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Q: Cars main cause of death and illness in Beijing
At least - that's what seems to be the case.
I just heard (on my streamed from Australia) radio, that Beijing issued it's first ever Red Alert for pollution levels today.
So, how to fix this problem?
Obviously - cut down on the number of cars allowed to drive around the city...
Not - close factories. Not even do something about the TYPES of cars on the roads, and their emissions... no!
Just - less cars...
(ps - why isn't there a 'government & politics category?? 
)
I bet you wish they still had the Olympics on!.
8 years 19 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
'It's the wind
on Thursday'
, which will get the matter sorted.
Don't you read the proper news? '0H' and such....
http://www.worldweatheronline.com/Beijing-weather/Beijing/CN.aspx
Laowai shouldn't talk politics in China, so why do you need a 'Gov' category? Just put under Entertainment.
The pollution fom cars is horrendous in BJ. and no doubt causes many deaths & illness.And guess who 17% of those driving or being driven are?
Yep, Govt officials! From a very reputable source..now thats alot of cars adding to the problem.
Surely you'd think if Govt was serious about really doing something abt pollution, they'd set an example...eg use taxis, share rides, ride a bloody bike etc. Its a joke.
Also, the many deaths & those maimed in car accidents in the area (which are never publicised, of course) just adds to the problem.
Chinese have been spoon fed the narrative that having a car is part of the Chinese dream. Unfortunately, the rapid increase in autos on the streets has led to huge problems in terms of traffic and pollution. Traveling in any big city during rush hour is a nightmare - so what's the solution? Have a car of course! It's more pleasant to travel in a private car than on a bus and it sucks trying to hail a taxi. It's a classic tragedy of the commons example where the best solution for the individual is multiplied millions of times and ends up making the situation worse for all. What China desperately needs is to improve its public transportation - it's being done in a lot of cases and most Tier 2 cities now have subway systems or are building them. China also needs to add buses and modernize them so they are more pleasant to ride.
Actually the problem of too many cars is a problem of copying - in many ways China wants to copy America and the rest of the developed world. Oh, the American dream where everyone has a house and a car in some idyllic suburban community. The problem is that this is impossible to replicate in massive Chinese cities. What the Chinese need to replicate is the URBAN planning of places like New York, London and Tokyo where most people come into the city via commuter trains, take the subway and use public transportation. In these cities, where people are much richer than Beijingers, people do not drive cars to get around day to day. In fact, the people who do have cars typically use them only when traveling outside the city to weekend homes and such.
Driving a car everywhere is not what people in the cosmopolitan cities of the world do - using modern, extensive and efficient public transportation is. China should follow the lead of others and discourage private car ownership.
