The Decline of the American Laundromat • Hacker News Board

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#111

Post by nradov » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:13 PM UTC

gpvos wrote: post #63

mc32 wrote: post #8

You know, it's weird, but in other populous cities around the world, it's unusual to come across a laundromat (aside form hotels). I mean, if you look hard enough you can find some, but not easy. I don't recall seeing them in east Asia and in Western Europe you can find some here and there --but definitely not very prevalent. Plus, it's more convenient to have a facility in each unit, or failing that, in each apartme…

In Western Europe they're everywhere, at least in the larger cities. In Amsterdam I have two within walking distance. In Central/Eastern Europe (former communist countries) there are fewer to sometimes almost none.

Yes I can confirm there are very few Laundromats in Serbia and Croatia. There are laundry services where you can drop off your clothes to be cleaned, but no self-service machines.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#112

Post by EADGBE » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:14 PM UTC

nfriedly wrote: post #72

There's a laundromat in my town, and once a month a local church (the First Brotheren Church, I think) provides free laundry service for anyone who wants it. They provide the soap and the quarters and then while your laundry is getting washed they provide food to eat. It's a really great community outreach service.

That's a church I could get behind.

Unfortunately, most good deeds go unnoticed. I hope they're advertising well to the kind of people who could really use a service like that.

Helped with a pantry service for a church, so often a week would go by that no one would show up. Infuriating. Food had to be thrown out.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#113

Post by searine » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:15 PM UTC

Living in NYC opened my eyes to how awesome laundromats can be. All your laundry done at the corner store, coming back neat and folded for a dollar a pound.

Calgon, take me away.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#114

Post by EADGBE » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:16 PM UTC

gwbas1c wrote: post #94

When I lived in San Francisco, I paid for a laundry service. Picked up clothes and dropped them off a few days later. Much cheaper than paying for an apartment with a washer/dryer!

Curious, what's the average price for something like that? Do you pay by load or garment?

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#115

Post by ausvisaissues » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:17 PM UTC

Camillo wrote: post #82

Veratyr wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't mean to offend but I suspect it's because people in the USA, at least in cities, just can't take care of public places. There's urine in the train stations (either visible or smellable), elevators shut down by faeces, people shouting, yelling and preaching in the streets, also, toilets, often even in private restaurants, are disgusting. I don't mean to say that things are always like this, all the time or in…

Public baths in Japan also typically ban guests with tattoos, because tattoos are associated with the Yakuza in Japanese culture, and the presence of Yakuza would make other guests uncomfortable. Imagine doing anything even remotely similar in the US. OTOH, the US does have public pools. I've never been to one, though, so I have no idea what they are like. If anyone has experiences, please share.

Japan has public pools (run by wards) and they are lovely. The only minor complaint is that sometimes they are overrun with old people ;)

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#116

Post by EADGBE » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:20 PM UTC

mattdoughty wrote: post #43

When I lived in the US, the lack of in-unit washing machines was quite unexpected. I had to pay $2 to use the shared (between 2 apartments) machine even though we as tenants paid the electric and water bills.

Most newer buildings being built (though those are hard to find, sometimes) always have a hookup available.

In my apartment hunting, I usually found that apartments which lacked a hookup were also built before it was a norm to have such a thing.

Seeing that American landry is almost entirely vented drying, a dedicated space of 30 square feet with an outside vent, sewer drain (and vent) and hot and cold spigot are nearly required. It's easy to see why so few old apartments have in-unit w/d hookup.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#117

Post by escapetech » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:20 PM UTC

opportune wrote: post #97

escapetech wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not only in cities. In the USA, public facilities outside of exclusive areas are usually associated with those considered poor and personal failures. Combined with the resentment that most people have towards subsidizing public facilities and services used by/built for those who need them (even though in the USA, it's a fraction of what's used towards foreign interventions), there's little if any incentive in ma…

I highly doubt the causation goes in this direction. I think it's just a matter of culture. People in the US litter way more than people do in Japan, for example. I agree with the other poster that it's really just a small minority, maybe even less than 1%, of Americans that just ruin public facilities for everyone. But this minority does exist. You could argue that we are just using coded language for homeless peopl…

Certainly while there are cultural aspects at play, it's impossible to ignore the reality of certain areas in America being cleaner and less littered, and better serviced than other areas, and a large part of that has to do with the money available for people who inhabit and regularly use those spaces/facilities, and the ability to keep away certain demographics in order for the money to continue to be available.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#118

Post by ausvisaissues » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:24 PM UTC

Veratyr wrote: post #37

greggman wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed but this isn't just a USA thing. Many countries have a culture not taking care of public places. All of Europe comes to mind. As does China.

There are other places yes but out of the countries I've visited, the US is definitely one of the worst. All the Europe I've visited (Paris, Berlin, Zurich, Istanbul, south-eastern region of Russia) has been about as well kept as Australia, my home country. Aside from Malaysia, I can't think of a country that's worse than the US. Even the (disclaimer: nicer, less impoverished) parts of Mexico I've visited were arguab…

IMHO, Paris is fairly dirty (like 60% San Francisco dirty). Especially the subway is a mess, and there is no law enforcement (e.g. minor children begging during weekday and no-one does anything). Many of the trains are vandalized.

St. Petersburg is much nicer than Paris (at least in the summer). Surprisingly, the it is cleaner even though the country is poorer.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#119

Post by thrownblown » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:31 PM UTC

fundabulousrIII wrote: post #107

dtech wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It might be the large US population of homeless people worsens this (especially in the bay area), as they have no better option than to leave their waste in public places.

Years ago I travelled through norcal without stopping in to SF. Started in Crescent City, traversed into Oregon, past Shasta region and the farthest south I achieved was to Santa Rosa. Headed east to Oroville and then back to Crescent City to catch my prop flight to SF for the flight east. Wonderful personal trip on the winding mountain roads and experiencing the abrupt climate|vista changes in an hour+ from pacific…

That's not really California. That's Hela Nor-cal, or the Jefferson State.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#120

Post by ausvisaissues » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 2:33 PM UTC

zxcmx wrote: post #51

Veratyr wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't mean to offend but I suspect it's because people in the USA, at least in cities, just can't take care of public places. There's urine in the train stations (either visible or smellable), elevators shut down by faeces, people shouting, yelling and preaching in the streets, also, toilets, often even in private restaurants, are disgusting. I don't mean to say that things are always like this, all the time or in…

It is also partly because we are less inclined to lock up, beat or detain people who violate social norms in western countries anymore. Neither do we socially support those properly, turns out running mental health and substance abuse support is difficult, politically charged, full of potential for liability, thankless and expensive. I have older relatives who were involved in the mental health system in the 50's and…

Japan has a backwards view of mental health, and one of the highest suicide rates in the world.

Yet public places are immaculately clean.

The fact is that western people and law enforcement tolerate vandalism, littering and antisocial behaviour.

Recently, on Seattle's airport train, I saw a person openly taking garbage out of their bag and throwing it on the floor. No one said anything - just another day on the dirty train.

I don't think someone would dare do that in Japan or Singapore.