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Really? I'm sorry to hear it's the same in the UK but I loved Berlin and Tallinn wasn't bad (most of what was bad was out of their control ie the weather). I've

Really? I'm sorry to hear it's the same in the UK but I loved Berlin and Tallinn wasn't bad (most of what was bad was out of their control ie the weather). I've lived in SF, San Diego, northern Nevada, DC, Berlin, Tallinn, London (Enfield) and Yerevan and by far European cities were much better run in my opinion

jokethrowaway 6y ago
I haven't lived in US cities but I'm sure you're correct. I wasn't trying to make an argument for US cities over EU - I've heard they've even bigger problems. Still I don't consider EU cities (Italy, France, Germany at least) to be great for living. Maybe with electric transport and better use of police enforcement.
- atlasunshrugged 6y ago
  I'm curious why in those places you mentioned better use of police enforcement? I haven't done much living (or even traveling outside of major tourist areas) in France and Italy but living in Berlin I can honestly say I don't think I ever felt unsafe. Contrasting that to the US and China (and I know you're not saying the US is better, it's just what I'm more familiar with) in the US I would worry about either 1) being attacked by a mentally disturbed person or robbed and the police not caring unless it was life threatening or 2) being shot by police (I'm brown). In China it was totally different, the only thing I'd worry about there is being injured by or offending a well connected person who seem like they operate with relative impunity (I have visceral memories of Lambos and Ferraris parked on public sidewalks and no one would touch them because if you could afford them you were well connected enough that you could destroy whatever cop messed with you)
chadlavi 6y ago
This is a vast oversimplification on my part, but I suspect what you observed was because the European cities are run by governments that are more inclined to serve the needs of citizens, and US cities are run by governments that are more inclined to serve business interests.
- atlasunshrugged 6y ago
  Generally I agree, although I think there's also some weird other effects going on - I don't think it's in any businesses interest that there are tons of homeless people or drug addicts in SF or pushing prosecutors not to get them off the streets for instance. But yes, as a longtime Nevada resident who saw the harm casinos did to local populations, I can definitely say that cities often do what makes the most tax revenue if the costs are diffused enough (or not politically important)
  - chadlavi 6y ago
    The real estate situation in SF is a huge cause of homelessness. The Pharma industry is a huge driver of drug addiction. Those are both things that aren't necessarily within the purview of the city government (the real estate one is, I guess), but they're situations that could be ameliorated with government action.

jokethrowaway 6y ago

I haven't lived in US cities but I'm sure you're correct. I wasn't trying to make an argument for US cities over EU - I've heard they've even bigger problems. Still I don't consider EU cities (Italy, France, Germany at least) to be great for living. Maybe with electric transport and better use of police enforcement.

atlasunshrugged 6y ago
I'm curious why in those places you mentioned better use of police enforcement? I haven't done much living (or even traveling outside of major tourist areas) in France and Italy but living in Berlin I can honestly say I don't think I ever felt unsafe. Contrasting that to the US and China (and I know you're not saying the US is better, it's just what I'm more familiar with) in the US I would worry about either 1) being attacked by a mentally disturbed person or robbed and the police not caring unless it was life threatening or 2) being shot by police (I'm brown). In China it was totally different, the only thing I'd worry about there is being injured by or offending a well connected person who seem like they operate with relative impunity (I have visceral memories of Lambos and Ferraris parked on public sidewalks and no one would touch them because if you could afford them you were well connected enough that you could destroy whatever cop messed with you)

chadlavi 6y ago

This is a vast oversimplification on my part, but I suspect what you observed was because the European cities are run by governments that are more inclined to serve the needs of citizens, and US cities are run by governments that are more inclined to serve business interests.

atlasunshrugged 6y ago
Generally I agree, although I think there's also some weird other effects going on - I don't think it's in any businesses interest that there are tons of homeless people or drug addicts in SF or pushing prosecutors not to get them off the streets for instance. But yes, as a longtime Nevada resident who saw the harm casinos did to local populations, I can definitely say that cities often do what makes the most tax revenue if the costs are diffused enough (or not politically important)
- chadlavi 6y ago
  The real estate situation in SF is a huge cause of homelessness. The Pharma industry is a huge driver of drug addiction. Those are both things that aren't necessarily within the purview of the city government (the real estate one is, I guess), but they're situations that could be ameliorated with government action.