The Decline of the American Laundromat • Hacker News Board

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#91

Post by Pulcinella » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:27 PM UTC

lr4444lr wrote: post #79

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…

This U.S. resident agrees with you. It's a definite downside to our individualist priorities and inability of law enforcement to do much about public nuisances.

There is also a huge emphasis on being a "taxpayer."

"I paid taxes this year, therefor I am entitled to do whatever I want with public property."

It's one of the reasons something like the autobahn can't work in the US. Some Americans just love to drive 20 mph under the speed limit in the left lane because "I'm a taxpayer and this is my road! I can do what I want." A no-speed-limit highway in the US would require one lane per citizen.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#92

Post by chadcatlett » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:33 PM UTC

_jal wrote: post #89

minikomi wrote: post #5

I live in Japan where Laundromats are often attached to Public Baths. I love going to my local, taking a soak while the load runs, and then coming out and having a coffee while my clothes go through the drier. Not much to add.. just felt like professing my love for that Sunday arvo ritual.

Not the same thing at all, but my local laundromat is also a restaurant/bar, and hosts really terrible standup. I'll frequently grab a bite while doing my laundry, and the "comedy" is a useful inspiration to get it done earlier in the day, so I don't have to listen to it. (It is really, truly awful.)

By chance is it Brainwash in SoMa?

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#93

Post by EADGBE » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:35 PM UTC

_jal wrote: post #89

minikomi wrote: post #5

I live in Japan where Laundromats are often attached to Public Baths. I love going to my local, taking a soak while the load runs, and then coming out and having a coffee while my clothes go through the drier. Not much to add.. just felt like professing my love for that Sunday arvo ritual.

Not the same thing at all, but my local laundromat is also a restaurant/bar, and hosts really terrible standup. I'll frequently grab a bite while doing my laundry, and the "comedy" is a useful inspiration to get it done earlier in the day, so I don't have to listen to it. (It is really, truly awful.)

I saw my first laundromat/bar in college.

Thought it was the best idea I've ever seen implemented.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#94

Post by gwbas1c » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:37 PM UTC

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!

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#95

Post by dsfyu404ed » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:42 PM UTC

Slapping a pair of $1-$3/load machines in the basement of a 8-unit building is easy money for landlords and they get to say that there's "laundry in building" and tack a couple hundred bucks onto the rend even if there's no practical way for all those people to make use of it.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#96

Post by dsfyu404ed » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:46 PM UTC

Veratyr wrote: post #26

justinjlynn wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That sounds quite nice. I wonder why public baths never really took off in the States. In the records I can find, they seem to have a less than savoury perception.

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…

> 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.

This is a very SF-centric view of the US.

The closest I've come to this in Boston is seeing people sleeping on subway benches.

>I can kind of see it working in smaller US communities Communities that small do not need laundromats. Cities and suburbs have done a very good job making themselves so impersonal that you don't really get that level of community except in actual "small" towns.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#97

Post by opportune » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:47 PM UTC

escapetech wrote: post #81

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'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 people, which often is more of a combination of mental illness or substance abuse problems and abject poverty. But I think there are plenty of people that ruin public services aside from the homeless. Even as a lifeguard of private pools, I've had to deal with large amounts of litter, abandoned trash, and feces/urine on regular bases.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#98

Post by EADGBE » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:49 PM UTC

martinald wrote: post #50

freetime2 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this article is less about the benefits of laundromats vs. in-unit washing machines (most people would choose the latter), and more about the struggles of people who are unable to afford apartments with in-unit hookups and who now have to walk an extra couple of blocks to do their laundry.

I find it really odd the US doesn't have washing machines in apartments. Even the tiniest studio apartment in the UK would come with one. You very rarely see laundromats in the UK (usually in areas with a very high concentration of students, as halls of residence provision can be poor for them). Why don't they have them in the US? You have water and electricity, so I can't understand why this is a big deal.

More insurance claims for water damage? When the washer/dryer set is owned by the renter than the renter's insurance will cover damages, vs the property owner.

Also, a lot of landlords will rent out washer/dryer sets to tenants for another monthly fee if they don't have their own to hook up.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#99

Post by ihaveajob » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:52 PM UTC

pbarnes_1 wrote: post #59

skrebbel wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah right, thanks. I didn't know that :)

It's not true, though. SF is pretty much average in this regard. Americans in general just don't seem to care about public spaces, pretty much anywhere in the country. I've travelled to many US cities and the only reason other cities some how feel "cleaner" is because there's literally nobody walking in them. The cities made for walking (like NYC and maybe Boston) are on par with SF. Maybe less dog poo everywhere tho…

This reminds me of my earlier experiences walking around LA. My natural instinct looking at the state of disarray in some of the streets was that I was on the wrong side of town, because where I come from (Granada, Spain) that's what you notice when you venture into the slummy areas. In LA, however, you need to readjust your gauge, as this was a fairly safe area, just not well taken care of.

Re: The Decline of the American Laundromat

#100

Post by alistairSH » Tue, Aug 01, 2017, 1:56 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.

Public pools are generally fine. They usually have a small fee to use, so they aren't truly public in the same sense as the local playground. In my area, most pools are county or town operated, with a discount rate for residents and a higher rate for non-residents. Usually, $5-$10/visit for non-residents, which also buys access to the locker room/showers and any gym equipment.

I imagine the public baths in Japan are similar. So, there is an entry fee that funds a small staff to keep the bathhouse in good repair.

Edit - as an aside, I visited Iceland in January. The public baths/pools were amazing. The entry fees were minimal (a few euro, a bit less than entry to a pool in the US). Facilities were all clean and well maintained. But, it's also part of their culture. Like bath-houses in some nations, people go to the pools to hang out and socialize in the evening.