‘Sunday without car’ due to crisis

For fuel economy, some propose the reintroduction of a measure implemented in the 1973 oil crisis: To ban the use of private cars. car on Sundays.

The beginning was made by the Minister of Environment of Baden-Württemberg Thekla Walker. “Why not introduce speed limits or a ‘Sunday without a car’ as was the case in the 1970s? At that time the measure proved effective and helped reduce fuel consumption,” the Green Party minister said a few days ago. speaking to the German News Agency (DPA). In a state that “hosts” major automakers such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, this proposal could not go unnoticed.

Nina Seer, a spokeswoman for the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) for energy and climate protection, took over. “Car-free Sundays have not harmed us in the past and today they could also help us if there is a shortage of fuel,” he told Die Welt, adding that “any energy saving fuel market “and that” the people themselves can do a lot to deforest Putin’s war fund “.

Memories of the 70s

“Car Free Sunday” was first introduced by the ruling Social Democrats and Liberals (FDP) coalition under Willy Bradt in 1973 in a bid to address the effects of the post-Yom Kippur oil crisis in the Middle East. The start was made on November 25, 1973, followed by three more “Sundays without a car”. Those who violated the ban were fined DEM 500. At the same time, for the working days, a general speed limit of 100 km per hour was imposed on the highways and 80 km on the highways, which remained in force for six whole months.

On the first “Sunday without a car” Germany gave a picture of a movie thriller: Thousands of pedestrians and cyclists rushed to the highways wandering, the police were on foot to find the offenders, in Nuremberg a cyclist died due to … fatigue, while increased prices in the horse markets, as reported by the media of the time. The comic scenes were not missing either. Some people thought of harnessing horses in their car, so that they could move legally, although on board. Bavarian Radio reports about drivers who lived very close to Austria and … pushed their car with their hands to the border, to sit behind the wheel as soon as they were on Austrian soil.

Consumption reduction up to 10%

Could the measure work? Analysts at German television (ARD) estimate that banning cars on Sundays combined with imposing a general speed limit will reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%. The question is how acceptable such a measure can be today, when more and more people are using their car due to a pandemic, to avoid overcrowding on public transport. “I think it would be difficult to implement this proposal, because today many people work on Sundays as well,” said Amadeus Bach, a researcher at the University of Mannheim, speaking to German Radio (SWR). “It would be better for those in charge to provide the right information for energy savings and to give incentives, for example for the use of public transport,” the German economist points out. In recent years, however, all European capitals have symbolically established at least one “Car Free Day” a year, giving pedestrians and cyclists the opportunity to enjoy the city center.

There are disagreements, even among ecologists. For example, Greenpeace proposes two “Car Free Sundays” each month in Germany, at this time. On the contrary, Jürgen Rees, head of the ecological organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DIH), argues that “this is a policy of symbolism, when in fact more permanent solutions are needed to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels.” However, he told the Rheinische Post that a speed limit would make sense, because “we would save 3.7 billion liters of gasoline each year and 9.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.” Giannis Papadimitriou

Source: Deutsche Welle