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ActionJawnson t1_j9gfu6m wrote

Reply to comment by mexheavymetal in 81 Short Term Rental Units to Replace Parking Lot in Chinatown by ColdJay64

Until all that is actually safe for people, I would rather see parking for everyone. I know why I'm getting downvoted and I really don't care. As someone that does actually walk home from the convention center late at night amd has almost been assaulted ( I carry tools and defended myself immediately) , I realize some people feel safer driving. Better public transit and safe bike lanes sound great, but I don't see it ever happening.

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hdhcnsnd t1_j9gh8bn wrote

Parking for everyone means the city becomes a parking lot, which means we don’t have a city at all.

Less parking disincentivizes driving and gets people walking, biking and on public transportation. More people using those different modes creates a “critical mass”, which improves safety on virtue of volume alone.

Less parking is more room for businesses and housing, all of which provide more tax revenue for the city (which can be used to fund public safety!), and adds actual value to the community.

I get what you’re saying about safety, but your proposed solution of “parking for everyone” really just accelerates the problem you’re talking about.

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ActionJawnson t1_j9ghtwj wrote

When I say parking for everyone, what I mean is everyone that doesn't feel safe walking, riding a bike or taking public transportation. Obviously, the city cannot support parking for each person...

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ColdJay64 OP t1_j9go5m0 wrote

Aren't walking, biking, and taking transit all safer than driving though?

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DonQOnIce t1_j9gimhq wrote

So, like, how is this determined? Is it a secret poll? Is there “fear for safety” parking permits? I don’t know how you’d come up with these numbers or avoid having people who “fear for their safety” who just prefer to drive.

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ActionJawnson t1_j9gj7ox wrote

The mental gymnastics you must be going through thinking of a reply to me. Holy shit, I just want to keep the parking we already have. Wtf are you on about?

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DonQOnIce t1_j9gjr87 wrote

I’m trying to understand your logic in how we’re going to keep parking for the people concerned for safety but not have it overwhelmed with people who just don’t want to travel any other way.

I also think it’s odd when people on the pro-parking side are defensive if surface lots. All of us should hate how space wasteful and ugly surface lots are at least.

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mexheavymetal t1_j9ggq24 wrote

So your solution to SEPTA having security issues is to pave more of the city? My brother in Christ, that’s not how solutions work.

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ActionJawnson t1_j9ggvj5 wrote

Where did I say that? I never said anything about creating more parking. I just want to keep what there is.

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justanawkwardguy t1_j9gl388 wrote

How do you make things safer when you refuse to fund them until they're safer?

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215illmatic t1_j9gissl wrote

So we just temporarily build huge parking infrastructure until public transportation is “safe” and then we bulldoze that new parking infrastructure to build housing?

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ActionJawnson t1_j9gj1ul wrote

Again. Never said anything about building more parking. I just wanna keep what we have...

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Forkiks t1_j9i80s9 wrote

Don’t mind them..many agree with you that losing parking isn’t so great.

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DonQOnIce t1_j9ggiqf wrote

What will incentivize anyone to make public transit and biking infrastructure better if parking is convenient and cheap?

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William_d7 t1_j9i5f9l wrote

What will incentivize a person, their spouse, two kids, and their A-Ma to bike or take public transit to Chinatown to have lunch and then bring home groceries? Nothing.

That’s the clientele Chinatown is losing to places with better parking situations and when business owners say as much, their concerns are disbelieved or shrugged off.

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DonQOnIce t1_j9jfoda wrote

I think they’re fine for now since Chinatown still has tons of parking.

But I think they should also consider how cheap parking in lots, especially surface lots, is a waste of valuable space and runs up local rents and the cost of doing business in general, since space is a finite resource.

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