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Agreed. OP’s comment makes no sense in the suburb I live in now (built around 2000), and the suburb in which I grew up (built early 1970s). Both have nearby sch

Agreed. OP’s comment makes no sense in the suburb I live in now (built around 2000), and the suburb in which I grew up (built early 1970s). Both have nearby schools, supermarkets and plazas with retail businesses, working teenagers, playgrounds, parks, etc.

lotsofpulp 4y ago
rychco’s comment makes sense in my suburb. Even I have anxiety crossing 5 lane roads with 40mph speed limits. There is usually a huge pickup truck or SUV going at least 50mph, who may likely be distracted by their phone. This was not as much of an issue a few decades ago. And that is just the 40mph ~30ft to 40ft wide crossings. The 7 to 9 lane wide, 80ft crossings on 40mph roads are incredibly scary to cross, and that is in daylight. Just the other day, at night, an old homeless woman was crossing it with her luggage, and we were stopped at the left turn lanes. The walk signal changed before the old woman could finish crossing the road, and she could easily have gotten hit by an inattentive or fast driver after she popped out as she passed the stopped cars. I would limit my kids crossing the 7+ lane roads until teenage years, and the 4+ lane roads until 9 or 10. And night time might even be more restrictive.
- TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
  You have 7-9 lane roads in a suburb? That’s called a highway. Where I live, people cross highways on overpasses dedicated to pedestrians. Sorry you have to cross 9 lanes regularly. Sounds like you live next to a highway!
  - lotsofpulp 4y ago
    Lots of US suburbs have roads with 3 lanes in each direction. Then you add one or two left turn lanes at the intersection and a shoulder/bike lane, and you get to an 80ft+ crossing easily. All the infrastructure is built for cars and cars only. All the businesses and places for kids to go will be along these huge roads. This is an example of what is commonly built: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wpdBbQJggYrpjeNz8?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/wpdBbQJggYrpjeNz8?g_st=ic That crosswalk/sidewalk is purely built for plausible deniability. You would have to be crazy to regularly walk across that to get to the grocery store/restaurants at that intersection. https://maps.app.goo.gl/rnjYVbLweNQZYFqW9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/rnjYVbLweNQZYFqW9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/bu4ow3HVTM3VTRct9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/bu4ow3HVTM3VTRct9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/owb32s3zPFShPXJ48?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/owb32s3zPFShPXJ48?g_st=ic
    - odessacubbage 4y ago
      i'm not sure many people would describe phoenix or tampa as suburban
      - lotsofpulp 4y ago
        Whatever we want to describe it as, the point is there are a decent number of kids that live in places with roads like these.
        odessacubbage 4y ago
        i feel like must be where part of the disconnect lies because despite my personal antipathy towards suburban living, pretty much every one i've visited has had superb infrastructure for walking and biking.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]

lotsofpulp 4y ago

rychco’s comment makes sense in my suburb. Even I have anxiety crossing 5 lane roads with 40mph speed limits. There is usually a huge pickup truck or SUV going at least 50mph, who may likely be distracted by their phone. This was not as much of an issue a few decades ago. And that is just the 40mph ~30ft to 40ft wide crossings. The 7 to 9 lane wide, 80ft crossings on 40mph roads are incredibly scary to cross, and that is in daylight. Just the other day, at night, an old homeless woman was crossing it with her luggage, and we were stopped at the left turn lanes. The walk signal changed before the old woman could finish crossing the road, and she could easily have gotten hit by an inattentive or fast driver after she popped out as she passed the stopped cars. I would limit my kids crossing the 7+ lane roads until teenage years, and the 4+ lane roads until 9 or 10. And night time might even be more restrictive.

TedDoesntTalk 4y ago
You have 7-9 lane roads in a suburb? That’s called a highway. Where I live, people cross highways on overpasses dedicated to pedestrians. Sorry you have to cross 9 lanes regularly. Sounds like you live next to a highway!
- lotsofpulp 4y ago
  Lots of US suburbs have roads with 3 lanes in each direction. Then you add one or two left turn lanes at the intersection and a shoulder/bike lane, and you get to an 80ft+ crossing easily. All the infrastructure is built for cars and cars only. All the businesses and places for kids to go will be along these huge roads. This is an example of what is commonly built: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wpdBbQJggYrpjeNz8?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/wpdBbQJggYrpjeNz8?g_st=ic That crosswalk/sidewalk is purely built for plausible deniability. You would have to be crazy to regularly walk across that to get to the grocery store/restaurants at that intersection. https://maps.app.goo.gl/rnjYVbLweNQZYFqW9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/rnjYVbLweNQZYFqW9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/bu4ow3HVTM3VTRct9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/bu4ow3HVTM3VTRct9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/owb32s3zPFShPXJ48?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/owb32s3zPFShPXJ48?g_st=ic
  - odessacubbage 4y ago
    i'm not sure many people would describe phoenix or tampa as suburban
    - lotsofpulp 4y ago
      Whatever we want to describe it as, the point is there are a decent number of kids that live in places with roads like these.
      - odessacubbage 4y ago
        i feel like must be where part of the disconnect lies because despite my personal antipathy towards suburban living, pretty much every one i've visited has had superb infrastructure for walking and biking.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]