Comments on: SF’s Car Contradiction: While More People Choose Not To Drive, Number Of Cars Registered In SF Continues To Rise

By: SFnative74

SFnative74 — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:48:00 +0000

It’s not a contradiction. You can have a lower percentage of trips taken by people driving alone, but an increasing number of trips taken by people driving alone if the overall number of trips in the city has increased, which is likely what is happening with the increase economic activity.

Simplified example: If in 2010, you had 1000 work trips in the city, and 50% were by driving, then 500 trips were taken by driving.
If in 2013, you had 1400 work trips in the city, and 40% were by driving, then 560 trips were taken by driving.

By: voltairesmistress

voltairesmistress — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 17:21:00 +0000

If we designated every street parking space with paint and sensors, we would collect the necessary information on use, occupancy, etc. As a city we could then decide if some or all of previously unregulated parking should be priced, and if so, at what level. With rising income, most people like to have access to at least one car per household. If parking is virtually free and alternatives are relatively costly, car ownership will rise or remain level and storing cars on the street will remain the norm. I’d like to see that change and have the parking money put into building better transit or subsidizing car, scooter, bike services.

By: 94103er

94103er — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 21:37:00 +0000

Uh, 8th graf from the end: “Young people are also often deferring car ownership because alternative modes of transportation — car share, Muni, cycling — are (relatively speaking) pretty good in San Francisco, said Teresa Ojeda, Senior Planner, Information and Analysis at the Planning Department.”

By: larrybob

larrybob — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:44:00 +0000

The article doesn’t mention another transport mode – car share services. Someone could have no access to a private car, but be a member of a service and occasionally use a car.