Henry Grabar

Like the more you have of it,

Well, you know, when I saw your book and I started thinking about this, what I find interesting is I don't take Ubers or Lyft very often, but I would say at least half of the time that I do, it's not because I don't want to drive. It's because I don't want to park.

Well, you know, when I saw your book and I started thinking about this, what I find interesting is I don't take Ubers or Lyft very often, but I would say at least half of the time that I do, it's not because I don't want to drive. It's because I don't want to park.

Well, you know, when I saw your book and I started thinking about this, what I find interesting is I don't take Ubers or Lyft very often, but I would say at least half of the time that I do, it's not because I don't want to drive. It's because I don't want to park.

I believe it. I think that one of the other statistics that grabbed me when I first heard it is that studies estimate that a third of downtown traffic is people looking for a place to park. So that's you, right? That's you driving around in circles looking for a place to park. I agree. It's maddening, and it encourages people to stop driving.

I believe it. I think that one of the other statistics that grabbed me when I first heard it is that studies estimate that a third of downtown traffic is people looking for a place to park. So that's you, right? That's you driving around in circles looking for a place to park. I agree. It's maddening, and it encourages people to stop driving.

I believe it. I think that one of the other statistics that grabbed me when I first heard it is that studies estimate that a third of downtown traffic is people looking for a place to park. So that's you, right? That's you driving around in circles looking for a place to park. I agree. It's maddening, and it encourages people to stop driving.

And that just goes to show that if you want to control traffic, if you want to control emissions cut down on car crashes, on – pollutants that drift into the windows of people's apartments. Parking is the lever. And I think that's what you're experiencing there, is that the challenge of parking motivates you to find another way to get around.

And that just goes to show that if you want to control traffic, if you want to control emissions cut down on car crashes, on – pollutants that drift into the windows of people's apartments. Parking is the lever. And I think that's what you're experiencing there, is that the challenge of parking motivates you to find another way to get around.

And that just goes to show that if you want to control traffic, if you want to control emissions cut down on car crashes, on – pollutants that drift into the windows of people's apartments. Parking is the lever. And I think that's what you're experiencing there, is that the challenge of parking motivates you to find another way to get around.

I'm speaking with Henry Grabar, and the name of his book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World.

I'm speaking with Henry Grabar, and the name of his book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World.

I'm speaking with Henry Grabar, and the name of his book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World.

So, Henry, does it work when communities, city governments institute paid parking to replace free parking to discourage people from parking? Does that work?

So, Henry, does it work when communities, city governments institute paid parking to replace free parking to discourage people from parking? Does that work?

So, Henry, does it work when communities, city governments institute paid parking to replace free parking to discourage people from parking? Does that work?

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

Unfortunately, in the last 70 years, many governments have thought of parking meters simply as a way to raise money for motorists. And I think that is not the purpose of parking meters. The purpose of parking meters is to organize parking demand. It's the only way we have because otherwise it's just a total free for all.