WE now have over 3 million cars in Shenzhen, but what amazes me is that while property prices have gone through the roof, parking remains relatively cheap despite the shortage of parking spaces. What also amazes me is that when you buy a 20 million yuan (US$2.92 million) apartment you probably cannot buy a designated parking space in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Instead you have to pay a monthly fee of a meager 250 yuan and hope that there is still a spot left when you come home. Apparently the fee is set by the authorities.

With so many cars and such a shortage of parking spaces, why don’t we commercialize parking spaces as well? Prices will go up in areas where there is big demand and will be lower in areas with less. This will then also make it worthwhile for companies to invest in parking complexes instead of just building office space and residential units.

If parking regulations were strictly enforced with hefty fines, towed cars or clamps on wheels, we soon may have the roads actually available for what they are intended: for traffic to move. Also cars parked on pedestrian paths should receive the same treatment of fines and towing etc. so that pedestrians are not pushed onto the roads.

The other effect might be that people will consider cars to be too expensive to keep as they will have to pay increased fees for parking and may opt for public transport instead which is good for all of us as roads will be less clogged and pollution levels will go down.

About app-based bikes, I hope the companies who put these bikes out will be able to get their users to park them properly. At the same time it would be great if these bikes could be fitted with proper lights so that in the evening they are more visible and they can see what is in front of them as well.

Earlier this month, Shenzhen Daily reported the deaths of three bikers who were blamed for the accidents. There is definitely a need to have bikers understand traffic regulations for their own safety.

Jeffry Kuperus via email