Paris to ban SUVs

[OTEP]

Some cars and vans are significantly bigger than SUVs and consume more fuel. Why not ban those, too?

[mazdamazda]

Some cars and vans are significantly bigger than SUVs and consume more fuel. Why not ban those, too?

like the Maybach... S-Class... Town Cars...

[quiksie]

may truck pa nga sa pic e hehe

[pink_cadillac]

The pollution to utility ratios of SUV's are notoriously disproportionate. The solution is to advocate the use of diesel engines instead of petrol gargling variants.

In a city that in itself has limited space, these vehicles take up more space than necessary. But banning SUV's is counter to simple rights people should be enjoying. Taxing them more would seem rational.

Thing is, most Europeans aren't as flashy as the Americans. So to them BIG CARS with obnoxiously big engines are unusual.

[OTO]

^^ maybe because more Parisians have SUVs than S Class, Mayback and Town Cars? Anyway it's Paris and not Metro Manila so it shouldnt affect SUV loving Pinoys.

[woulfe27]

it's not a stupid idea. if you've been to Paris, you probably have seen that their city streets are not as wide as those in US cities. what's stupid is owning a gas guzzler in this time of crisis, even if you can afford it.

[niky]

I've been to France and I understand the reasons given by the Paris city council in wanting to ban SUVs. I think their decision is ideal for Paris and not entirely ideal in ours. Yes, both our countries have traffic & pollution problems but the difference in political will, culture and attitudes towards SUVs makes the of banning SUVs here in Metro Manila political suicide. Almost every Pinoy loves almost everything popularized by Americans like SUVs. Politicos loves SUVs as they're a symbol of power & wealth. SUVs are ideal because our roads are crap & often times flooded and peace of mind it gives in the chance of accidents.

The French losing every military engagement is an exageration and a bad stereotype created and perpetuated by flag waving, redneck Americans who seem justified in invading countries that are magnitudes less powerful than they are. It's as if you said all Filipinas are domestic helpers.

Also the French have this thing called the Foreign Legion (a branch of the French armed forces) that accept foreigners into its ranks. This is not to be confused with them using other countries armed forces to do their bidding. It is closer to outsourcing.

Very well thought out... naunahan mo ako... and yes, that stupid idea about France's military is so redneck it's appalling. If France is weak, then what is Canada? (One of the best places to live in Northern America, of course, best welfare and social benefits outside of Sweden)... What is the Philippines? We have an army that can hardly defeat itself, and an airforce that can blow just ONE building to rubble, but takes half a day to do it...

I see a lot of people who disagree are SUV owners themselves. Remember, this is just a proposal. But it makes sense in a way. Big vehicles are not suited to congested metropolitan streets, and are definitely dangerous to small cars which are. Yes, I agree that SUVs are useful out here in the Philippines, but for those of us who can afford them, getting a smaller vehicle for non-cargo/people hauling demands might be a good idea.

I think a car-pooling law for SUVs above a certain width or length would be more prudent... actually, for ANY car that big. The future does lie in public transport and bike lanes. That leaves us to drive our cars out where it is best to enjoy them... out on the open highways and in the country.

[Tacoma_34]

it's not a stupid idea. if you've been to Paris, you probably have seen that their city streets are not as wide as those in US cities. what's stupid is owning a gas guzzler in this time of crisis, even if you can afford it.

Yup!

[empy]

i've been to Paris also. i'm not sure if i would say SUV's are "popular", most people still prefer to drive small fuel-efficient cars (fuel prices are ridiculous there) and SUV's are comparatively few and far between...maybe ownership has exploded very recently...?

pollution is not bad at all, and while the streets are all very narrow, they're not narrower than Philippine streets. politically, i think France can do this because they are more socialist and the people are more environmentally conscious...i am guessing that most Parisiennes could care less about SUV's since they've never thought of owning one.

re: the reputation of the French military...some people (mostly Americans) take it a little too far, but for me it's more of a joke to poke fun at the French people and the government...who tend to be a little arrogant towards foreigners and in foreign affairs. as a couple of people have already said, France conquered and colonized a good part of the world not too long ago.

uy, eto pala yung hotel california na pinagkakantahan ng Eagles

[Blackraven]

Some cars and vans are significantly bigger than SUVs and consume more fuel. Why not ban those, too?

Well, I don't think it is a stupid idea too ban SUVs in Paris.

Especially in the case of Europe as a whole, there roads are as small and narrow (somewhat like Japan).

I know that Europe overall is a First-World Continent but the funny thing is, there roads are as narrow as the olden times (as narrow as before the automobile was invented). From London, to Paris, to Monaco, to the A25 (M1 Highway obviously doesn't count as small), to Dresden, to Dublin, Prague, Hungary, and the whole of Europe, that is the one thing common.

There small roads can't acommodate big vehicles.

Of course, one would have to define what an SUV is based on the European point of view.

X-trail is an SUV yet it is not that big. So there is something that is unclear.

As for HUMMER H2, Ford Expedition, those big Cadillac mammoths and the like, yeah they can ban those automatically.