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The problem with that is suburbia doesn't really make it safe to navigate between neighborhoods. If your friend lives in the same neighborhood, it's doable. If

by kiba 5y ago

The problem with that is suburbia doesn't really make it safe to navigate between neighborhoods. If your friend lives in the same neighborhood, it's doable. If your friend lives in a neighborhood across the street, it's kinda doable. However, cars are traveling at the speed up to 40 mph. Can be very dangerous if you're not cautious. I remembered when I was a kid that I nearly died attempting to cross a street and got pulled back by my sister. Hard to free range when everything is hostile to bicycles or walking.

jimmygrapes 5y ago
So teach kids how to cross the street safely. Yes, there is always risk in doing so, just like there's risk in simply existing in a world where Bad Things Happen.
FooBarBizBazz 5y ago
Depends on the suburb. Some suburban towns are like Springfield from The Simpsons, or that town in Bob's Burgers, and kids can walk around them. But in other places, "the suburbs" means gated communities off sidewalk-free arterial roads, with nothing but big-box stores around, and the onramps to even-larger highways.
Aerroon 5y ago
It is expected that children aged 7 and up will go to school on their own in Estonia. In some cases that involves walking a kilometer and crossing multiple roads. By later years some families have moved around and it is not entirely uncommon for them to take the bus to school (public transport, not a school bus). I think kids can navigate around more safely than lots of people give them credit for. Although, American suburbia does look a little more hostile.
Barrin92 5y ago
are there not even buslines in American suburbs? I grew up in Germany in a rural village of a thousand people, was very lonely because of how ridiculously old everyone was and how few kids there were, but I could always hop on the bus and get to the 50k town that was half an hour away where we used to meet up as kids, go the cinema, game store, whatever.
- danudey 5y ago
  Typically no. American cities, with a few exceptions (San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and probably Los Angeles), have poor or no public transit, which is generally only for commuting and not suitable for any other kind of travel. There are cities where you can't even walk a few blocks away because there's no sidewalks and no guard rails and so you end up having to walk on the shoulder (or not at all). It's kind of ridiculous.
bitwize 5y ago
When I was growing up, every suburban street had multiple kids on it. The whole Wayne's World thing where they play hockey in the street and move the goal when a car comes -- kids actually did that. And of course every kid had a bike and could ride to some other kid's house. So a kid from suburbia could reasonably expect to have someone to hang out with, nearly all the time. But, you know, this is Hackernews, cars were always evil, and we have always been at war with Suburbia.

by kiba 5y ago

jimmygrapes 5y ago

So teach kids how to cross the street safely. Yes, there is always risk in doing so, just like there's risk in simply existing in a world where Bad Things Happen.

FooBarBizBazz 5y ago

Depends on the suburb. Some suburban towns are like Springfield from The Simpsons, or that town in Bob's Burgers, and kids can walk around them. But in other places, "the suburbs" means gated communities off sidewalk-free arterial roads, with nothing but big-box stores around, and the onramps to even-larger highways.

Aerroon 5y ago

It is expected that children aged 7 and up will go to school on their own in Estonia. In some cases that involves walking a kilometer and crossing multiple roads. By later years some families have moved around and it is not entirely uncommon for them to take the bus to school (public transport, not a school bus). I think kids can navigate around more safely than lots of people give them credit for. Although, American suburbia does look a little more hostile.

Barrin92 5y ago

are there not even buslines in American suburbs? I grew up in Germany in a rural village of a thousand people, was very lonely because of how ridiculously old everyone was and how few kids there were, but I could always hop on the bus and get to the 50k town that was half an hour away where we used to meet up as kids, go the cinema, game store, whatever.

danudey 5y ago
Typically no. American cities, with a few exceptions (San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and probably Los Angeles), have poor or no public transit, which is generally only for commuting and not suitable for any other kind of travel. There are cities where you can't even walk a few blocks away because there's no sidewalks and no guard rails and so you end up having to walk on the shoulder (or not at all). It's kind of ridiculous.

bitwize 5y ago

When I was growing up, every suburban street had multiple kids on it. The whole Wayne's World thing where they play hockey in the street and move the goal when a car comes -- kids actually did that. And of course every kid had a bike and could ride to some other kid's house. So a kid from suburbia could reasonably expect to have someone to hang out with, nearly all the time. But, you know, this is Hackernews, cars were always evil, and we have always been at war with Suburbia.