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Note that discouraging car ownership—and instead encouraging cycling with safe infrastructure, like the Netherlands has been doing for the last 50 years—actuall
by zachkatz 5y ago
Note that discouraging car ownership—and instead encouraging cycling with safe infrastructure, like the Netherlands has been doing for the last 50 years—actually dramatically increases independence for both children and adults: https://thecityateyelevel.com/stories/biking-the-streets-to-independence/ https://thecityateyelevel.com/stories/biking-the-streets-to-...
- throwawaysea 5y agoThanks for sharing. Some of what that article outlines resonates with me, and reflecting on what I see today, it does seem odd that there aren't as many children out on bicycles. However, I also was able to have the same freedoms of being able to bike around as a child (without parental supervision) in a car-centric setting. That may be because I lived in the suburbs and not some very dense urban center, but my point is it doesn't have to be a binary choice. As an adult, the type of agency I derive from cars is slightly different. It's about being able to go where I want quickly, without the waiting times of public transit or slow speeds of a bicycle. It's about being able to put that faster travel time to use, by spending the new free time on other activities. For example I can run errands, manage children, meet with a friend, and go to the movies all in one day thanks to the magic of a personal car. And when I go out of town, a car lets me go wherever I want with nearly endless freedom only limited by availability of road infrastructure, while moving the cargo (and people) I want with me at those destinations.
- elevenoh 5y agoEncourage skateboarding in adolescence & I'd bet you'd see even more independence.