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1、微信扫描二维码关注启航考研（qh_kaoyan）FreeParkingComesataPrice免费停车需付代价TheNewYorkTimesAugust15,2010INoursociety,carsreceiveconsiderableattentionandstudy—whetherthesubjectisbuyingandsellingthem,thetrafficcongestiontheycauseorthedangerousthingswedointhem,liketextingandtalkingoncellphoneswhiledriving.Butwehave
2、n’tdevotednearlyenoughthoughttohowcarsareusuallydeployed—namely,bysittinginparkingspaces.Isthisaseriouseconomicissue?Infact,it’saclassictaleofhowsubsidies,userestrictions,andpricecontrolscansteeraneconomyinwrongdirections.Carownersmaynotwanttohearthis,butwehavewaytoomuchfreeparking.Higherchar
3、gesforparkingspaceswouldlimitourtripsbycar.Thatwouldcutemissions,alleviatecongestionand,asasideeffect,improvelanduse.DonaldC.Shoup,professorofurbanplanningattheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,hasmadethisideaacause,aspresentedinhis733-pagebook,“TheHighCostofFreeParking.”Manysuburbanitestakef
4、reeparkingforgranted,whetherit’sinthelotofabig-boxstoreorathomeinthedriveway.Yetthepresenceofsomanyparkingspacesisanartifactofregulationandservesasapowerfulsubsidytocarsandcartrips.Legallymandatedparkinglowersthemarketpriceofparkingspaces,oftentozero.Zoninganddevelopmentrestrictionsoftenrequi
5、realargenumberofparkingspacesattachedtoastoreorasmallernumberofspacesattachedtoahouseorapartmentblock.Thesubsidiesarelargelyinvisibletodriverswhoparktheircars—andthusfreeorcheapparkingspacesfeellikenaturaloutcomesofthemarket,orperhapsevenanentitlement.Yetthelawisallocatingthislandratherthanle
6、ttingmarketpricesadjudicatewhetherweneedmoreparking,andwhetherthatparkingshouldbefree.Weendupoverusinglandforcars—andoverusingcarstoo.Youdon’thavetohatesprawl,orautomobiles,towanttostopsubsidizingthatwayoflife.Underamoresensiblepolicy,aparkingspacethatiscurrentlyfreecouldcostatleast$100amonth
7、—andmaybemuchmore—inmanyAmericancitiesandsuburbs.Atthebottomendofthatestimate,ifacommuterdrivestowork20daysamonth,currentparkingpolicyoffersasubsidyof$5aday—whichismorethanthegasandwear-and-tearcostsofmanyround-tripcommutes.Inessence,theparki
