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France to ban heating/airconditioning the streets

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NiHaoMike:
Wouldn't it more efficient to have the benches be heated? Have them pressure sensitive so they only operate when in use with a foot operated lever to adjust the heat output.

SilverSolder:

--- Quote from: David Hess on August 13, 2020, 03:57:11 am ---They would not be using radiant heating outdoors unless it made economic sense, which it may not if the cost of the power for it is being subsidized but how would the businesses know that?

So somewhere the government is subsidizing the power.  Stop doing that and if radiant heating outdoors does not result in greater profits from increased sales, businesses will stop doing it.  Solving one market distortion with another will just lead to rent seeking, which it already has.

--- End quote ---

I seem to recall that France is something around 80% nuclear powered...   their incremental cost of electricity is likely extremely low.

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: coppercone2 on August 13, 2020, 07:03:59 am ---i think they are a good idea at train stations and bus stops and places that you need to wait for a long time in the winter, and its nice for homeless people. Making public transportation more pleasant to use might reduce greenhouse emissions more then the lights consume.

It does reduce virus spread when you have a warmed outdoor area rather then packing people into a warmed waiting booth, and its safer because you can be seen (unlike frosty windows etc). Even with non coronavirus diseases (common cold), reducing public disease spread causes massive savings in health care and productivity, allowing for more taxation. There was always someone sneezing and sniffling inside of the waiting booth at a train station I used to go to. So, I would simply stand outside under the warming lamp, and sit far away from them on the train (the train is huge in comparison to the small warming stations).

And its a bit more of a charming atmosphere, since you usually still have snow around, and you are not sitting in a puddle filled overly dry hot waiting booth with sick people listening to coughing and boots squeaking.

--- End quote ---
You know what's nice for homeless people? Housing. Heating the street for them is solving one stupid problem with another.

tszaboo:
These things are everywhere. People dine outside in the middle of the winter. They offer more seats, so there is more profit, so they keep them operating. I dont blame them. The heater uses 1-2 KW, so for about 1 EUR cost , you can serve maybe extra 4-6 meals. Easy profit.

TimFox:
The Chicago "L" system has most of its platforms outdoors.  During the cold season, the platforms have semi-sheltered areas with overhead heat lamps, activated by a pushbutton for a timed interval.  Sometimes, near the lake, we get a cool snap in August, and it is amusing to watch the teenagers from suburbs that don't get the Weather Channel, dressed in shorts and T-shirts, pushing the button (despite the label that specifies the active months).

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