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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.Butwe
2、haven’tdevotednearlyenoughthoughttohowcarsareusuallydeployed—namely,bysittinginparkingspaces.Isthisaseriouseconomicissue?Infact,it’saclassictaleofhowsubsidies,userestrictions,andpricecontrolscansteeraneconomyinwrongdirections.Carownersmaynotwanttohearthis,butwehavewaytoomuchfreeparking.Hi
3、gherchargesforparkingspaceswouldlimitourtripsbycar.Thatwouldcutemissions,alleviatecongestionand,asasideeffect,improvelanduse.DonaldC.Shoup,professorofurbanplanningattheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,hasmadethisideaacause,aspresentedinhis733-pagebook,“TheHighCostofFreeParking.”Manysubur
4、banitestakefreeparkingforgranted,whetherit’sinthelotofabig-boxstoreorathomeinthedriveway.Yetthepresenceofsomanyparkingspacesisanartifactofregulationandservesasapowerfulsubsidytocarsandcartrips.Legallymandatedparkinglowersthemarketpriceofparkingspaces,oftentozero.Zoninganddevelopmentrestri
5、ctionsoftenrequirealargenumberofparkingspacesattachedtoastoreorasmallernumberofspacesattachedtoahouseorapartmentblock.Thesubsidiesarelargelyinvisibletodriverswhoparktheircars—andthusfreeorcheapparkingspacesfeellikenaturaloutcomesofthemarket,orperhapsevenanentitlement.Yetthelawisallocating
6、thislandratherthanlettingmarketpricesadjudicatewhetherweneedmoreparking,andwhetherthatparkingshouldbefree.Weendupoverusinglandforcars—andoverusingcarstoo.Youdon’thavetohatesprawl,orautomobiles,towanttostopsubsidizingthatwayoflife.Underamoresensiblepolicy,aparkingspacethatiscurrentlyfreeco
7、uldcostatleast$100amonth—andmaybemuchmore—inmanyAmericancitiesandsuburbs.Atthebottomendofthatestimate,ifacommuterdrivestowork20daysamonth,currentparkingpolicyoffersasubsidyof$5aday—whichismorethanthegasandwear-and-tearcostsofmanyround-tripcommutes.Inessence,theparki
