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Lots of people wanted suburbs where they could live in quiet neighborhoods in detached homes with yards. That's why they exist and continue to be built. People

Lots of people wanted suburbs where they could live in quiet neighborhoods in detached homes with yards. That's why they exist and continue to be built. People also wanted to drive cars rather than take public transit. That was not a conspiracy by the auto manufacturers, it was just what people wanted. Ask around most suburbs and you'll learn that it is still what most people want today, especially once they have kids. I think suburbs are going to rise in status after the pandemic, especially if working from home becomes more common. People will want space, and they won't care about being located far from downtown if they don't need to commute. Plus, nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic and it will be a long time before people trust it again.

shrimp_emoji 6y ago
I prefer never going outside and getting everything delivered, but that also naturally privileges the suburbs because door delivery is so nice vs. dealing with mail rooms or meeting couriers downstairs. D:
- gmantg 6y ago
  Some would call this a house arrest.
  - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
    Sounds like a reasonable sort of holiday to me.
dathinab 6y ago
> People also wanted to drive cars rather than take public transit. Do they? Or do they because of really shitty broken public transport. I know many people in Berlin who had or could have a car but dropped it because it is totally not worth it having one. (Through yes it's not a conspiracy, just very bad investments into public transport/infrastructure and a lot of lobbying often crippling approaches to improve public transit infrastructure.) > I think suburbs are going to rise in status after the pandemic [..] Even more a reason to interleave "non loud" industry with homes because then the people which can't work from home don't need to travel far. > Plus, nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic Even more a reason to interleave things as with that much shorter distances to work are possible and as such can reach it their work place by food or bicycle. Not a option in some climate areas but very well an option in others like in Berlin. > nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic Actually in many EU countries where public transit is normal it's still used. A bit less but still used frequently. People just wear mask and make sure to wash their hand when arriving. Furthermore I'm not aware of any Corona hot-spot caused by public transit, even through e.g. Berlin does much less for disinfecting trains then what I have heard what is done in some US cities. So my guess is that you might be right wrt. the US, but it's not a fundamental thing but more of a problem with cultural context, history and perspective.
- OminousWeapons 6y ago
  > Do they? Or do they because of really shitty broken public transport. Yes, they do. The reason why people don't use private cars and opt for public transit is typically related to cost of ownership and / or inadequate infrastructure for moving cars into, out of, and around the cities efficiently given current usage. A car is better than public transit in basically every way except maybe safety (although public transit users have their own safety concerns). Cars are point to point as opposed to having to make connections; cars operate on demand as opposed to running on an arbitrary schedule; cars enable living in a greater variety of locations as opposed to proximal to a transit hub; cars enable privacy as opposed to having to deal with other people; cars are more comfortable than public transit; cars allow you to move cargo which is infeasible on public transit; cars are much more efficient for medium distance (intra-state) travel than public transit; cars keep you out of the elements which public transit frequently does not .... In reality public transit is required to allow cities to scale efficiently, but many use it because they have to, not because they actually want to.

shrimp_emoji 6y ago

I prefer never going outside and getting everything delivered, but that also naturally privileges the suburbs because door delivery is so nice vs. dealing with mail rooms or meeting couriers downstairs. D:

gmantg 6y ago
Some would call this a house arrest.
- TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
  Sounds like a reasonable sort of holiday to me.

dathinab 6y ago

> People also wanted to drive cars rather than take public transit. Do they? Or do they because of really shitty broken public transport. I know many people in Berlin who had or could have a car but dropped it because it is totally not worth it having one. (Through yes it's not a conspiracy, just very bad investments into public transport/infrastructure and a lot of lobbying often crippling approaches to improve public transit infrastructure.) > I think suburbs are going to rise in status after the pandemic [..] Even more a reason to interleave "non loud" industry with homes because then the people which can't work from home don't need to travel far. > Plus, nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic Even more a reason to interleave things as with that much shorter distances to work are possible and as such can reach it their work place by food or bicycle. Not a option in some climate areas but very well an option in others like in Berlin. > nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic Actually in many EU countries where public transit is normal it's still used. A bit less but still used frequently. People just wear mask and make sure to wash their hand when arriving. Furthermore I'm not aware of any Corona hot-spot caused by public transit, even through e.g. Berlin does much less for disinfecting trains then what I have heard what is done in some US cities. So my guess is that you might be right wrt. the US, but it's not a fundamental thing but more of a problem with cultural context, history and perspective.

OminousWeapons 6y ago
> Do they? Or do they because of really shitty broken public transport. Yes, they do. The reason why people don't use private cars and opt for public transit is typically related to cost of ownership and / or inadequate infrastructure for moving cars into, out of, and around the cities efficiently given current usage. A car is better than public transit in basically every way except maybe safety (although public transit users have their own safety concerns). Cars are point to point as opposed to having to make connections; cars operate on demand as opposed to running on an arbitrary schedule; cars enable living in a greater variety of locations as opposed to proximal to a transit hub; cars enable privacy as opposed to having to deal with other people; cars are more comfortable than public transit; cars allow you to move cargo which is infeasible on public transit; cars are much more efficient for medium distance (intra-state) travel than public transit; cars keep you out of the elements which public transit frequently does not .... In reality public transit is required to allow cities to scale efficiently, but many use it because they have to, not because they actually want to.