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Is it really a good illustration? The European Park is in a large city, while the American one appears in a suburb. It would be more comparable to either include two urban parks or two suburban parks. While the same results would likely be concluded, there would obviously be people in the American Park.
I travel almost constantly all over the USA and Canada. In the USA as a generalized statement I can say there are very few people out of doors just enjoying the out of doors. It's so bad in a lot of newer areas of American cities that the roads have no pedestrian access at all. I mean you can't even walk down the street if you want too. Canada is not so different also. Neighbourhoods are quiet, few people about and everone inside watching the boob tube. Except I must say Quebec. There seems to be a real culture of outdoor activity in PQ and the streets are often full of people just hanging out, having fun, walking or riding bikes etc. I also noted that there seems to be very few far Quebecois. I was sitting on a bench in Quebec city and over a hundred people walked by me before the first fat one came by. A few days earlier in Ohio I was sitting on a bench and out of the hundred people who walked by me 70 were fat. I was sitting outside a big K store and maybe that had some weird thing to do with it but I was very struck between the difference between PQ and Ohio.
I travel almost constantly all over the USA and Canada. In the USA as a generalized statement I can say there are very few people out of doors just enjoying the out of doors. It's so bad in a lot of newer areas of American cities that the roads have no pedestrian access at all. I mean you can't even walk down the street if you want too. Canada is not so different also. Neighbourhoods are quiet, few people about and everone inside watching the boob tube. Except I must say Quebec. There seems to be a real culture of outdoor activity in PQ and the streets are often full of people just hanging out, having fun, walking or riding bikes etc. I also noted that there seems to be very few far Quebecois. I was sitting on a bench in Quebec city and over a hundred people walked by me before the first fat one came by. A few days earlier in Ohio I was sitting on a bench and out of the hundred people who walked by me 70 were fat. I was sitting outside a big K store and maybe that had some weird thing to do with it but I was very struck between the difference between PQ and Ohio.
How about the pacific Northwestern cities? The outdoor culture there seems to be very active.
It's probably because of the fact that Americans usually have private yards - often large yards. Europeans lack these, at least in the cities and inner suburbs, and so are forced to go to a park to experience natural surroundings nearby their homes, watch their kids play, or walk their dogs, etc., while Americans have these opportunities one step out of their houses.
Also, in many European and Latin American countries (and I suppose other places around the world as well), people enjoy recreational walks and meeting their friends in the parks. Americans, in my experience, tend not to walk nearly as much, and usually meet up with their friends in private. In addition, many working Americans don't have time for "the park".
Not so, here in the Twin Cities. In my neighborhood, you'll always find lots of people strolling, running or biking on the River Boulevard, summer or winter, night or day. Even more so around the Mpls lakes.
Is it really a good illustration? The European Park is in a large city, while the American one appears in a suburb. It would be more comparable to either include two urban parks or two suburban parks. While the same results would likely be concluded, there would obviously be people in the American Park.
Most suburban parks are lame. A large grassy filled with huge parking lots, some playground equipment, a few picnic tables and maybe a ball field. I'd rather stay in my back yard. They can't compete with the classic city parks designed in the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
I don't know if that video proves much. That park in Europe sounds like it's having a festival or something and even if it's not we have no way of knowing if either is being shown on a "typical day."
Generally though I think Americans like their space. We like the idea of having lawns of our own and so forth. My favorite times at the local park was when no one was there or it was just one or two others. I would not really want to be in a crowded park like that. It seems like the Swiss or the Finns are a bit spread out too.
You who question the video and so on: The video is a joke! But I'm still claiming that this joke has a point.
Every major American city I've been to (10+) has a deserted downtown area compared to any Major European city. People in America tend to take their car everywhere! Probably because of the distance and lack of bike/pedestrian roads. I think it's sad. Go Europe!
You who question the video and so on: The video is a joke! But I'm still claiming that this joke has a point.
Every major American city I've been to (10+) has a deserted downtown area compared to any Major European city. People in America tend to take their car everywhere! Probably because of the distance and lack of bike/pedestrian roads. I think it's sad. Go Europe!
NYC don't count!
There are 10-12 US cities that have a vibrant downtown but many are lacking, this I do agree
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