Re: "Motorcycle lobby pushes for free parking," Aug. 31.
Adele Tompkins, executive director of the B.C. Coalition of Motorcyclists, says that the city has turned riding motorcycles "into a green thing" by introducing dedicated motorcycle parking and reduced rates. Now the coalition she represents wants the city to go a step further. Tompkins gives a lengthy list of why her lobby group wants free parking for motorcycles. One of those reasons is because they emit less carbon dioxide. The "green" implication of less carbon dioxide sounded fishy to me so I did a quick search on the Internet for carbon dioxide emission standards for motorcycles. The environmental emission standards for motorcycles are far below those of a car or truck. There were no standards at all really until 2006. Motorcycles built since 2010 have slightly higher emission standards but they are still way below those of a car or truck.
In the big picture, the best that can be said for motorcycles being greener than cars is simply that there are fewer motorcycles in Vancouver than cars. So as a group they pollute less. It is my opinion that the coalition has overstepped its sense of privilege. The city has gone far enough to pacify this lobby group. Motorcycle riders have an obligation to pay their way for the parking spaces they use like the rest of our citizens.
Wanda Selzer, Vancouver
