at the beginning of the 20th century, the Swiss Canton of Graubunden banned all cars from its streets. The canton of Uri clamped a similar ban, a year after. The bans might seem ante-diluvian in this age of auto-intoxication. But the action of the Swiss cantons remains salutary for a number of reasons. For one, it reminds us that our romance with cars was never an untroubled engagement.

More importantly, the car bans remind us about putting a value to public spaces. Historically, public spaces were central to people's lives