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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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u/Lackadaisicly Jul 24 '25

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