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Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

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Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#241

Post by eru »

immibis wrote: post #54
jasonfarnon wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it no longer safe there? Because in the states parents have been restricting kids a lot more severely just as crime in cities plummeted (mid 90s--present). So I imagine it's either perceptions about safety, or parents just being more careful.

It isn't no longer safe for kids to walk to school. What happened is that American internet arrived here, and it has political reasons to want everyone to think it is.

Wait, are you saying American internet it telling people that it's safe, or that it's unsafe?

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#242

Post by eru »

CalRobert wrote: post #135
bedobi wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

guess what kills the most children, criminals or cars?

If only we made killing children with your car a crime.

Alas. See the comment above, where a driver in a huge SUV got away scott-free for killing a child.

See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40644209

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#243

Post by eru »

tmaly wrote: post #2

I would have thought that two parents working and not technology would have been the major contributor to loss of the community in early periods.

That's actually testable! Especially across countries and across time.

(I doubt it's a big deal. But we could get the data to at least look for correlations.)

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#244

Post by newswasboring »

vidarh wrote: post #200
throwaway2037 wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Not necessarily because of cars but significant crime. I love these HN comments -- so incredibly vague. Can you be more specific about which cities? I find it hard to believe. Crime has fallen like a stone in the last 30 years in highly developed countries and their biggest cities.

There is however an impression in fairly substantial parts of society that it's gotten worse, and that impression might well have a greater effect than the actual rate on some people's behaviours.

Can you find a source for this claim for European countries? I personally can't but maybe my scholar foo is bad.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#245

Post by gU9x3u8XmQNG »

bedobi wrote: post #29

The design of the physical environment is in no small part responsible for this. Don't believe me go to Europe and Japan where kids are still allowed to walk and bike to school, to friends places and just in general play and exist outside unattended to a much higher degree than in the US. Because in the US they would be roadkill, and even if they somehow survived outside of a car, car centric design means there's now…

Here, a regional town in Australia; we had the council approve build of a petrol station on one side of a children’s crossing from a school block.

No joke; the children’s crossing now terminates on the “island” of the petrol station, with entry and exit for the vehicles of the station either side of the island.

It boggles my mind, truly. I fear it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.

So.. not hard to relate with your post.

I can’t help but notice how poorly people treat eachother in the bigger cities, too. To the point I get constantly complemented for just being a decent person, or aggressively attacked for the same.

Not sure what the answer for any of these problems is..

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#246

Post by beretguy »

eru wrote: post #235
causality0 wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We need reforms to the method the EPA uses to calculate and enforce fuel efficiency requirements. It's the direct driver of the gigantifucation of vehicles.

Yes, if by 'reform', you mean abolish. As you can see, those requirements just get gamed. Instead of complicated rules, just tax fuel (or emissions etc), and consumers will institute their own personal fuel efficiency requirements.

> just tax fuel (or emissions etc)

No, because that harm small fun sports cars. The problem is big cars. Just ban big cars.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#247

Post by bhickey »

eru wrote: post #233
krisoft wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The court decided that the driver was at no fault as it was impossible to see the girl from his position. I hope that means that the vehicle manufacturer is on a murder trial then. But I do not have illusions that this will lead to actual change.

Well, the driver should also be on the hook for driving such a dangerous machine in the first place.

The manufacturer should be jointly liable for producing a defective vehicle.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#249

Post by downut »

thayne wrote: post #214
hombre_fatal wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe a tiny part of a suburb where you're not just near both the school and grocery store but it's nice to walk there and you're not crossing major roads. So, a tiny fraction of the US population. Either way, some Americans will hear people talk about Europe or Japan or whatever and tell themself "I totally have that too where I live in the US" yet it's not even close.

I don't know what the percentage is, but having a school within walking or biking distance is definitely not uncommon in US suburbs. At least in the areas I've lived (in multiple parts of the country), schools are generally built close to large neighborhoods, and have dedicated infrastructure to help kids walk to school. Grocery stores are less likely to be within walking distance. But then, even if I could walk to a…

None of the US comments are true in the large areas of Georgia and Arizona that I'm familiar with. Sidewalks are very uncommon. One side of street only, if even there. Which is problematic at multilane intersections. Then the kid has to cross twice on each side. I actually managed to get a crossing light installed on my kid's bike route to school by complaining to a city council member. There are traffic jams at every school for drop-off/pick-up. Drive through the quite nice looking housing developments on weekends/holidays and there are zero children out and about. My wife and I think that's very sad.

That said, my kid rode a bike to school from 5-10th grades in Arizona. She was the only kid that did that.

There are about 7 grocery stores within 5 miles of my suburban house. I have never seen anyone walk/bike to any of them. (I look.) If you tried to you would spend quite a bit of time navigating parking/road infrastructure where the drivers clearly believe is their entire right of way.

In Mexico you would think it would be much worse, but it is light years better. Kids take care of getting themselves to school in Paris, from what we have seen.

This idea that "unless universal, the claim false" is... not helpful. As a family in suburban US we did the bike thing. It fucking sucked.

Re: Deterioration of local community a major driver of loss of play-based childhood

#250

Post by ponector »

beretguy wrote: post #246
eru wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, if by 'reform', you mean abolish. As you can see, those requirements just get gamed. Instead of complicated rules, just tax fuel (or emissions etc), and consumers will institute their own personal fuel efficiency requirements.

> just tax fuel (or emissions etc) No, because that harm small fun sports cars. The problem is big cars. Just ban big cars.

Fuel tax is the best solution. Pay as you go.

More fuel you consume more emissions you produce, more distance you go, more road your wear occurs.

Do you want to get 8l V8 engine? Fine, just pay your fuel taxes.

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