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Canada proposes 100% tariffs on Tesla, I have an alternative: open the door to Chinese EVs (electrek.co)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/canada@lemmy.ca
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[–] 77 points 1 year ago (8 children)

I have a better alternative: invest in viable alternatives to driving! expand protected bike lanes, build the damn high speed rail, more trains, trams and bus lines. One more asphalt lane for cars wont solve traffic problems :)

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    That would work for much of the population that lives within 100 miles of the US border, but there is a lot of rural and green space in Canada, and bikes aren't great in Canadian winters. Canada needs good car options too.

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago* (1 child)

    As of the 2021 census, nearly 6 million people (16% of the total Canadian population) lived in rural areas of Canada.

    84% of Canadians live in cities, and that's where good urban infrastructure is the most needed.
    Making car-centric infrastructure mostly electric will help a bit, but not a whole lot.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Oh, I agree that mass transit wouldn't really work in areas that aren't as dense, but we should definitely have those where possible. I didn't mean to say we don't need good car options, but we should also have more options besides just cars

    Now regarding bikes and winter, I'd say that's more of an infrastructure problem. Finland also has terrible winter, yet they can bike as usual. You should watch this video if you are interested in this theme: "Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)"

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    I understand that infrastructure is more important to be able to cycle in the winter, even eclipsing temperature in very cold areas. I live in an area where there is no bicycle infrastructure, I'm actually 100x safer riding my motorcycle well below freezing on the road, than riding my bicycle on a beautiful fall day. And I do, I have gear for it .There are cities though, where temperatures don't regularly get super cold and people don't actually have the clothing and gear to cycle in the winter. I would guess in those areas, temperature is more of a factor. In areas where winters are consistently very cold, people already have what they need and are able to cycle if the infrastructure is there.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    That's the thing, with infrastructure you don't need special gear to ride in winter. You commute on your commuter bike in your regular clothes that you use for everything else. You don't need to run crazy speeds or jump over crazy hills, you ride you commuter with the same intensity you would have if you just walk.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    In cities at least, bikes are just as good as cars in winter. Your city just needs to put as much effort in to building and clearing bike lanes as it does car lanes. Places that give a shit actually plow and salt their bike paths and bike lanes.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    In cities at least, bikes are just as good as cars in winte

    Your bike has a heater built-in and a way to block out the cold wind and/or rain?

    That's usually what people mean when they mention vehicles in the winter, not just the road being cleared

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  • [–] 6 points 1 year ago

    Love this idea; however, bringing Chinese cars is like applying pressure to the wound... fixing public transportation is the long term healing process.

    1 - They are not mutually exclusive, bring the Chinese cars now while starting on the long term public transportation projects

    2 - The Federal gov can act on the Chinese cars now... public transportation is 100% Provincial purview so an entirely different team needs to address this other priority

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  • [–] 4 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    Our newly-elected Premier has unfortunately doubled down on giving cars priority with the mandated removal of bike lanes and building new highways (413), even though their own data says that Toronto with be just as congested a few years after building them.

    Oh I forgot to mention the tunnel under the 401, which is a massive boondoggle waiting to happen

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago*

    As someone who loves driving cars, I'm completely on board with this. Driving should be optional, and I'd love to leave the car home when I go out partying, or don't want to worry about leaving my nice ride somewhere sketchy overnight.

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