3 ms·

It's not a super useful comment but I feel like I need to reply every time I see a corresponding opinion-only comment ;) Many people apparently disagree. Why t

by sershe 4y ago

It's not a super useful comment but I feel like I need to reply every time I see a corresponding opinion-only comment ;) Many people apparently disagree. Why try to "rebrand" it for them? I have grown up in Moscow, lived in Yaletown in Vancouver BC, Richmond BC, Bellevue WA, and in SOMA in SF (all slightly different types of walkable, dense places), and I hated suburbs. Then I moved into suburbs and realized they are so much better! I wish I'd moved earlier, and to suburbier suburbs instead of the still-walkable ones that I have chosen. I've lived in dense neighborhoods for 34 years and now I don't think they have any advantages for me, other than perhaps it's more convenient to be drunk, and it's more convenient to be a kid who cannot drive. Oh and yeah, mixed income. I've heard quite a few middle class and higher immigrants say that one major advantage of the US compared to <their home country> is that you can move away from poor people. In Russia/Mexico/... the poor are fellow Russians/Mexicans/..., so it's not based on race either. I grew up surrounded by "mixed income" (well to be fair we were lower middle class if that, ourselves). Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather live in the cheapest house on the best street :)

JSoet 4y ago
Can you explain what changed about your opinion after moving into a suburb?
- sershe 4y ago
  Driving is better than walking (I do outdoor stuff a lot, so 10-minute walk doesn't really count as exercise for me, it's just a hassle), except when parking is scarce, but that is specifically a problem of dense areas. Driving is also much faster than transit in most places... this was actually a "mind blown" moment - I was surprised it takes so long to get anywhere on a visit in Moscow, then I realized this used to be my "normal" to take 30-60mins to get places by transit, after starting to drive everywhere I think 20 minutes is kinda too far away. Weather is also less of an issue when driving. I used to buy groceries by bike or on a walk from the bus every 2-3 days, turns out buying a bunch of groceries every week or two is much more convenient. It's much quieter and somewhat safer (could be safer yet if I moved further away from town). One of my apartments was on a busy street and it's kinda funny how I notice a single car rolling by now when I used to have to tune out constant hum of traffic, sirens and honks. There is much more greenery, birds (from hummingbirds to eagles), trees, animals even. My friends who live in a really distant suburb had a bear in their backyard once, I guess that could be a disadvantage :) More space for the same amount of money (that actually translates into even less need for density - e.g. I have a squat rack at home now so I don't need to go to the gym). One hassle is that if I go somewhere to drink I need to take an uber. Also house is more pain to maintain than a flat, that actually does kinda suck, I am particularly averse to that kind of stuff... I wish there were condos in suburban areas, or e.g. some company where you pay a fee like a HOA and they have to keep track and do all the maintenance :)

by sershe 4y ago

JSoet 4y ago

Can you explain what changed about your opinion after moving into a suburb?

sershe 4y ago
Driving is better than walking (I do outdoor stuff a lot, so 10-minute walk doesn't really count as exercise for me, it's just a hassle), except when parking is scarce, but that is specifically a problem of dense areas. Driving is also much faster than transit in most places... this was actually a "mind blown" moment - I was surprised it takes so long to get anywhere on a visit in Moscow, then I realized this used to be my "normal" to take 30-60mins to get places by transit, after starting to drive everywhere I think 20 minutes is kinda too far away. Weather is also less of an issue when driving. I used to buy groceries by bike or on a walk from the bus every 2-3 days, turns out buying a bunch of groceries every week or two is much more convenient. It's much quieter and somewhat safer (could be safer yet if I moved further away from town). One of my apartments was on a busy street and it's kinda funny how I notice a single car rolling by now when I used to have to tune out constant hum of traffic, sirens and honks. There is much more greenery, birds (from hummingbirds to eagles), trees, animals even. My friends who live in a really distant suburb had a bear in their backyard once, I guess that could be a disadvantage :) More space for the same amount of money (that actually translates into even less need for density - e.g. I have a squat rack at home now so I don't need to go to the gym). One hassle is that if I go somewhere to drink I need to take an uber. Also house is more pain to maintain than a flat, that actually does kinda suck, I am particularly averse to that kind of stuff... I wish there were condos in suburban areas, or e.g. some company where you pay a fee like a HOA and they have to keep track and do all the maintenance :)