News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Let’s not demonize driving, just stop subsidizing it. Parent comment

Re:Let’s not demonize driving, just stop subsidizing it by xtreme on Friday February 17, 2017 @06:33AM (#13667503)
This is something I don't get about the HN crowd. I grew up in India, where overpopulation is a huge problem. However, if you look below the surface, it is not overpopulation; it is uneven distribution. There are only a few cities, and they are way too cramped with people. The decrease in quality of life is real. And most Indians do not own cars, they rely on public transit. If there were more smaller towns and good connectivity, people could live a lot more comfortably.

One big issue with decentralization is that industries tend to congregate. However, there is no solid reason why modern offices need to be all located in the same downtown. Decentralization reduces density and discourages rent-seeking behavior by existing residents.

I might be biased but I like suburbs. I think (without any data to support) they approach the optimal density for most people. Of course, some people find them bland and boring. Urban density is more efficient, no doubt, but I don't get the hate for people enjoying large backyards and the peace and quiet suburbs afford.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Let’s not demonize driving, just stop subsidizing it by naravara on Friday February 17, 2017 @02:21PM (#13670915)
>There are only a few cities, and they are way too cramped with people. The decrease in quality of life is real. And most Indians

That really just means there aren't enough cities, not that everyone should cram into the ones there.

The public infrastructure in India is also abysmal and inadequate to the numbers of people who live there. Tokyo is denser than Bangalore but is much more vibrant and livable (over 6k people per km compared to over 4k people per km) because of good planning, good regulations, and good transit.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Let’s not demonize driving, just stop subsidizing it by lmm on Friday February 17, 2017 @08:18AM (#13668068)
> there is no solid reason why modern offices need to be all located in the same downtown

My experience is that working in downtown is more productive - and, fundamentally, much more fun - than working in an office park or at home in the middle of nowhere. You can learn a lot from bouncing off people who work in similar-but-not-quite-the-same fields, and just having good lunch options is a huge win.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Let’s not demonize driving, just stop subsidizing it by jschwartzi on Friday February 17, 2017 @09:03AM (#13668286)
Yeah, in my morning life I've developed a disgust with the modern office park and its wide open fields of asphalt. There's never anywhere to walk to to buy lunch, and they die after 6pm.
[ Parent | on HN ]