"This is where you feel like, if you're not in your car, you're making a mistake"We have all felt it. It starts out with a small, nagging that you might have done something wrong. You ask yourself, "Should I really be here?" I realize now what I couldn't put my finger on before. The reason I feel out of place in so many places is that there just isn't any infrastructure for a pedestrian. Since when did a pedestrian need infrastructure to get around. I am on foot, for goodness sakes. But that is exactly what it is. Every thing is set up for the car. Even going from one strip mall to another on foot feels like ducking under the rope at a ski resort and heading for an adventure in the back-country.
When did this happen? At what point did it become easier to drive 100 yards than to walk? The exception is no longer where the sidewalk ends, but the existence of a side walk at all.
I know I am not alone in my dismay at this situation. One of my favorite authors, Orson Scott Card, has mentioned this a couple of times on his blog. Whether it is poor planning, or no planning, I don't know. Either way it needs to be corrected. The question is, how? How do I (unarguably, one of the little people) help push development to be more pedestrian friendly?
This moves a bit away from the purpose of my other writings here, so I will just list a few links and be done with it. Before I leave this topic, however, I would like to say that I think the first step for all of us is simple. We have to be aware of the problem. Take notice as you move about your city. Ask your friends if they have felt the same. Let me know what you think.
No comments:
Post a Comment