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Alternating car plates in Milan

I had to leave the motorbike at home on Thursday since there is too much pollution in Milan. The government continues to use the same workaround as they always have the last years: limit who can drive depending on your car plate. Talk about racism! Thursday was the turn of the odd plates so I was stuck with public transport.

There must be better ways of solving the pollution problem in a big city. What about:

• Reducing prices or give free tickets on public transport when the pollution passes the max limit?


• Always blocking cars/motorbikes that don't have catalytic engines?

I don't give up easily, so I had a look at the official document Circolazione a targhe alterne nei giorni 20 e 27 gennaio, 3 e 10 febbraio 2005 and found that creative people may avoid the ban (even if you drive a crap Hummer or another smog spewing SUV) if:

• there are at least 3 persons in the vehicle. Not an option on my BMW C1 but I guess I can take the kids to work in my car.


• you are an information worker. I work in the sector of informatica (informatics) but I guess that does not count


• vehicles belonging to ministers of faiths of any belief used for the functions of the ministry. Wait a minute, this sounds interesting! Maybe I should change faith and join the Cult of Linux. Nah, better to go for a religion that isn't full of brainwashed people. What about: The Church of UML, The Holy Prompt or The Church of Windows?

To Be Continued (unless I am arrested during the next traffic block)