Comments on: Cities rethink wisdom of 50s-era parking standards http://natecooper.net/nate2/09/21/2008/cities-rethink-wisdom-of-50s-era-parking-standards Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:13:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Nick http://natecooper.net/nate2/09/21/2008/cities-rethink-wisdom-of-50s-era-parking-standards/comment-page-1#comment-15235 Nick Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:14:50 +0000 http://natecooper.net/nate2/?p=522#comment-15235 There are also implications for suburban development as well. One of the most marked characteristics predominating the suburban landscape is the bountiful presence of cars, yet so few pedestrians; such that seeing someone walk down the street is a sight strange enough to warrant casual rubbernecking. Not to mention the relative lack of trees in new developments. It makes for a strangely bleak manifestation of American wealth. Speaking of which, the whole "car culture" obsession will likely linger in spite of an major changes to land-use policy; Americans are too attached to its inherent materialism, insofar as it communicates the owner's successfulness to the public at large. Though, I believe this is more of a systemic issue in American culture, rather than something purely intrinsic to "car culture"; we are a nation of propriety, where ownership is nine-tenths of the law, rights and privileges are recognized on the basis of property ownership. If anything, the fundamental tenets of our system of government and human rights encourages phenomena such as this parking-lot malaise. As much as I know I would certainly appreciate and utilize public transit in favor of personal automotive means, I am highly skeptical that it would catch on beyond an urbane demographic. I mean, can you imagine a nouveau-riche suburbanite giving up their Escalade? There are also implications for suburban development as well. One of the most marked characteristics predominating the suburban landscape is the bountiful presence of cars, yet so few pedestrians; such that seeing someone walk down the street is a sight strange enough to warrant casual rubbernecking. Not to mention the relative lack of trees in new developments. It makes for a strangely bleak manifestation of American wealth.

Speaking of which, the whole “car culture” obsession will likely linger in spite of an major changes to land-use policy; Americans are too attached to its inherent materialism, insofar as it communicates the owner’s successfulness to the public at large. Though, I believe this is more of a systemic issue in American culture, rather than something purely intrinsic to “car culture”; we are a nation of propriety, where ownership is nine-tenths of the law, rights and privileges are recognized on the basis of property ownership. If anything, the fundamental tenets of our system of government and human rights encourages phenomena such as this parking-lot malaise.

As much as I know I would certainly appreciate and utilize public transit in favor of personal automotive means, I am highly skeptical that it would catch on beyond an urbane demographic. I mean, can you imagine a nouveau-riche suburbanite giving up their Escalade?

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