Urban Sprawl

[Giordano]

Also known as the suburbs.

 

 

 

Most of us probably live in a suburb. Long stretches of urban development running for miles and miles. Suburbs began in the 1950s, the very beginning of the Baby Boom when veterans returned home and a overall mass push outward began. Loads of people moved away from the central cities to the surrounding areas for a variety of reasons. Cheaper prices, living in your OWN house rather than somebody's apartment, or just to get away from the African Americans. Either way, the urban landscaped pushed outward into the great wilderness.

 

 

 

One of America's biggest urban sprawls, and probably on the top 10 of the world behind Mexico DF or Tokyo, Los Angeles has over 60 miles of urban development. The red line on this map alone is just roughly 60-70 miles long, and there are still a few suburbs further ahead.

 

 

 

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60 miles really never stood out as big to me, living here all my life. But when I went across America with my Dad, the average cities there were at most 30 miles wide. From the western suburbs to the east, the entire city metropolitan area was tiny compared to Los Angeles. And it made me realize how friggen big we are.

 

 

 

But what's the point of this thread? To simply ask weither you LIKE the suburbs. It's an interesting concept in the topic of urban planning, one of the most discussed and studied in college courses so I've heard. I haven't made my mind up yet, so I'm playing devil's associate until I figure out which side I'm on.

 

 

 

For starters, in a large area, mass transit is very hard, if not impossible, to implement. Everybody has to use cars, or face hours walking just to get to your job. The more cars used, the more pollutants are emitted, hurting the environment. Another recently discovered fact that I learned is that it destroys potential farmland. In the specific area that I live, in the past it was covered with farms of oranges, wine, or cattle. There still is a large empty piece of land behind my neighborhood that doesn't seem like ex-farmland but from the skies you can clearly see the seeding lines. (or whatever they're called...) Plus the fact of their size anybody without a driver's license is screwed unless they live real close to commercial districts.

 

 

 

On the other hand, it gives common men the luxury of their own home,a very important aspect in the American Dream and of humanity. 1900s and back it was working hard to get your own piece of land and now its working hard to get your own home. Similar stuff right? And because suburban homes are spread apart, it feels like you're (somewhat) with nature but still in the city.

 

 

 

So what side are you? Having your own land or a horrible pollutant and congestion problem?

[Lenticular_J]

Haha, yeah, I was wondering about this when I was in Dallas. In case you don't know, there aren't really a lot of suburbs in Texas. Dallas and Houston are really the only cities that are real big on suburbs. Most cities are spread-out enough that there's plenty of elbow room here. And there's still tons of undeveloped rural land.

 

 

 

I just think it's wierd. If you want your own yard, why not move to a smaller city or into the country? The houses in Dallas with yards and such cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, when you could get one the same size, with a better yard and easier access to major places in town in Amarillo or Lubbock for about 70k.

 

 

 

I'm generally fascinated by cities and suburbs, though. Everyone wants to be around this hub, but they don't want to give up their yard, no matter how tiny and likely unused it is. I've always lived in the country and in small cities, where it's just plain normal to have a yard and your own house. I intend to own a large plot of land and build my own home on it sometime in the future, say 2 or 3 hours' drive from a city like Seattle or Portland - or even Dallas or Austin, there's plenty of land out there for sale for pretty cheap.

 

 

 

It's in interesting situation.

[Danqazmlp]

I have no experience of suburbs at all. I live on a country road, miles from the nearest village/town, in a house thats randomly parked in the middle of a field :roll:

 

 

 

I wouldn't mind living in a suburb though, they look like they have fairly nice community feels to them, and good/close access to almost all needs like sports centres, schools and thngs like that.

[Zierro]

I live in a town called Deltona, which is pretty much nothing but suburbs. I like the peace and quiet, but not the aesthetics. I'd much rather look at forests and fields than spaghetti-like streets surrounded by rows and rows of houses. I'd also like looking at city lights. Ehh, I guess they all have their pros and cons.

[H2PM]

That would suck to live in L.A. during a zombie outbreak.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways, I dont live in a suburb. I live in downtown of my little town. Its rather nice.

[Wisp]

I live in the woods and own like 200 acres, and there are no suburbs near me. The closest thing are some housing developments. Course the biggest city in my state has like 60k people.

[champion]

I live in a suburb. I don't mind it, really. Everything's suburb unless you're downtown or on the outskirts of the city (where I nearly am).

[i_love_burritos]

Sydney is the best city if you ask me.

 

 

 

Perhaps only 60 KM across, [only 37 MI].

 

 

 

No big concentrated blocks of concrete, has a great deal of charm. Can walk from one end of town to be at a beach, then at the CBD then in great national parks.

 

 

 

[unless of course you live in the deep south or west, yuuuch.]

 

 

 

I'm only saying this, because I've lived on the North Shore most of my life and it's simply amazing.

 

 

 

Temperate all year round, scenery, functional and utilized infrastructure. Good public transport and it has a level of depth in it's founding and history that you rarely see anywhere else.

 

 

 

Go down to the Rocks. :thumbup:

 

 

 

I'm sorry if none of ya'll understand me, but another Sydney-sider might.

[Zierro]

I always thought Sydney would be a beautiful place to live thanks to Finding Nemo.

[Skull]

That would suck to live in L.A. during a zombie outbreak.

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways, I dont live in a suburb. I live in downtown of my little town. Its rather nice.

 

5 posts into an unrelated thread and we've involved zombies. Possibly a new record?

 

 

 

Anyways, I live in more rural than suburb. I think. Not like miles away from anyone, but not like the neighborhoods most of my friends live in.

[i_love_burritos]

I always thought Sydney would be a beautiful place to live thanks to Finding Nemo.

 

 

 

Come over here, now. We'll have a slumber party at mine. :P

[Lateralus]

I live in the suburbs with my mother just now, and I absolutely hate it. Where I live is just a huge splat of housing which surrounds a massive area of retail parks and shopping centres. There's no decent bars, restaurants, cinemas or anywhere to enjoy yourself. I just don't feel as if there's any culture or anything happening. Living by myself in the city for two years has only made me despise the suburbs even more. Cities feel alive; suburbs are dead.

[ThurinEthir]

I live in a suburb which also happens to be a city. (it's literally just outside Boston, so it should count as a suburb, but it's officially classified as a city by the state government or whatever)

 

It's alright. I can be the "nature-y, get away from the world" kind of guy, but I also like public transportation and how handy it is, especially for those of us who can't drive...

[gauper_kid]

I live in a small town. The nearest "city" is 20 minutes away. But, we have two stoplights. :P

[Shiny]

From the massive growth in Auckland, everything is just sprawled over the place, everyone still able to get yard-space unless you live in the CBD. I live on North Shore peninsula.

 

 

 

Personally, I love suburb life - easy access to nearly everything.

 

 

 

I would prefer to live in the country, but I never have to I can't really make a judgement.

[Kenshinjapan]

I live in the suburbs with my mother just now, and I absolutely hate it. Where I live is just a huge splat of housing which surrounds a massive area of retail parks and shopping centres. There's no decent bars, restaurants, cinemas or anywhere to enjoy yourself. I just don't feel as if there's any culture or anything happening. Living by myself in the city for two years has only made me despise the suburbs even more. Cities feel alive; suburbs are dead.

 

 

 

Welcome to suburban life! :lol:

 

 

 

That said, I live in Texas where there are not many suburbs so I can't relate. However, I don't think that I would mind living in them.

[walka92]

Sydney is the best city if you ask me.

 

 

 

Perhaps only 60 KM across, [only 37 MI].

 

 

 

No big concentrated blocks of concrete, has a great deal of charm. Can walk from one end of town to be at a beach, then at the CBD then in great national parks.

 

 

 

[unless of course you live in the deep south or west, yuuuch.]

 

 

 

I'm only saying this, because I've lived on the North Shore most of my life and it's simply amazing.

 

 

 

Temperate all year round, scenery, functional and utilized infrastructure. Good public transport and it has a level of depth in it's founding and history that you rarely see anywhere else.

 

 

 

Go down to the Rocks. :thumbup:

 

 

 

I'm sorry if none of ya'll understand me, but another Sydney-sider might.

 

i used to live in sydney, but in a suburb called castle hill, in the west. i wish i coulda lived in an area like you, but then again, CH wasnt too bad. atleast i knew my way around there...

[Sam]

Never lived in a suburb, never plan to.

[Shiny]

Never lived in a suburb, never plan to.

 

 

 

How come?

[nerdboyxxx]

Not really. I preferred the country. Well, I live in Australia so I'm not sure about all the urban development going on in America, but over here in the Eastern coast it is heavily built up. We're all basically squashed on the eastern side of the great dividing range to get away from drought conditions, extremely hot weather and bogans who live in the middle of the outback. Well, I prefer the heat, the drought isn't that bad in some areas, and my Dad fits right in with bogans, growing up on a farm. Eh, too bad we moved.

[mlclm]

Cities are just better imo. Where else can you live within walking distance of an adult toy store, a university, and a supermarket? :thumbup:

[Me_Hate_Libs]

Cities are just better imo. Where else can you live within walking distance of an adult toy store, a university, and a supermarket? :thumbup:

 

 

 

If I put walking distance at 2 miles, I'm within a grocery store, porn store, a mall, a library, a strip club, car wash, and roughly 100,000 scientologists.

[aquariusman]

I hate the suburbs for a variety of reasons. First of all, they are just plain boring. Cookie-cutter houses side-by-side for miles. Then there's the environmental impact of living miles from where you work. Finally, I simply much prefer rural areas to and urban or suburban area. And at least city centers are interesting.

 

 

 

By the way, the best places for agriculture are often most sought after places to live for us. I'm pretty sure that at least in Canada, the Golden Horseshoe contains the best agricultural land, and yet a good majority of it is now developed.