Your Excellency:

On 28-29 January 2001 I visited the city of Évora, Portugal. I was dismayed to see how dangerous your city is for pedestrians forced to share the very narrow streets with cars that are driven much, much too fast for the conditions. (Need I remind you that road deaths in Portugal run ten times higher, per capita, as in some other EU nations?)

Members of the police force advised me that they were are aware of the danger to pedestrians but related that your administration does not perceive the problem to be serious enough to warrant taking action.

I regret to inform you that, until significant and effective action is taken to protect pedestrians, Carfree.com will maintain Évora as the only city for which it has ever issued a Traveler's Warning. The issuance of this warning will be highlighted by the award of a Shattered Kneecap to Évora in issue #18 of Carfree Times, scheduled for publication in March 2001.

Carfree.com will publish your response to this Open Letter, should you care to make one.

I deeply regret the need to take this action. Évora is a beautiful city and many more people should be encouraged to visit it and see how delightful a preserved medieval town can be.