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NotJustBikes went to Houston, tried to walk from the hotel to a suitcase shop 1-2km away, and found it too dangerous, not too hot. He doesn't say "everyone in H

NotJustBikes went to Houston, tried to walk from the hotel to a suitcase shop 1-2km away, and found it too dangerous, not too hot. He doesn't say "everyone in Houston should walk everywhere all the time" he says "Houston is designed so you can't safely walk even if the distance is short and you want to". > "I would love more walkable infra but I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to walk in Houston." But the relevant part is people who do want to, but can't.

Nicholas_C 2y ago
I don’t remember Not Just Bikes mentioning the sweltering heat and humidity in his video but it wouldn’t surprise me if he conveniently left it out or brushed over it. But my point is that Houston is designed the way it is because very few people want to walk in 100 degree humid weather. It was mostly built after cars were invented so it reflects that.
julian_t 2y ago
A few years ago I visited a company in New Jersey, in a business park just off the 1 - a bunch of office buildings and a business hotel in a little enclave. I could see the office across the road from the hotel, but there was no easy way to get there on foot because there were no sidewalks, or indeed any other concessions to pedestrians. I had to walk through the car park, push through a hedge, climb down the grassy bank, and the do the same in reverse on the other side of the road. Reception had seriously recommended that I took a cab about 100 yards.
- ben_w 2y ago
  Even when the pedestrian infrastructure exists, it's not always good. There's sidewalks and crosswalks between The Cupertino Hotel and One Infinite Loop, but they are terrifying to use because of how wide and busy that intervening junction is. https://maps.app.goo.gl/3erCVaBPq49A7bgL9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/3erCVaBPq49A7bgL9?g_st=ic Walking to that hotel from San Jose was a mistake, incredibly hot even in winter and no shade, but it was possible — though I did have to switch which side of the road I was on several times because the sidewalk just stopped.

Nicholas_C 2y ago

I don’t remember Not Just Bikes mentioning the sweltering heat and humidity in his video but it wouldn’t surprise me if he conveniently left it out or brushed over it. But my point is that Houston is designed the way it is because very few people want to walk in 100 degree humid weather. It was mostly built after cars were invented so it reflects that.

julian_t 2y ago

A few years ago I visited a company in New Jersey, in a business park just off the 1 - a bunch of office buildings and a business hotel in a little enclave. I could see the office across the road from the hotel, but there was no easy way to get there on foot because there were no sidewalks, or indeed any other concessions to pedestrians. I had to walk through the car park, push through a hedge, climb down the grassy bank, and the do the same in reverse on the other side of the road. Reception had seriously recommended that I took a cab about 100 yards.

ben_w 2y ago
Even when the pedestrian infrastructure exists, it's not always good. There's sidewalks and crosswalks between The Cupertino Hotel and One Infinite Loop, but they are terrifying to use because of how wide and busy that intervening junction is. https://maps.app.goo.gl/3erCVaBPq49A7bgL9?g_st=ic https://maps.app.goo.gl/3erCVaBPq49A7bgL9?g_st=ic Walking to that hotel from San Jose was a mistake, incredibly hot even in winter and no shade, but it was possible — though I did have to switch which side of the road I was on several times because the sidewalk just stopped.