Ban cars and make room for bikes

There was some news the other day in Vancouver where I live. They are attempting to close down some roads on a bridge to cars and make room for bikes only. Well bikes and transit. This lead me to this thought process.

What if we banned cars from downtown, or major parts of cities, for several days of the week. Leaving them open to only bikes, buses, and non engine forms of transit. So let's say Sunday's, Monday's are "car" days. All other days, are all other forms of transit (no this doesn't mean motor bikes or scooter's)

In this one simple move we would save on air pollution, we would eliminate traffic issues, and we would save craps load of money on insurance, gas, parking, etc.

On top of that however we could make bikes, shoes, roller blades, etc all more easily accessible to the public. Like a daily rental, or an inexpensive bike such as they have in parts of Europe.

Not only would you save the environment, but you would have another large effect on the population that now has to walk, bike, skate, or run, about town. You would save millions on health care, obesity, lung and heart disease, depression, and a whole world of other medical issues.

If you take Vancouver for instance, you really don't need a car. I bike, skytrain, bus and run everywhere. I live in New Westminster and it takes me 20 minutes to get to Kitsalano where I work. It is the same amount of time as the car. Plus I bike and run some of the distance, depending on my training for the day. So I also save on insurance, gas, parking, car repairs. I loose weight, I feel good, I don't have that huge belly that people that sit all day have.

I can see some of the arguments already. Oh my mother is old she can't walk. Bullshit. I think there is a very small amount of the population that has true medical issues that prevent them from walking or cycling. I think we are a population of lazy ass whiners, who don't want to work for anything, but want to have results like we do.

Another argument would be "well my store needs supplies" then plan them on the days that roads are open. I think we would see a whole new industry open up, from bikes, to attachments to bikes, to all the things that go along with them. Repairs, water bottles, shoes, etc. Let all the people that build cars, make bike and running gear. Why not.

I don't know, random thought of a brain injured guy that doesn't know much.