this post was submitted on 28 Oct 2023
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Also I would argue a lot of things people hate about cities and drive them to live in the country or exurbs are caused by an over abundance of cars.
Now add urban greening to the mix and that’s quite a spicy brew. I think a lot of people who prefer rural or exurban living today would be tempted by properly built cities.
Definitely. Cities aren't loud; cars are loud. I'm convinced if some eccentric person built an entire car-free, transit-oriented city from the ground up, the vast majority of people would absolutely love living there. I don't know a single person who doesn't love a nice car-free street in the middle of a city.
Those car free streets are the best streets. I've always said they should just crack down in NYC and go full car ban overnight no warning
Cities are loud even without cars. People shouting. Music playing. Dogs barking. Sirens. And then there’s the light pollution.
And it’s not just the noise I dislike, it’s the constant presence of people. It stresses me out. I’d rather have a million bugs as my neighbors than a million people.
Sirens from what?
Emergency vehicles. Even without cars there will still be ambulances and fire engines.
I also didn’t mention delivery and garbage trucks, which are also incredibly loud and would also be in a car free city.
Oh, and air traffic.
I don’t think sirens need to be anywhere near as loud without cars. The only reason they are so loud currently is to be heard over the roar of the highway.
Will cities be as quiet as the countryside? Probably not. But they will be dramatically quieter than they are now. Not Just Bikes took some decibel measurements of urban areas with and without cars and the difference is pretty huge.
I don’t doubt that they’re a lot quieter without cars, since I’ve seen that video, too. But it won’t ever be enough for me, especially because as the city gets quieter I stop being bothered by the noise and start being worried other people are bothered by mine.
I'd recommend seeking therapeutical help, that's a sign of paranoia.
It’s called being polite. I don’t want to be the loud asshole.
People are telling you your mind is different. It's not. I enjoy visiting cities because I enjoy seeing and experiencing that. But I wouldn't want to live there. It's like you step outside your door and you are constantly seen, so you must act appropriately. You can't fully relax that way.
I enjoy backpacking because of the solitude and closeness with nature. I enjoy more rural housing (not crazy rural... maybe an acre per home) for that same reason. I also don't want to worry I'm bothering the neighbors inside my own home if I walk too loudly, or am watching a movie.
Lemmy loves compact cities and I see the arguments, but maybe you'd have had to grow up in one to really appreciate it.
I’m glad somebody gets it. Seeing and hearing other people and being seen and heard by them is uncomfortable for me.
Though an acre per house is still way, way, way too urban for me. My favorite home was over a mile down a dirt road and so far from anyone I didn’t see any other houses.
That felt safe.
Wait but this doesn't necessarily mean you disagree with the post? You can still be a pastralist and support dense cities as a way to preserve rural areas which is what the post implies...
Totally. But there’s lots of urbanists out there who think I’m crazy for not wanting to see other people.
You must have a seriously "atypical" mind, then.
Hello I am that person. Not because it’s a car free street, but because there’s still a few thousand people nearby and no dirt under my toes and I can’t see the stars.
It's a sad irony that people move out of the city because cars make the city unpleasant, then commute to the city by car.
What I hate about cities is crowds and people. I don’t think there’s a way to solve for that.
Sure for people like you, you might still prefer rural lifestyle. I don’t think it will be everyone. But I think there are lots of people who just want quiet, safety, and beauty and find those in rural areas. But cities could have those qualities too if we managed and designed them better.
Which would be great because then I will have even fewer neighbors.
Yeah, this is one area I think those who love cities and those who love countryside can agree. Better, more liveable, more compact cities with less sprawling suburbia will make life better for both groups.