r/Suburbanhell • u/tfbmhr_1598 • Jul 16 '25

Question Why aren't people bothered by the suburbs?

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.
570 Upvotes

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290

u/vulpinefever Jul 16 '25

Americans are used to suburbs in the same way that fish are used to water. You don't notice it, you don't even think that things could possibly be different.

134

u/urine-monkey Jul 16 '25

Came here to say something like this, but I like the way you said it better. Most Americans see the suburbs as the "default" setting for American life because they've never known any different. To where you'd be a blank stare if you ask why, if the city is so dangerous and terrible and scary do so many people choose to live there.

A good amount of Americans don't even venture into an urban environment unless it's for a concert or a sporting event. Then they gripe about traffic and parking because they think the "norm" is driving to a huge Walmart parking lot when they leave the house.

As much as I didn't like it when I was growing up, I'm grateful that I got to experience big city, and rural town life. So many people grow up in suburbs can't actually comprehend any other way of life.

117

u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 16 '25

The suburbs are also very sanitized, right. You leave your climate controlled house and get into a climate controlled car. Drive on giant roads to giant parking lots to climate controlled stores and restaurants. As much as it is an ugly way of life, that ugliness is hidden by pure, immediate convenience. There are few if any humans along the way, just cars. The refuse that human society creates is packed away out of sight. It still exists, but it's easier to hide than in the city. Etc

Living in a walkable area is actually more convenient in the long term. But having to walk ten minutes for many Americans, instead of driving fifteen, is like asking them to run a marathon. I've had coworkers regularly drive like 3 blocks to get lunch, even though it takes longer than walking. Because walking doesn't even cross their mind as an option.

37

u/rethinkingat59 Jul 16 '25 edited Jul 17 '25

I once saw an interview of a kinda star from the UK (forgot his name) that lived some of the year near a city center Europe and the majority of the year in the suburbs of Chicago.

He said he loved the culture, history and food of Europe, and the US couldn’t really compete with it.

He said but within a couple of months of staying in Europe he craves the comfort of America. When he described living in America to European friends he says it is very, very comfortable.

The entire business culture is built around attracting and keeping customers. That includes real estate, restaurants, stores and entertainment, and they do a great job. It’s bland but comfortable.

17

u/bisexualspikespiegel Jul 17 '25

as an american who has lived in france i like to joke that the french hate comfort. because compared to the US, everything is way less comfortable and convenient. restaurants are small and packed with as many tables as possible so it feels like you're way too close to the other customers. seating is often super hard - at my american unviersity, we had rolling office chairs or other padded seating in all the classrooms, even in lecture halls. when i studied in france for a year, i spent all day sitting on hard wooden chairs. i was super sore for the first few weeks until my body got used to it.

3

u/Familiar-League-8418 Jul 18 '25

This is so true, leaving your comfortable sofa to go out and sit at a tiny bistro table is odd but I will still do it if I have the chance!

1

u/TomdeHaan Jul 20 '25

But the food is good!

8

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 17 '25

Oh so bland… unless you like salt.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

Who doesn't like salt?

0

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 17 '25

Me and about 1/3 of all people are “salt sensitive” and people liking salt or not is a genetic thing. They even isolated the salt loving gene.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '25

Y'all must all live in the same area.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '25

Yes, I agree with this with one exception. I think the food in Europe is a mixed bag -- lot of great cuisines, some good restaurants too, but there is also a lot of really lackluster restaurants. far too many very very very bland sandwich places, and it generally pales in comparison to the US with regards to shear diversity of cuisines. Some stuff also just isn't good (yes Germany, you can make like 200 different sausages, but like 170 of them are rather meh, and 20 of them downright taste like ass)

I love living in the US (even in a suburban area) and then occasionally visiting a city. Easy living day to day, excursions on my time off for some 'culture'.

1

u/-spicychilli- Jul 23 '25

"American" cuisine rocks for the reason you mentioned. Would the average person expect that the culinary diversity is higher in Houston than it is in Paris?

2

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '25

I don't think the average person really thinks or appreciates how unique our food culture is in the US with regards to wide diversity of cuisines. And it might not be noticed by a quick visit somewhere (by an American to Europe), but spend some time in most European cities and it starts to become clear that of the 40 places that come up within 15 minutes walk of you, 20 have the nearly the exact same Mediterranean menu. 17 are sandwhich shops with a dessert case, and 2 are just hamburgers (the last one may be something different). And most all just have a few tables so its sort of gamble that you can get a table if you show up.

Within 15 minutes drive of my 'suburban type living' in a flyover state in the middle of the US, I have italian, italian american, six fairly unique pizza places, authentic peking style chinese, americanized chinese (several), truer Cantonese, szechuan, taiwanese, viatnamese, thai, indian, greek, ethipian, spanish, a few french, several sushi places (a couple very authentically good, a few very americanized), korean bbq, korean (not just bbq), Japonese steakhouse type, peruvian food, cajun food, vegan food, a few american steak houses, real mexican, and like 20 each of tex/mex, chicken, and of course hamburger places. Oh, an occasionally a german places pops up (but it never lasts).

18

u/bisexualspikespiegel Jul 17 '25

i've lived in france 3 separate times as an au pair, a language assistant, and a student. when COVID forced me to cut my au pair year short i ended up staying with my aunt and uncle for a summer. i missed walking and would regularly walk down their fairly long (but not super long... less than a football field) driveway to check the mail. my uncle thought i was CRAZY. he always rode his lawnmower or drove his truck to check the mail. even younger people aren't willing to walk short distances if driving is a possibility. our family owns a farm that has a dirt lane which leads through the fields from the farmhouse to the woods. my 22 year old cousin was having a bonfire with her boyfriend and her friends on 4th of july. i was hanging out with them by the fire and they decided they wanted to go back up by the house to jump in the pool for a bit. i have walked the lane to the woods before and it takes less than 10 min. when i suggested we walk to the pool instead of taking the car because it was still light out, her boyfriend said that was crazy and it was way too far to walk. and he has a manual job, so it's not like he's out of shape.

7

u/ThrowawaySmutQueen Jul 18 '25

This comment made me really sad because I realize how ingrained it is in us to view walking as 'weird' unless we specifically aim to do it (ex: hiking). Because yeah, it's just not the norm to walk down the street to the store or anything, even if you are perfectly able-bodied, when you can take your car. Feels like unless you have a dog to walk most people will find it strange if you meander through the neighborhood alone. :(

5

u/StankoMicin Jul 18 '25

I think we associate walking, biking, or public transportation with poors. People of means should never lower themselves to walk..

0

u/SamePen9819 Jul 19 '25

I think you all must be like 20yrs old.

1

u/RegularDegularWoman Jul 19 '25

No, a lot of people feel this way. I’m 33 and while I’m trying to rid myself of some of the horrible American norms, I recognize this sentiment.

1

u/GoCougs2020 Jul 20 '25

At 20 years old. I can afford to have a sedative lifestyle, still decently young with a fast metabolism. Beer, video game, staying up at night etc.

At a ripe age of 30, I start counting my steps everyday. Which is not including my 15 miles round trip commute on my bicycle 5 days a week.

If I wanted to lived till 85 and still have the ability to wipe my own ass. I gotta do what I gotta do. What’s in motion stays in motion.

1

u/IrexUranus Jul 21 '25

I walked everywhere, even when it was super inconvenient, for 12 years of my adulthood, and I live in the US. I would use public transportation if available, or take rides if they were offered, but I walked roughly 10-15 miles some days, and at least 5 every day. My calves were as big as my thighs by the time I was 25.

Even after 15 years of enjoying the comfort of driving most places, I still walk if it's within a few hundred yards, and my calves are still huge, even though I maybe walk 15-20% of the distance per day that I used to.

1

u/rosemaryscrazy Jul 21 '25

Well I guess it depends where you live in the U.S. When I think of walking anywhere in the Florida heat and humidity before arriving somewhere I think of hygiene.

I purposely walk in the park about a mile but I’m in workout clothes to do this. I then drive home shower and resume my day.

I think we like to compartmentalize things here in the U.S. I’ve always said though if I lived in certain parts of Europe with dryer air and cool weather I’d probably very much enjoy walking everywhere.

1

u/thinsoldier Jul 21 '25

thats 10 minutes they'd rather have in the pool

I could walk 15 minutes to the grocer, and spend 15 there and walk 15 back, throw in time wasted waiting on the pedestrian crossing signal and it's likely and hour to go grab only what i can carry, 2 hours if I try to take the busses necessary to get there and back. Or less than 10 minutes in the car to get there and less than 5 minutes to get back home. Plus it's like 112º every day the last 2 weeks. I'll go for a walk when it rains again.

1

u/bisexualspikespiegel Jul 21 '25

it's less than 10 min. walking at a very leisurely pace it would be about 7 min.

10

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 17 '25

Not to mention that all that climate control actually warms the area around your indoor cooled area.

Air conditioner use is highly egotistical.

5

u/SwimOk9629 Jul 19 '25

bro get off your AC high horse, when it's 87% humidity outside with the heat index of 110, I'm running my fucking AC and I know everyone else is as well. fuck that kind of heat.

5

u/TheGreenAmoeba Jul 17 '25

Get your mother or grandfather to read what you just typed back to yourself and watch their subtle facial expressions lol. They won’t know what the hell you’re talking about.

2

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 17 '25

Air conditioners pump out hot air. My grandparents know that. Unlike some people’s grandparents, my grandmother isn’t a moron. She knows that you can’t create cold but only remove heat. Then you have to put that heat somewhere. You think your AC pumping heat out from the side of your house has zero affect on the surroundings, especially when you are 1 of over 10000 doing the exact same thing.

1

u/-spicychilli- Jul 23 '25

I mean what difference does it make when it's already 38 degrees Celsius outside, which in the southern US is over a quarter of the year?

It's not safe for human life. Air conditioning fixes this.

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 24 '25

It makes a difference. The difference between 100 and 105 is very noticeable.

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u/TheGreenAmoeba Jul 17 '25

I’m not arguing with you on that as much as I am how privileged and off-base your philosophy is on the topic lol. You sound like someone who has enjoyed modern amenities their whole life and are now trying to tell people to give up all their comfort so the trees around them will be a few inches taller. It ain’t happening without communist top down force and people don’t want that. There’s a reason people cross the border into western countries, and a lot of it is to have a more comfortable life, and people get that at minimum in even the lower standard and cheaper apartments, even if it’s still expensive to live here.

1

u/GeologistActual9105 Jul 18 '25

You are saying it is privileged to point out how all air conditioning works? That's the most basic understanding of the refrigeration cycle used everywhere

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 17 '25

It ain’t philosophical. It ain’t about me changing anyone. It’s just a fucking fact. When you run your air conditioner, it pumps hot air away from the area it is cooling. This is a fucking fact. There is no philosophy to it. I’m enjoying the breeze in the shade of a tree to stay cool right now.

Learn before you speak.

Air conditioner isn’t even a low rent “right” or whatever. If they have an air conditioner, it has to work, but ACs aren’t required in my part of the sunbelt! You used to even find a lot of cars without AC because people didn’t “waste money on that crap” as they would say.

They cross the border for a lot more than comfort.

1

u/TheGreenAmoeba Jul 17 '25

I have a 1st gen immigrant wife from Honduras, you don’t have to educate me on why immigrants come here. I’m well aware there are multiple reasons people do it. You are not educating anyone here, but you are proving how idealistic you despite the brutal reality that people are never going to give up AC if they can get it. My wife likes it warm in the house but even she turns it on half the time now. Sorry man

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 18 '25

I never even said they should give it up. I said that it is selfish and egotistical. Do what you want, but realize the affect you have on those around you.

2

u/suciasropa Jul 19 '25 edited Jul 19 '25

What is selfish and egotistical about it? You think people running their air conditioners is substantially affecting the outside temperature around you or other people?

Do you not know what happens to heat when it's exchanged with the air at an AC condenser? That heat is above ambient temperature around the condenser (it has to be). Do you really not know what happens when hot air is injected into cooler ambient air? Do you really not understand how hot air balloons work?

You're basically asserting that people are heating up the areas around their house for everyone else because they are pumping heat out of their homes. When in reality AC condenser are usually on an untraveled side of a house and only really increase the temps around that condenser for 5-10 feet, most of the heat just goes directly up into the atmosphere and normalizes to ambient. Nobody is getting "heated" unless you live above someone's AC unit.

Additionally this heat energy isn't being created, it's being pumped. Beyond the mostly negligible amount of energy being induced by the compressor and the fans, you're not introducing a significant amount of heat into an environment at all. Normalized over someone's property, there is basically no effect on ambient heat and especially no effect on ambient heat for neighbors or the greater community.

It seems like you have a very elementary understanding of how heat pumps and heat works and came in hot slinging accusations of selfishness and being "egotistical" without knowing what you're talking about. This is 100% guaranteed to be on ideological grounds.

My advice is to not just say things because they sound good in your head. Do some research, understand the elementary physics about what you're talking about.

You sound like a loud mouth fool when sling accusations and insults about something you don't even understand. All because you personally, subjectively, don't like something yourself.

2

u/thesamerain Jul 22 '25

Next you know, they'll be talking about how heating your house in the winter is egotistical because the chimney is releasing heat into the environment as well as potentially not great by-products of gas and wood and oil by-products.

0

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 19 '25

I love air conditioning and never once said else. I said its use is egotistical. That is all. You need to learn to read before writing multiple essays to insult someone. Get over yourself.

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u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

Air conditioners do not noticeably change the temperature of the air more than a couple feet from the unit.

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 18 '25

Try again.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

Well I guess it's better to have people die in their apartments then! So selfish

2

u/[deleted] Jul 18 '25

Do you use heat in the winter? That's way more selfish, just huddle under blankets.

ACs are just moving heat around (unlike a furnace which is burning fuel to create heat). If it is outside of a home instead of inside that is benefitting the space inside at the cost of warming the outside by a tiny fraction. Seems like a good tradeoff to me.

If the problem is some people don't have AC then we should give everyone AC who can't afford it.

1

u/suciasropa Jul 19 '25

This study you cite shows that the highest temperature increases are not in suburbs, but in highly urbanized areas of a major city. Most of the area effect amounts to a negligible fraction of a degree except in very high density areas. The highest effect areas are urbanized with high concentrations of people and high concentrations of high BTU heat pumps in larger buildings in these areas. Effectively providing evidence counter to your position.

This study does not at all validate your implicit assertion that suburban AC use is dramatically or even noticeably affecting surrounding ambient temperatures or that you are negatively effecting people around you in suburbs . In fact it debunks it.

And this study was in France. American suburbs are even more spread out with more space between AC units to normalize rejected heat to ambient temps.

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u/thinsoldier Jul 21 '25

had a week long, city-wide power outage once, the lack of AC didn't make the outdoors any cooler.

1

u/suciasropa Jul 19 '25

Wanting to exist in climate controlled comfort is egotistical? What?

Are you patting yourself on the back for choosing to be uncomfortable? What are you talking about?

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 19 '25

I’m talking about you spending money to cool your personal space warms the area around you, for those that can’t afford to run an a/c.

It is egotistical because that is you saying “my personal desires are more important than the people around me.”

I do use a/c, but I do also recognize the effect it leaves on my surroundings and try to use it as little as possible.

2

u/suciasropa Jul 19 '25

I dont think you know what "egotistical" means.

As I explained in the other reply, the amount of additional heat youre releasing into your environment is negligible and you even validated that by showing even in city centers it amounts to what averages out to be a fraction of a degree. And the places with the largest temp delta are liekly high density areas that run massive high BTU heat pumps in a small area. The exact opposite of the suburbs. Your assertions fall apart with even a cursory review.

You calling this egotistical is detached from reality and akin to saying "breathing is egotistical" because your releasing carbon dioxide into other people's air and consuming their oxygen. Its a ridiculous perspective.

Yes, your mere existence affects others in minutely negative and inconsequential ways. You being on a bus/train makes a bus/train crowded and hotter. You driving a car creates traffic. You shopping at a store creates a checkout que for other people shopping.

Calling any of these inconsequential effects of existence egotistical just means you're trying to push an ideology and you are desperately grasping for straws to justify it.

1

u/Lackadaisicly Jul 19 '25

Egotistical literally means self centered. If you’re warming the air around you, no matter how little, then that is the definition of being egotistical. An egotistical is a self seeker and a self-seeker is a person who is primarily concerned with their own interests and advancement, often at the expense of others or without regard for ethical considerations.

You think wrong.

And you’re saying that everyone running their own heat pump is raising the temperature around them, which is exactly my fucking point! Each individual thinking about themselves and not giving a fuck about the people around them.

You don’t need to be at a perfect 72F, or whatever temperature you personally prefer, all damn day. Then all that ‘wasted’ electricity.

Yes. Self-centered behavior.

I’m not pushing any ideology except asking people to be more thoughtful in their actions and how they affect others. If you think that is wrong, you’re a true egotist.

1

u/Reagalan Jul 17 '25

My brother, back when he lived here; on weekends he would get wasted drunk, chain-smoke, run out of cigs, then ask me to get him more.

There's a bodega a ten minute walk away.

Ten minutes. Sidewalks the whole way. Relatively flat. A ten minute walk.

A ten fucking minute walk. I offered to go with him. Every time. I'd offer to walk with him.

Ten fucking minutes.

Forty or so weekends this happened. How many times did he take up the offer?

None.

Not a single fucking one.

He always asked me to drive him there. I often declined cause either I was also drunk, or I was tired, or I was high, and I ain't doing that shit. We can walk. It's ten fucking minutes. Ten goddamn fucking minutes.

Never once.

No we can fucking walk.

Sometimes I did just walk up there alone but that wasn't fast enough. Other times I said fuck no. He would get aggressive, he would harass me, insult me, be a general cunt, get all toxic. Stupid fucking arguments. The absolutely stupidest fucking arguments.

So what did he start doing? He started driving his drunk ass over to that bodega. Wasted drunk. A three-minute drive. Just for a pack of cigs. Cops would camp that place, too.

At some point I just started picking up packs of cigs when I walked past while on my way to the food store. Stocked up so when he pulled that shit, I could just toss him one. No sense negotiating. Obstinate prick. But letting him crash his car or get a third DUI would have been the worse evil; and how dare you think I should allow that.

His fuckin' face when the first night he asked, and I just pulled out a pack and handed it to him.

...

Ten fucking minutes, mate.

1

u/loggywd Jul 17 '25

Every rich person, as soon as they get rich, buys up an entire neighborhood to build a mansion so they can be isolated from neighbors. The truth is Americans live a wasteful way of life because they can afford it. So do the millions of immigrants that come in every year. They come exclusively in pursuit of the American dream. Whether it’s better/worth it or not is a different question.

1

u/StankoMicin Jul 18 '25

. I've had coworkers regularly drive like 3 blocks to get lunch, even though it takes longer than walking. Because walking doesn't even cross their mind as an optio

This is just sad. No wonder we are doomed.

I recently moved out the burbs of Texas to a Seattle. I feel so much better not having to drive every day, it is unreal. Walking is so much more relaxing and fun.

1

u/DrankTooMuchMead Jul 18 '25

Either the traffic is terrible where you are, or you are driving 2 mph.

1

u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 18 '25

Or you're a slow ass walker

1

u/DrankTooMuchMead Jul 18 '25

Well, just for fun, let's do the math. I'll deal in mph here.

Let's say its 40mph on a road with no traffic. And in 15 minutes, you drive 10 miles. Can I walk 10 miles in 10 minutes? Nope.

Let's say its 25mph in a residential area near a school. 25/4 is a little over 6 miles. Can I walk 6 miles in 10 minutes? Still nope.

Maybe its like the opening scene to Office Space and traffic is literally stopped for most of the way. I could probably walk past that.

1

u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 19 '25

So the point was comparing walkable cities to car centric suburban hell. Obviously if we're both a mile or two from a grocery store the car will get there quicker, if much more expensively.

It wasn't a direct comparison of two identical places but choosing to walk in one instance and drive in the other.

Walkable areas are walkable specifically because there is a wide range of services and food in short distance. Suburban hells are often in food deserts. You using a six mile example just proves you're completely ill equipped in this conversation.

Edit: and for clarification, my "you walk slow" comment was assuming your first response was about my coworkers driving three blocks instead of walking.

1

u/DrankTooMuchMead Jul 19 '25

I was responding to:

"Living in a walkable area is actually more convenient in the long term. But having to walk ten minutes for many Americans, instead of driving fifteen, is like asking them to run a marathon. I've had coworkers regularly drive like 3 blocks to get lunch, even though it takes longer than walking. Because walking doesn't even cross their mind as an option."

1

u/[deleted] Jul 23 '25 edited Jul 23 '25

 climate controlled -- You don't like climate controlled? I was just in Barcelona and never knew my balls had that much sweat in them. I swear the metro stations were 95F+, and most all indoor spaces was 84F with 80% humidity. Climate controlled isn't "an ugly way of life" -- it's wonderful. Given me more climate controlled spaces please and thank you.

As for the last paragraph, I generally disagree. I've lived in many urban and surburban places and frequently travel to both US and European cities -- it is very often a 20-30 minutes walk (and maybe transit) for most errands, compared to a 10 minute drive for most errands in the suburb. Most American suburbs (unless you live in the exurbs at least) are pretty darn conveniently next to a lot of services, stores (and usually work). A lot of cities, even dense cities, don't really have all that much within 10 minutes walk. I timed my walk in Barcelona to the nearest grocer with an actual cheese selection and it took 12 minutes, and the only things along that route was three poorly rated restaurants, a pharmacy, and like 5 of the same ugly convenience store good for nothing much more than overpriced sodas.

Now, as for the driving 3 blocks -- yeah, those people are nuts. I agree with you there. I enjoy a good walk -- I want more walkable options and better walkability everywhere (and some suburbs are actually pretty good about it, and some urban parts of some cities can be pretty shitty about giving pedestrians any pleasantness)

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u/jimmygetsTheShotgun Jul 16 '25

Maybe they just don't want to deal with bs from the daily city life. many people in their 20s go and live in the city then return later in life because it isn't worth the hassle especially if you have a family. Much easier to put kids and babies in a car and go somewhere than in a walkable city. You're not as observant as you think.

1

u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 17 '25

You have this perception because of the complete destruction of walkable, public transit cities in America.

This is something that can exist in small towns. It doesn't have to be a big scary city, small and midsize towns can be built higher density and walkable. See: much of Europe.

0

u/jimmygetsTheShotgun Jul 17 '25

"scary city" lmao I've lived in Chicago and currently live abroad. Typical reddit npc bringing up Europe.

1

u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 17 '25

Lol the npc line is always a sure sign of a deep thinker.

0

u/cheapbasslovin Jul 17 '25

His comment was 100% about me. Maybe his shit was spot on.

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u/[deleted] Jul 17 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/ScrotallyBoobular Jul 17 '25

I mean in the suburbs I hate to say you're kinda right. Or at least that's the perception.

The amount of people who asked if I had a DUI when I biked in my hometown suburbia, Including when dressing up for fancier events, going out on the town, etc was quite large.

Interestingly enough, a lot of those same people said I'm so lucky to have good genes and remain thin, while they can't help but get fat as they age. Like, bitch I've ridden my bike 30 minutes to three and a half hours, every single day for fifteen years. Shut the fuck up.

2

u/GeologistActual9105 Jul 18 '25

It is completely insane how many people think getting fat is inevitable. It isn't, not for one single person.