A few words about the means of transport in Nice to avoid, when possible, the use of the private car. Either by using public transport, bus or tram, or rental bikes, electric or classic. Or even rental electric cars. Little feedback and impressions ...
Pollution, global warming and displacement
It seems today that everyone is convinced that global warming threatens human balance on earth. Scientists and politicians from all sides share this observation, but not necessarily the solutions to be adopted. Let’s not forget that the future doesn’t always bend to human expectations. Scientific rigor generally does not allow absolute and eternal certainties and seeks, theoretically at least, to dismantle the assumptions made.Jacques Chirac, former president, declared in 2002 "Our house is burning and we are looking elsewhere", the Rassemblement National gathering advocates localism in order to limit international transport and at the same time gas emissions. Left, right and environmentalists call for action. Some even advocate degrowth, arguing that the planet being a finite space, it is suicidal and irresponsible to continue this quest for infinite growth. Even if technical progress makes it possible to pollute less per unit of consumption. Politicians are accused of not doing enough, of greenwashing, sprinkling measures, intended primarily for their political communication ...
The French Riviera and global warming
Global warming, indisputable of human origin, which risks transforming, if we do nothing, our beautiful Côte d'Azur, faster than we think, in an area similar to the coasts of North Africa, just opposite, on the other side of the big blue ... Kill "the goose that lays the golden eggs", adaptation, revolution, acceptance of transformations, guilty immobility. Vast debates that occupy the political scene, local and national ... Few real specialists and many, as always, certainties on both sides ... Easy to advocate an ecological revolution but much harder to apply it to yourself daily. Some "radical" ecologists of our knowledge, for example do not deprive themselves of distant and repeated air travel, nor of large polluting vehicles, energy-consuming air conditioning, etc. The question also arises of the short-term economic cost of this transition. Question of the end of the month or the end of the world ... As indicated in the quote from a famous thinker of the 18th century: "We do not see the world as it is but as we are" ... , on the actions to be carried out in the short term, inevitably diverge according to the situation of each. Easier to advocate degrowth when you have fixed income, a status established in open-ended or civil servant contracts. More difficult to accept environmental concessions, costly in the short term, when you have charges to pay, loan repayments, employee pay to honor and immediate need for turnover… and interest in what nothing changes ... Politics in democracy logically and naturally relaying all this. Except taking the risk of losing the elections and showing useful courage, in the medium and long term, both economically and socially ...
Collective responsibility and individual benefits
Human displacement occupies a significant part in the emission of gases responsible for global warming. Transport (sea, land and air) accounts for around 15% of gas emissions. Not to mention the damage to health linked to fine particle pollution which some people estimate in Nice as 500 premature deaths. This raises, in passing, without minimizing the gravity of this figure, the question of how long these deaths are premature? A month or 5 years? The damage caused by pollution and global warming also affects the quality of life and therefore the attractiveness, particularly of tourism, of a territory. The overload of transport networks also weighs on the economy and competitiveness... A peaceful and friendly city attracts more than a polluted, noisy and congested city... Some followers of organic food are out of altruism, to try to save the planet and future generations (actually present), others just for their health and personal benefits. This parallel can also work for the transport chosen by each of us. There is also the question of the cost of transport, the physical and mental health benefit, the effective possibility of dispensing with one's own car, given the alternative offers...
Individual car versus public transport and soft mobility
In addition to public transport, relatively recent means of transport are invading more and more cities around the world. We have had the opportunity to participate on several occasions, as part of our professional photographer activities, in seminars on the subject of mobility. As a result, these new modes of travel are developing in city centers often congested by road traffic. The notions of “last kilometer” thanks to electromobility, or soft mobility are becoming more and more concrete with the help of small electric cars, scooters but also shared bikes like the E-Vélobleu in Nice or the simple blue bike… Inevitable debates arise as to the accessible nature of these uses, which some find reserved for sores living in city centers. It is easier, for example, to get around on a bicycle after a day of intellectual work than manual work in industry, catering or the hotel industry... Expensive downtown often inaccessible to disadvantaged or so-called middle classes, forced to migrate , more and more, in a more peripheral area... to make way for airbnb rentals...
Public policy
There is very little chance that these behavioral transformations will take place through a miraculous individual awareness. Human beings are not programmed for this. The equipment and infrastructure (security, efficiency, continuity, etc.), but also awareness-raising, communication, and really incentive financial incentives should make it possible to change the course of things. Immobility that will throw us straight into the wall if we persist in the denial of climatic and scientific realities ...
Offers available with the Nice example
We therefore propose, here, to make a small, subjective point of what is proposed to move in the form of modest feedback, far from any communication operation or systematic opposition posture pro or anti-car, pro or anti alternative means, public transport etc ... The articles will fill the site over time, according to our availability ... perhaps even in the form of small interviews of users, decision-makers or associations. Do not hesitate to contact us if desired ...
Here, after this overview, we will take stock of the solutions that are actually available, usable in security, comfortable, simple and at competitive costs.
Electric car sharing
Renault Mobility : Article to come. Rental or individual. Real carbon footprint, recharging system, real cost per kilometer…
Bicycle paths and two-wheeled parking
Etat des lieux à Nice: Article to come. Tools to encourage users to take advantage of the little queen. Recreational bike or utility trips. Sharing between 2 and 4 wheels…
Public transport on the French Riviera and Nice
Tram, bus et TER : Article to come. A network of trams in extension, fairly complete network of buses. Regional express trains crowded at peak times and many delays.
Taxi, Uber, covoiturage
Véhicules 4 roues non individuels : Article to come. Available offer, advantages and limits ...