How can anyone argue Philly is more urban than San Francisco? (America, people)

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

London to Paris is about 300 miles and separated by the Channel. Same distance from Paris to Amsterdam. Not the same proximity.

Then take London out of the equation an extend Paris to Amsterdam another 150 miles up to , Europe still wins this.
Could also do Vienna, Prague, Berlin, Bratislava, 4 major country capitals. Within that you have Dresden and Brno. All in less than a stretch than Bos-Wash.

[jm02]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

Yeah but if you go through Providence then things die down even earlier. You don't have a whole lot going on between New Haven and Providence except for a few small towns along the cost.

As for the other side you still have an empty stretch between Elkton and Perryville even if you take Pulaski.

Elkton to Perryville is roughly 15 miles. Not gonna quibble over a little stretch of highway. Some folks will agree with my larger point. Others won't.

[Fitzrovian]

Originally Posted by grapico

Then take London out of the equation an extend Paris to Amsterdam another 150 miles, Europe still wins this.

Where do you get 4 cities of comparable size AND significance between Paris and Amsterdam, even with another 150 miles?

[Fitzrovian]

Originally Posted by jm02

Elkton to Perryville is roughly 15 miles. Not gonna quibble over a little stretch of highway. Some folks will agree with my larger point. Others won't.

Oh so you didn't mean literally uninterrupted... And you didnt mean literally urban. You meant kind of... almost.... with a few breaks here and there. 15 miles here, 30 miles there... Okay then

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

Where do you get 4 cities of comparable size AND significance between Paris and Amsterdam, even with another 150 miles?

Umm, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, The Hague, Antwerp, Rotterdam on a straight line with just 300 miles. London, in your reality or not, has direct connects to all these cities in under 2 hours.
Brussels and Amsterdam alone are both global cities ahead of Boston/Philadelphia and on the level of LA or DC. I would choose either EASILY over the former.
Paris is much more significant than NYC historically by the way and also a high alpha (top 4), as are the others compares to U.S. counterparts.
Remember, London is like 2 hours away from any of these places...
If you want to add another 150, you could easily add in Hamburg, Dusseldorf, or all kinds of other smaller cities which trump anywhere like Baltimore or New Haven.
Remember, these cities are 1000's of years old, and generally all denser than everything outside of NYC. Even the Hague is denser than Boston, DC, or Philadlephia, and houses the ICC, IJC, Europol, etc.
The Hague at 500k is the weakest link...

[jm02]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

Oh so you didn't mean literally uninterrupted... And you didnt mean literally urban.

No, I mean what I post. If you want to plot a route through the northeast that passes through open fields to prove some sort of point to yourself, however, feel free.

(Looks like you've got some other pi$$ing matches going on, so I'll leave you to them. Feel welcome to have the last word.)

[Fitzrovian]

Originally Posted by grapico

Umm, Brussels, The Hague, Antwerp, Rotterdam on a straight line with 300 miles.
Brussels and Amsterdam alone are both global cities ahead of Boston/Philadelphia and on the level of LA or DC.
Paris is much more significant than NYC historically by the way and also a high alpha (top 4), as are the others compares to U.S. counterparts.
Remember, London is like 2 hours away from any of these places...
If you want to add another 150, you could easily add in Hamburg, Dusseldorf, or all kinds of other smaller cities which trump anywhere like Baltimore or New Haven.
Remember, these cities are 1000's of years old, and generally all denser than everything outside of NYC. Even the Hague is denser, and houses the ICC, IJC, Europol, etc.

Northern France, Belgium, Holland and North Rhein Westphalia is an incredibly dense and dynamic region, no doubt. But you still don't have FOUR cities that match the global size and significance of BosWash. Thats all I am saying. I am not
talking about history, density and all that other stuff.

Even we say:

NY = Paris
DC = Brussels
Boston = Amsterdam

which is frankly a stretch because the US metros are much larger (and arguably more significant as well), you still don't have another city in that part of Europe that's anywhere close to Philly.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Fitzrovian

Northern France, Belgium, Holland and North Rhein Westphalia is an incredibly dense and dynamic region, no doubt. But you still don't have FOUR cities that match the global size and significance of BosWash. Thats all I am saying. I am not
talking about history, density and all that other stuff.

Even we say:

NY = Paris
DC = Brussels
Boston = Amsterdam

which is frankly a stretch because the US metros are much larger (and arguably more significant as well), you still don't have another city in that part of Europe that's anywhere close to Philly.

GAWC says they aren't. Europe tallies metro areas differently. I guess we'll have to disagree, as I found that area of Europe quite a bit more impressive than the NE corridor. I am gauging city quality also. I think there are ways of looking at it where U.S. wins or Europe wins. Just depends on what metrics are used really.

[sbarn]

Wow this has gone off topic. New thread people!

[Fitzrovian]

Originally Posted by jm02

No, I mean what I post. If you want to plot a route through the northeast that passes through open fields to prove some sort of point to yourself, however, feel free.

(Looks like you've got some other pi$$ing matches going on, so I'll leave you to them. Feel welcome to have the last word.)

Well you obviously dont mean what you post if you think that 15 miles of open fields does not constitute an interruption.

I am not trying to plot anything. I am saying it is impossible to plot an urban link in at least 2 stretches along the corridor. One is 15 miles. The other is about 30. Elsewhere maybe you could manage.