Let's think about life in the slow lane

Let's think about life in the slow lane

Coquitlam NOW

Friday, October 03, 2008

Pardon the pun, but maybe it's time to change gears on a few regulations that limit our options when it comes time to buy a new vehicle.

Vancouver council voted this week to allow low-speed electric vehicles on city streets with speed limits of 50 km/h or less in most areas.

The decision comes on the heels of Oak Bay's nod to allow the so-called neighbourhood zero-emission vehicles cruise around the Victoria suburb.

When you step back and think about it, that's a good fit. Victoria's known for its retiree demographic, and having slower vehicles for seniors to putter into town with so they can run errands makes sense, not to mention the economic and environmental benefits.

Low-speed electric vehicles (LSVs) cost a mere two cents per kilometre to operate. Those tired of padding the pockets of big oil companies might find that number staggering -- if not motivating.

Fair enough, Transport Canada has some concerns with respect to the safety of LSVs, especially when you're talking about a crash between the pseudo golf carts and commercial trucks. We all know how that would play out.

However, these aren't meant to be commuter vehicles, and are likely no less safe than motorcycles.

Having LSVs on neighbourhood streets might actually be the beginning of the less car-dependant lifestyle city planners have been hoping to foster for years. By day, we could commute via public transit. On evenings and weekends, we could tootle around in a zero-emissions vehicle to buy groceries and pick up the dry-cleaning. Talk about lowering your carbon footprint.

After a slow start, green innovation is speeding up. Necessity is the mother of all invention, and people are going to be seriously contemplating green choices like LSVs as they decide to walk the talk of sustainability.

Transport Canada is not on board yet -- but federal and provincial agencies need to keep up with public sentiment, because it's time to think outside the box of gas, diesel and hybrid technologies alone.