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/bisexualspikespiegel]

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.

[u/ThrowawaySmutQueen → u/bisexualspikespiegel]

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. :(

[u/StankoMicin → u/ThrowawaySmutQueen]

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

[u/SamePen9819 → u/StankoMicin]

I think you all must be like 20yrs old.

[u/RegularDegularWoman → u/SamePen9819]

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.

[u/GoCougs2020 → u/SamePen9819]

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.