” that exists.
Add more bicycle racks downtown, not more parking spots. For our planet’s sake, let’s make it more difficult to use cars than bicycles and our own two feet. Yes, less able-bodied people and the elderly may need vehicles and let’s have more spots available for them but, clearly, the majority of us able-bodied people should get off our asses and bike or walk. Let’s set an example, also, for the children. Let’s steer people more forcefully in the right direction.
Yes, by all means, increase the parking meter fees – double them — but decrease the fee for riding the bus – don’t increase it! What kind of thinking is that? Be bold, set an example, and see what happens if you make transit free for two weeks! We want more people to see the value in riding the bus rather than starting up their own vehicles.
It is sad, but people are just not understanding the bigger picture. They are still hopping in vehicles to go downtown when they live within eight blocks – a 10-minute walk. If the bus fee was really cheap or even free, maybe more people would use it for their quick jaunts downtown or to the soccer fields.
I can’t count how many times, on my walks, I’ve seen vehicles drive by me going in the direction of downtown only to be coming back up the hill less than 10 minutes later. I cannot understand this mentality. Maybe it is just because people cannot comprehend the overwhelming, incomprehensible idea that, in the foreseeable future, the earth may not be habitable for us any longer. Some people are just not willing to make sacrifices that impact their time or their lazy lifestyle because they can’t look beyond their own lifespan – and don’t want to.
Heather Jenkins
Nelson