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[Linda Watson <linda AT lindawatson.com>]

At 11:47 AM 1/7/2003 -0500, Thomas C. Meggs wrote:

> [...] Cars breed sprawl growth.

Cars + low fuel costs + highly subsidized roads + abundant parking + busy 
lives + a love of privacy breed sprawl growth.

I just spent two weeks in Japan, where excellent mass transit, dense 
pockets of population, and a lack of zoning creates a New Urbanist's dream. 
I'm so glad I don't live there! I agree with Gina -- give me *some* space. 
And knowing your neighbors doesn't mean you'll like them. Go watch 
"American Beauty" if you think this is the case. Or just think about what 
it would be like to *live* next to that really annoying person at work.

<wistful_aside>
Although a Shinkansen network here would be fabulous.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2018.html
</wistful_aside>

I've also lived in four different neighborhoods in Raleigh where you really 
could get by without a car, if you resigned yourself to taking a taxi once 
in awhile. All these neighborhoods had many of the qualities sought by the 
utopians (a range of housing costs, local stores and services, parks, 
nearby mass transit, etc.). My personal circumstances ranged from "starving 
student" to "fine, thank you." You don't need to be well-off to live in 
places like these; in fact, poverty can force you into them.

On the other hand, the vast majority of my current neighbors never walk to 
the Wellspring or the other shops in the Ridgewood Shopping Center, three 
pleasant blocks away. Many of these same neighbors *do* walk for exercise. 
But we're not isolated from each other. We have a neighborhood book club 
and lots of social events, including a Christmas party and a Super Bowl party.

... Linda