Deterioration of Local Community a Major Driver of Loss of Play-Based Childhood

Re:Deterioration of Local Community a Major Driver of Loss o... by bedobi on Tuesday June 11, 2024 @12:09PM (#40648014)

It's true all of Europe doesn't look like that, but the difference is real and shouldn't be underestimated. Even in most European single family home suburbs, you can usually walk, bike or transit to nearby schools, supermarket, the odd cafe and restaurant. Ie what's being said isn't that Europe is devoid of cars, it's that it isn't exclusively designed for cars to the point where you cannot exist without one.

In a huuuuge share of the US, this is not the case. There are no sidewalks, you have to travel extremely far to get to anything, and cross highways or even freeways doing it. There's no transit. There's no village center or train station around a natural focal point, just giant strip malls that are few and far between. So EVERYONE. MUST. DRIVE. It is the ONLY option for every trip and errand, there is no alternative. This is insane.

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Re:Deterioration of Local Community a Major Driver of Loss o... by nathanasmith on Saturday June 15, 2024 @04:15PM (#40692405)

>There are no sidewalks, you have to travel extremely far to get to anything, and cross highways or even freeways doing it. There's no transit. There's no village center or train station around a natural focal point, just giant strip malls that are few and far between. So EVERYONE. MUST. DRIVE. It is the ONLY option for every trip and errand, there is no alternative. This is insane.

I've lived in Jacksonville, Nashville, Atlanta, and Phoenix, none of which are known for having the greatest walkable urban infrastructure but none of what you've said here is true (other than lack of a train station) of any of them. Where did you live in the US where there are no sidewalks and you had to cross freeways to get to anything? And no transit? Not even a city bus? Or does that not count.

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