The city of Paris enacted some anti-car legislation that seems to have angered classic car enthusiasts. The legislation bans all cars that were built prior to 1997 from entering the city center. The ban will take effect on July 1 and help lower rising pollution levels in Paris. The ban on classic cars follows another recent ban on the first Sunday each month that restricts all-non electric vehicles. The classic car ban will be in place on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. and will become stricter, banning cars built before 2011 by 2020.

This ban really sucks for anyone who loves classic cars. Luckily, the Fédération Française des Véhicules d'Epoque (FFVE) has announced on its website that its members have reached an agreement with city officials to exempt historic vehicles from the ban. Any vehicle that is 30 years or older wearing a Carte Grise de Collection registration sticker will be allowed in the city at all times. This is good news for people who live in other cities that are thinking about this sort of ban. Cars are cultural artifacts and should be treated as such. Banning them can't be the only solution to lowering pollution in smoggy cities.