Banning cars from downtown commercial streets does more harm than good for local retailers. Pedestrian zones sound nice in theory, but in my city the shop owners along the main avenue saw revenue drop nearly 20% in the first year after the ban, and foot traffic didn't compensate because visitors came for the novelty, not to buy. I'm not saying we should ignore emissions or safety, but a blanket car-free policy ignores that many customers, especially elderly ones, rely on private vehicles to carry purchases home. Do the climate benefits of a few blocks really justify strangling the small businesses that anchor a neighborhood's economy?