If the world's population lived @ Houston's population density... (Dallas, Paris: loft, houses)

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by casimpso

I totally agree with you. IMO, mass transit would be fine for to/from work M-F (unless it rains). As an augment to a car. But mass transit without a car?

I often wonder how people who live in these large cities without a car are able to shop. Just last weekend, I needed a case of Ozarka, a 12-pack of toilet paper, an 8-pack of paper towels, two large bags of dog food, a 24-pack of Mountain Dew, and numerous other food and personal items, which filled the cart to capacity.

I agree with you on the former.

Now on to the latter: Historically before refrigeration, people shopped almost every day for food. I think a quick 10 minute trip inside the independently-owned corner store on the way home is not a burden since you pass by it on the way home from your neighborhood's bus/train stop anyway.

It's a lot of work to get all those groceries from your car's trunk to your kitchen but effortless to hand-carry at most, a couple of bags, into your kitchen over a few days.

I'd like Houston's density to match New York since all of it would still be in Texas instead of parts of the city being in neighboring states.

[20yrsinBranson]

Why the hell people want to live on top of each other is beyond my comprehension.

20yrsinBranson

[Trae713]

Originally Posted by casimpso

I totally agree with you. IMO, mass transit would be fine for to/from work M-F (unless it rains). As an augment to a car. But mass transit without a car?

I often wonder how people who live in these large cities without a car are able to shop. Just last weekend, I needed a case of Ozarka, a 12-pack of toilet paper, an 8-pack of paper towels, two large bags of dog food, a 24-pack of Mountain Dew, and numerous other food and personal items, which filled the cart to capacity.

Do they have to pay considerable sums of money to have this stuff delivered to them? And then have to tip too?

You just go to the store more often and don't buy things in bulk. Not that hard.

[MIBS98]

Originally Posted by casimpso

I totally agree with you. IMO, mass transit would be fine for to/from work M-F (unless it rains). As an augment to a car. But mass transit without a car?

I often wonder how people who live in these large cities without a car are able to shop. Just last weekend, I needed a case of Ozarka, a 12-pack of toilet paper, an 8-pack of paper towels, two large bags of dog food, a 24-pack of Mountain Dew, and numerous other food and personal items, which filled the cart to capacity.

Do they have to pay considerable sums of money to have this stuff delivered to them? And then have to tip too?

Here is the thing: when you live in an area that is so dense that you don't need a car, you rarely ever make such large shopping trips plus most of what you need is within walking distance. Growing up in Chicago, living in Seoul, Paris, London, Brussels, Singapore and Bangkok, the grocery store was never more than a block from where I lived.

Basically, you go to the grocery store nearly every day because it is convenient to do so. If you need to go a bit further out to a hypermarket and buy so much that you cannot carry it on a bus or train, you simply load up a taxi and off you go.

In any case, living quarters tend to be smaller the more dense the location. To adapt, the fridge is smaller, less cabinet space, etc. You don't buy 24-packs of Mountain Dew (heck, most countries don't even sell 24-packs given we are just about the only country in the world that thinks it is a perfectly normal thing to consume loads of sugary drinks).

[MIBS98]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Why the hell people want to live on top of each other is beyond my comprehension.

20yrsinBranson

Don't knock it until you have tried it. I grew up in a town home in Chicago and the idea of living in a high rise was never appealing. Since then, I have lived in apartment buildings all over the world including large high rises in Seoul and Bangkok. I've enjoyed it every time. I actually miss it a little bit now.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by casimpso

I totally agree with you. IMO, mass transit would be fine for to/from work M-F (unless it rains). As an augment to a car. But mass transit without a car?

It's not supposed to eliminate cars... it's supposed to reduce the number of cars on the road..

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Why the hell people want to live on top of each other is beyond my comprehension.

You'd be surprised how nice some of those apartments are
add to that, shaded parking under the building and not having to mow the yard.

I checked out a model apartment in Seoul.... it was Bad A..

[westhou]

Originally Posted by Trae713

You just go to the store more often and don't buy things in bulk. Not that hard.

It's hard for lazy people to comprehend this.

[theSUBlime]

Originally Posted by casimpso

I totally agree with you. IMO, mass transit would be fine for to/from work M-F (unless it rains). As an augment to a car. But mass transit without a car?

I often wonder how people who live in these large cities without a car are able to shop. Just last weekend, I needed a case of Ozarka, a 12-pack of toilet paper, an 8-pack of paper towels, two large bags of dog food, a 24-pack of Mountain Dew, and numerous other food and personal items, which filled the cart to capacity.

Do they have to pay considerable sums of money to have this stuff delivered to them? And then have to tip too?

Like people have said, you buy less and/or shop more often. Also, cities with effective mass transit do tend to be smaller and denser than Houston but a taxi is usually not terribly expensive if you live less than 5 miles away. Boston, for example, is only about 60 sq miles (so literally about a 1/10 the size of Houston). If I know I'm going to buy a lot, I plan on getting a taxi and budget about $15 when I'm shopping. If you're lucky, you can walk. Orrrr, if you're really cool, you get a Zipcar. Businesses tend to gravitate towards dense population centers, so if you live in a dense area, you're usually not too far away. Crazy, HUH!?!

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Why the hell people want to live on top of each other is beyond my comprehension.

20yrsinBranson

I bet they say the same thing when they hear that some people in Houston drive to work 100 miles/day

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by MIBS98

Don't knock it until you have tried it. I grew up in a town home in Chicago and the idea of living in a high rise was never appealing. Since then, I have lived in apartment buildings all over the world including large high rises in Seoul and Bangkok. I've enjoyed it every time. I actually miss it a little bit now.

I've lived in New Orleans and Phoenix and a few other smaller cities. As far as living in a rural environment. Don't knock it until you have tried it. LOL

20yrsinBranson