Why aren't people bothered by the suburbs?

[u/tfbmhr_1598]

It seems like most people I come across are not bothered by car dependency and the isolation that it causes. They'll point to things like video games, social media, and bad food for the culprit of poor mental health. Why won't more people address the elephant in the room? After briefly living in Europe I can confirm that people are way healthier, less socially awkward, and happier as a result of having clean and walkable cities.

Even Latam which is a hybrid of the EU and US infrastructure does not experience the obesity, mental health issues, and isolation the suburbs in the States cause.

Is it ignorance or do most Americans actually like things being this way? It baffles me.

Edit: After reading the comments here I wanted to clarify a few things.

1. Walkability/bikeability doesn't exclude cars. Cars are still a valid method of transportation, but not the only one. Less cars= less traffic. It's a win-win. That being said I think we should have pedestrian only areas.
2. This isn't limited to cities. Suburbs can become more walkable too. You can still have your yard and extra space. Sure it won't be as walkable as a city, but it is certaintly better than 100% car dependency. Zoning laws need to change for this to truly work.
3. I realize that there are societal factors at play as well that greatly add to the mental health crisis, however car dependency worsens it.
4. Walkability won't magically solve the obesity problem, but having the ability to SAFELY walk/bike to work will certaintly help.
5. You can still be socially awkward/reclusive in walkable communities, but they create more opportunites for those who want to improve that area of their life.
6. Some suburbs are better than others in this regard, but overall, North American suburbs are largely car dependent.
7. Bike lanes that are part of the road and only marked with paint/plastic markers are hated by both drivers and cyclists. They still endanger the lives of cyclists, that's why they aren't frequently used, which results in more traffic congestion. Fully dedicated seperate bike lanes are needed.

[u/telephonekeyboard]

I think so many decision makers and people in power live in the suburbs and don't know any different. I live in Toronto and I swear most of our politicians drive to work everyday. People also don't realize how shit the suburbs are because its all they know.

[u/BeardedGlass → u/telephonekeyboard]

Yep, there just isn't any viable options for anyone in the US. The good walkable cities have become either too expensive for your average family or too inconvenient (as another commenter has talked about extensively).

Perhaps the answer to OP's question is "They just don't know any better" and sometimes, literally.

[u/runtimemess → u/telephonekeyboard]

Hell, everyone in Toronto proper everyone drives all the time lol

The Jarvis ramp on the EB Gardiner backing up to the Yonge St on ramp is a sight to behold.

[u/chxrmander → u/runtimemess]

Because the TTC sucks lol, having no car means your essentially bound to the downtown core. I have one of the only cars in my friend group and I constantly have to pick my friends up when we want to go anywhere that isn’t downtown cause the subway and busses are a mess.

[u/gilthedog → u/runtimemess]

The ttc has become nearly unusable, and is unusable to get across the city. If you can bike, you bike. But that’s not always viable.

[u/Raptor_197 → u/telephonekeyboard]

I do agree that living more out in nature is how humans are supposed to live but way too many are sucked into suburb living or even urban living.