The city of Beijing has drawn widely-publicized controversy due to its poor air-quality leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympic games. In fact, the air pollution is at least two to three times higher than levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization at this very moment. To ease the minds of the competing athletes, the city of Beijing is taking steps to improve the situation and has promised clean air for the games. Officials in Beijing have already cut the number of vehicles driving in the city in half by alternating what vehicles are allowed to drive each day and have asked more people to ride bikes. Now, they've banned car repairs and spray painting until after the games are over. We are all for the athletes rights to breathe clean air, but we also have to wonder about the economic cost associated with cutting out all automotive repairs and painting.[Source: Motor Authority]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
2004m3driver @ Apr 17th 2008 6:41PM
Carpool time. Or maybe ride a scooter like most of Vietnam does.
vdk @ Apr 17th 2008 10:31PM
you make it sound like 'Nam is in China
Greg @ Apr 19th 2008 12:57PM
China's in the PERFECT position to START a trend to BUILD all electric cars. Zero Pollution. Charging stations could be set up every mile. They've already built the world's largest hydroelectric power plant that could SUPPLY all the electrical needs for decades to come...
Question is, how far AHEAD do they want to think ? Or does "success" to THEM mean congested, polluted cities and freeways?
They aren't impressing ANYONE presently, who ELSE thinks China is missing opportunites, by creating positive, well thought out EXAMPLES of what a nation should be like ?
Brandon @ Apr 17th 2008 6:51PM
With all those hurdles, how did they get the right to hold the Olympic in first place?
nissanfreak87 @ Apr 17th 2008 6:55PM
money and politics
tkreicker99 @ Apr 19th 2008 4:23AM
Well Brandon, how did China get PERMANENT "Most Favored Nation Trading Status" granted by good old president Clinton????
JunkStory @ Apr 17th 2008 6:55PM
This is good news. Olympics should be held in China and India from now on so that these two polluting countries will finally cutback on the pollution.
BowserUSC @ Apr 18th 2008 12:02AM
Just so you know the US with its 300 million people pollutes and consumes more that China and it's 1.2 billion or India and it's billion people.
Kaptain75329 @ Apr 18th 2008 10:54AM
Which might just be a symptom of our more productive and developed economy. And our air is cleaner. Imagine that.
Judy Zik @ Apr 18th 2008 12:02PM
I remember reading the same stories about air pollution worries when the games were being held in LA in 1984. Funny how quickly we forget.
TheCleaner @ Apr 17th 2008 7:02PM
Sure cut out car spraying, but why repairs? does changing some spark plugs or putting on a new bumper really make the air worse? haha crazy
I wonder what madness will ensue here in the UK in 2012
brian @ Apr 17th 2008 7:11PM
If cars can't be repaired, they can't be driven. If cars aren't driven, no exhausts!
Tim @ Apr 17th 2008 9:26PM
especially if the repair would have been for an exhaust leak before the cat, fluid leak, faulty EGR system, etc. This Olympics debacle is such a sad mistake in every way.
Chris @ Apr 17th 2008 11:44PM
Does china even have emissions standards? What a mess.
BowserUSC @ Apr 18th 2008 12:03AM
@Chris yes they do have emissions standards on the federal level but local and municipal governments are supposed to enforce them and they usually don't.
hellMode @ Apr 18th 2008 4:35AM
Because if your car is broken the only thing you can do is keep it in your garage.
So, pollution free car is a broken car right?
Jeff Banks @ Apr 18th 2008 12:09PM
I forsee lot of broken cars leaking and burning up power steering fluid, transmission fluid and all sorts of nice things.
Seminole @ Apr 17th 2008 7:12PM
Cheap short term solution to a serious problem.
Seoultrain @ Apr 17th 2008 7:18PM
Worst. Olympics. Ever.
letstakeawalk @ Apr 17th 2008 7:26PM
I think that title should go to the Olympics year they decided competitors should no longer compete in the nude...