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View Full Version : Wisconsin Liberal wants to ban drive-throughs


Regis Philbin
Jun 25th, 2008, 06:51 PM
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/293046

Mike Ivey: Should Madison ban the drive-through?

Mike Ivey — 6/25/2008 11:37 am

First it was a proposed ban on plastic bags.

Now, a member of the influential Madison Plan Commission wants to ban the restaurant drive-through -- or at least restrict the ubiquitous symbol of America's auto-centric lifestyle.

"Given the concern about all the carbon going into the atmosphere, I'm not sure we should be building more places for people to sit idling in their cars," says Eric Sundquist, who was appointed to the citizen panel by Mayor Dave Cieslewicz this spring.

A former newspaper reporter in Atlanta now working as a researcher at the UW-Madison's Center on Wisconsin Strategy, Sundquist notes that several cities in Canada have recently moved to ban the drive-through coffee shop or stand-alone fast food restaurant.

(www.ecospace.cc/culture/drive-thru-ban.htm).

"Bans haven't gotten as far in the U.S., although I know San Luis Obispo, Calif., has one," he says.

The issue came up last week during discussions over a conditional use permit for a new Starbucks coffee shop along a congested frontage road across from East Towne Mall.

Richard Tafoya
Jun 25th, 2008, 07:24 PM
A number of towns I'm aware of have banned drive-throughs, though in most cases it's been a matter or noise issues and business hour concerns, as lots of places like to keep their drive-through windows open 24 hours.

db44
Jun 26th, 2008, 12:43 PM
I'm fine with it... We complain about obesity and fast food places and have an environmental issue. Yet enough people will go through the drive though because they are too lazy to actually walk, then will park the car, leave it runnning, and eat what they just ordered.

DecemberDream
Jun 27th, 2008, 12:45 AM
I'm ok with it and it SHOULD happen. Park and get food or don't get food. Idling in the food lines (which here in CA, In N Out lines can seriously be an hour long) is harmful to the environment.