It’s not about being anti-car, it’s about having OPTIONS. In most of the USA, you are forced to drive. There is no good alternative.
Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
51–60 of 120 posts
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Why do you feel better when you go to Europe, or even to Disneyland? Probably because you're on vacation? Why is there nothing that walkable city enthusiasts will claim walkable cities won't fix?
I'm not on vacation and Europe has been great for me mentally. Similarly, I hate when I go back to the US.
For me the walkability benefit in Europe is almost offset by the overabundance of diesel exhaust fumes.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#53The main reason I like walking is just to feel like I am among people, even if I am not actively interacting with them. In the Bay area, my favorite place used to be the airport, because that's the only place I could see people other than my coworkers. And this may just be me but I feel that the reason I liked being among people is because it creates the illusion of possibilities. Possibilities of friendships, a date…
In my neighborhood I can walk, bike, or take the public transit almost anywhere I need to go (20 min bike ride to my office). There are shops, restaurants, a nice movie theater nearby. I live in a rowhouse surrounded mostly by other rowhouses and 2-3 family buildings, so I do know most of my neighbors. I grew up in a suburb and wouldn't go back for anything.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#54It's crazy how some places have no sidewalks at all. Dumbest city design.
Yes, but walkability goes far beyond sidewalks.
It's easy to find US cities with plenty of sidewalks that are hideously unwalkable, as well as many streets in Japan with no sidewalks that are still highly walkable.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#55IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment, but also actively harmful to the people that live there, especially children. Its easy for it to feel "normal" or even aspirational to us now, but its basically only ~3 generations old, and the first generation raised in suburbs was usually larger families in closer-in suburbs, p…
Reasonable people can disagree. My quite small yard in the burbs is my oasis with fruit trees, a garden, place for my dog to run, and a lovely place to sit and listen to birds. On top of this, we can walk to amenities and greet our neighbors on the sidewalk. If I lived in a soulless apartment block my mental health by contrast would be in the pits.
I think people miss that there are living arrangements other than detached single family homes and tall apartment buildings.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#56IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment, but also actively harmful to the people that live there, especially children. Its easy for it to feel "normal" or even aspirational to us now, but its basically only ~3 generations old, and the first generation raised in suburbs was usually larger families in closer-in suburbs, p…
> IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment, but also actively harmful to the people that live there, especially children.
Spicy take. I grew up in a neighborhood that would've been considered "suburban" I guess. I had no problems because there were 20 kids who lived there and we all played together. We also went to the same schools. Never had any problem with that though the fact my family moved for work did distance us from our relatives. I was never "extremely isolated". Ever. Bullied, perhaps, but never isolated.
I think the terminally online always connected culture of today is doing far more damage. Compound that with people having less children, housing being transient due to a rental economy, etc and you have the destruction you're looking for. I don't think the implied solution here, giant multi-story multi-family housing, is the solution either. Packing people in like sardines is not effective. You only need to look at Asia to see what happens when you let this form of housing reach its natural conclusion. It sure is nice having my own 4 walls, a garage, etc. It's a space I control and I would fight to keep it. I do wish my area was more walkable. However, I will take what I can get. There's a park about 10 minutes from me and a few coffee shops.
I am simply not a fan of this anti-car, anti-natalist, anti-detatched-housing trifecta that seems to be polluting more progressive social media. I don't understand it. I don't think I ever will.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#57IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment, but also actively harmful to the people that live there, especially children. Its easy for it to feel "normal" or even aspirational to us now, but its basically only ~3 generations old, and the first generation raised in suburbs was usually larger families in closer-in suburbs, p…
> ... IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment
As opposed to packing people like ants in high-rises in cities, which is the most environmentally friendly?
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#58IMHO we're going to look back historically at single-family-detached-suburban-sprawl as not just the fulcrum in destroying the environment, but also actively harmful to the people that live there, especially children. Its easy for it to feel "normal" or even aspirational to us now, but its basically only ~3 generations old, and the first generation raised in suburbs was usually larger families in closer-in suburbs, p…
Reasonable people can disagree. My quite small yard in the burbs is my oasis with fruit trees, a garden, place for my dog to run, and a lovely place to sit and listen to birds. On top of this, we can walk to amenities and greet our neighbors on the sidewalk. If I lived in a soulless apartment block my mental health by contrast would be in the pits.
The solution is soulful apartment blocks.
The US is really bad at apartment complexes. I commonly saw way nicer, less depressing ones while living in the outskirts of Munich.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#59Had a fun conversation about language learning with an American friend who's learning German.
She asked me what "walkable" is in German. Then it hit me, we don't have this word because in Germany this concept is unknown.
Funny how societal factors have such an imprint in language.
Re: Lack of Walkability in the US is destroying mental health
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
"free", but you often get what you pay for. source: am canadian.
In the US, you'll empty your bank account and still get terrible service - you've spent money but received terrible care. Maybe things change if you can afford your own full-time doctor for 500k / year. Canada ranks above the US in every healthcare measure.
Well thankfully in my case, cancer treatment in Canada has been both free and quite competent. But for lesser things, you might linger for an intolerable amount of time waiting for care.
I recall getting good, quick care when I worked in the US and had a good HMO.