Tammy's Ten: Reasons NOT to Ban Drive-Thrus

London, Ontario politicians are considering a ban on all new drive-thru windows. It's a hot topic that has environmentalists petitioning and the disabled fighting to keep their mobility. In the drive-thru lane at Tim Horton's yesterday, petitions were circling to stop this restriction. With my children sleeping in their car seats behind me, I decided to add my name to the list. See Tammy's Ten reasons politicians should not support a ban.

1. Drive-thru services are helpful to parents with small children. Most parents are able to multitask, but there are not enough hands for children, doors, change and coffee!

2. People with disabilities lose their mobility. For some individuals, eliminating a drive-thru means losing their independence. If they are forced to go inside the store, they will need to rely on others for help.

3. Banning drive-thru windows makes it harder for the elderly to receive adequate services. When you're ninety years old, you should be able to stay inside your car. A trip to the store is a lot of effort!

4. Drive-thru windows help people who are sick. Whether you are stricken with the flu or undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, it may be comforting to stay in your car. If you are still wearing your pajamas, no one cares!

5. Eliminating drive-thru windows means bigger parking lots are required. This means less agricultural land or green space in your area. Traffic congestion may also increase due to patrons waiting to park.

6. Drive-thru windows serve customers faster. Stores are designed to make this possible and with today's busy lifestyles, every minute counts!

7. Patrons are able to shop in bad weather. In rain or icy conditions, it may not be suitable to leave your vehicle. Drive-thru locations make service available at all times.

8. Eliminating drive-thru windows puts customers at risk. Personal safety is a concern when leaving a vehicle at night or in unfamiliar surroundings. Having access to a drive-thru makes patrons feel safe!

9. Customers using quick service restaurants are generally already traveling. Banning drive-thru windows will not reduce the number of cars on the road. It just makes people get out of their vehicles!

10. Banning drive-thru windows may be harmful to the environment. A study by RDWI, leading Canadian air quality experts, found that stores without drive-thru windows actually generated more emissions than those without. This was due to emissions created while patrons looked for parking spots, left their cars idling to go inside the store and pollutants created from restarting vehicles.

For more information on this topic or study, refer to link below.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Drive_Thru_Petition/

Global warming is a universal concern and carbon emissions play a key role. Drive-thru lanes are not considered a major cause of pollutants and efforts should instead be placed on improving their efficiency. Let's focus on creating environmentally friendly vehicles, encouraging the use of public transit and researching ways to improve the always expanding traffic congestion in our cities. In my opinion, drive-thru windows should not be eliminated as they provide a vital service to many consumers.