Every weekday morning, a group of Auckland city commuters fight to claim one of 10 free car parks. How long can this 'secret oasis' last? "Do not write this story." Her eyes flare, her lips thin. Her warning gets sterner. "You're ruining their lives," she says. "Don't drag 'The Eye of Sauron' in

Car culture has already been changed by bike and bus lanes. A transportation panel in Manhattan has floated the idea of eliminating free street parking entirely.