Thread

1. rottencupcakes · 1789705874 · focus · HN ↗

   Singapore has the potential to be the first country to eliminate the private ownership of vehicles.

   1. tristanj · 1789706476 · focus · HN ↗

      Singapore will not be the first. Albania banned private vehicle ownership for over 40 years until 1991.
   2. [deleted] · 1789706802 · focus · HN ↗

      [deleted]

   3. evbogue · 1789708242 · focus · HN ↗

      Singapore would do better banning cars altogether.

      1. throwaway473825 · 1789709388 · focus · HN ↗

         Isn't it better to allow a few luxury cars that are taxed to oblivion? As long as there aren't too many cars, the city can be pleasant, and it's a nice source of revenue.

         1. Gigachad · 1789711212 · focus · HN ↗

            What I have heard of the situation is car infrastructure is disproportionally funded because it's used by the rich and influential. It's a drain on public resources when more is spent building huge highways everywhere that the average person can't afford to use.

            1. zhivota · 1789711571 · focus · HN ↗

               While this is true, it's not as bad as somewhere like the US. Public transit gets a lot of funding there, I think they open something like 10 new MRT stations a year on average in recent years, and buses typically come every 2-8 minutes so you never have to wait long.
      2. eru · 1789714236 · focus · HN ↗

         We already do something like that: we allow around 1 million cars on the island (with around 6 million people living here). We auction off the rights to operate one of these 1 million cars for ten years at a time (you still need to buy your own car, of course).

         Your proposal would be equivalent to dropping that number from 1 million to 0 million.

         I think a reduction in the total number of cars is worth debating, but I don't think 0 is the optimal number.

         Though I do wish Singapore would take inspiration from Japan, and eliminate street parking; and in general have the government exit the car storage business.

   4. nmfisher · 1789709747 · focus · HN ↗

      Bet you they won't, because many (most?) Singaporeans think that owning a car is somehow a life achievement.

      1. ExoticPearTree · 1789712940 · focus · HN ↗

         To add a bit more context: owning a car in Singapore is extremely expensive, basically meaning that if can afford that, “you made it”.
   5. jesterson · 1789710434 · focus · HN ↗

      They already effectively done that with COE. You essentially own piece of metal, which is only roadworthy if you pay $$$
   6. zergrush · 1789710677 · focus · HN ↗

      Why is this something to be celebrated? Private ownership of land, property too ?

      1. elil17 · 1789711972 · focus · HN ↗

         Because privately owned vehicles kill literally one million people every year.

         1. eru · 1789716239 · focus · HN ↗

            In Singapore we don't have all that many fatal car accidents.

            More of the damage comes from all of the ways we arrange our lives so that we don't get hit by cars. Eg we don't let the kids out to play in the streets anymore.

      2. eru · 1789714076 · focus · HN ↗

         Actually, pretty much all land is owned by the government in Singapore, and leased out for about 30 years for commercial property or up to 99 years for residential property.
      3. numpad0 · 1789720296 · focus · HN ↗

         Places like Singapore and central Tokyo are already like giant apartment buildings. Private ownership of objects far exceeding the size of a human is a bit silly concept there.
      4. hdgvhicv · 1789720541 · focus · HN ↗

         Land speculation is probably the worst thing in the western world. It rewards you for your neigbours work.
   7. eru · 1789714132 · focus · HN ↗

      Potential, sure. Is it likely? No. Singapore does pretty well with the CoE system and congestion charge.

      And eg cars used for Grab and trucks and busses are also privately owned.

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