On our trip over Christmas, Blake and I decided to do a little shopping while in Nashville. The mall is less than 2 miles from Blake’s parents house, but took 20 minutes to drive to with the Christmas season traffic. Another 15 minutes was spent searching for a parking space, which we finally found at a strip mall a block away. It was freezing out, but we decided to make the short walk rather than waste more time finding a better spot. After making our way through the parking lot to the road, we realized that there was no sidewalk. We walked along the edge of the road and as we crossed the entrance to the parking lot, we were honked at by a car waiting to turn in. Despite the fact that pedestrians have the right of way, this guy felt the need to lay on the horn and give us a dirty look. Nevermind that we were out in the cold and he was in his comfortably heated car, we should have had the courtesy to let him go ahead of us.
From there, the quickest way the mall (and really the only way) was the adjacent Kroger parking lot that ran from street to street. Again, there was no sidewalk or pedestrian area and traffic was heavy. It was literally like playing Frogger just making our way through to the other street. When we got to the other side, a busy four-lane road stood between us and the mall. No crosswalk. Our options were to walk a long way up or down the road to one of the stoplights and then back down the other side to the entrance. We decided to wait for an opportunity to cross which finally came although we were forced to sprint across to make it in time. All this just to get from one block to the next.
I wish this experience was abnormal in the States, but most places you go on a day-to-day basis are just as difficult to maneuver on foot. Even when you’re within walking distance, it’s generally not very pleasant or even feasible to do so. Take where we used to live in Charleston (James Island) for example. There were two groceries, several stores, and a coffee shop within a quarter mile (if not less) of Blake’s place; but walking was hardly an option. No sidewalks for half the way forced us to walk in the grass on the edge of a ditch beside the road before making our way along a busy highway and through a massive parking lot to get to the stores. Miserable. The problem in most of the States is that nothing is designed with walking in mind. it's as though nobody ever considered that somebody might actually walk somewhere. The lack of sidewalks and tendency of stores to be separated from the road by enormous parking areas destroy any chance of a nice stroll to the store.
I never realized just how bad this trend is in the States until I moved to Australia. Don’t get me wrong, Sydneysiders are extremely reliant on the car, a lot of people drive instead of using public transport, and there is a lot of traffic. The difference lies in the fact that in the vast majority of places, the car takes a back seat to the guy on foot. For example, the no frills suburb of Chatswood a few miles north of the city has hundreds of stores including two huge malls, several franchises, big retailers, etc. On the inside these malls are just like what you find in the States, but on the outside they are totally different. Chatswood (like most neighborhoods in Sydney) is basically designed like Main Street with stores on both sides that front the sidewalk. Better yet, half of the street is pedestrian only with outdoor seating, street vendors, fountains, live music, etc. One of the malls, despite being a relatively recent development has its main entrance on the pedestrian only area, and rather than destroy the old neighborhood feel, it blends right in with the other stores on the street. Car access is in the rear, parking is underneath, and both are out of sight. It makes all the difference. The dependence on parking is also reduced by the fact that a train line and several bus routes that drop people off at the top of the street eliminating the need for everyone to drive there. Suburbs, more appropriately described as neighborhoods, are like that all over Sydney. There is always a pedestrian friendly cluster of shops where people can buy everyday goods without having to jump in the car and drive to the nearest big-box grocery or mall. Even in small towns where they have built a giant Woolworths Grocery, they stick it at one end of “Main Street” so that it is still part of a walkable downtown.
Blake and I didn’t have a car the first year and a half we were here, and we would still be happily without if my new job didn’t require it. I now park my car on Friday afternoon when I return from work and don’t touch it again until Monday morning. Why would I, when the alternatives are catching a ferry across the harbor, taking the train, or walking across the Harbour Bridge into the city. Gone are the days of worrying about that extra glass of wine with dinner or not being able to find parking. Takes away so much stress on a night out.
I can honestly say one of the best experiences I have had since being abroad is not having a car for nearly two years and not needing one. You never realize just how much stress owning a car and driving everywhere causes you until you don’t have to do it. Trust me on that one. Sadly, in most parts of the States it’s simply not an option to sell the car and buy a comfortable pair of shoes. It has to be one of the most unfortunate elements of American culture.
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