Why don't N. American cities & towns try to emulate W. European cities & towns more? (section 8, crime rates)
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Europe is definitively a clear winner here: liveable, desirable cities instead of urban decay, sprawl, car culture, and lifeless suburbs with nothing to do. The most European looking cities like San Francisco also consistently get rated as having the best quality of life.
I've seen urban decay around Europe, so don't pretend it doesn't exist. Car culture...hmmm traffic is horrendous in a lot of European city centres, Amsterdam comes to mind. London had to restrict the amount of cars coming into the centre.
Lifeless suburbs? Some for sure, however like in Europe there are good suburbs and bad suburbs. Transit OVERALL is better in most parts of Europe, but it isn't really any better than what I have here in Vancouver. Canadian cities do fairly well on the transit level.
This one near Paris is lifeless looking and bland.
So it works both ways. I should add, that Vancouver is very liveable.
That's not what we would call a suburb, this would be a typical Dutch suburb near a large Dutch city. Those blocks you showed are mostly in the older cities, they don't build them any more. An upper middle class suburb would look like this.
Canadian cities seem more liveable to me too compared to American cities. Less crime, less urban decay and better public transportation.
That's not what we would call a suburb, this would be a typical Dutch suburb near a large Dutch city. Those blocks you showed are mostly in the older cities, they don't build them any more. An upper middle class suburb would look like this.
Canadian cities seem more liveable to me too compared to American cities. Less crime, less urban decay and better public transportation.
Too bad Canada won't let Americans in permanently.
I've seen urban decay around Europe, so don't pretend it doesn't exist. Car culture...hmmm traffic is horrendous in a lot of European city centres, Amsterdam comes to mind. London had to restrict the amount of cars coming into the centre.
Lifeless suburbs? Some for sure, however like in Europe there are good suburbs and bad suburbs. Transit OVERALL is better in most parts of Europe, but it isn't really any better than what I have here in Vancouver. Canadian cities do fairly well on the transit level.
This one near Paris is lifeless looking and bland.
The building styles vary, although the contemporary building style is mostly what I showed in the previous pictures. They build a lot in 30s style too these days, somehow buildings from that time seem generally attractive. But there are some streets that really stand out like the one you found.
Europe is definitively a clear winner here: liveable, desirable cities instead of urban decay, sprawl, car culture, and lifeless suburbs with nothing to do. The most European looking cities like San Francisco also consistently get rated as having the best quality of life.
Having lived in many parts of both places I can tell you, that as usual, you're full of sh@t. Most people in Europe do not live in cities, they live in suburbs or small towns that could be described as "lifeless" just as much as their American counterparts.
I live in "suburbia" and am more happy here than I was in London (or any other British city I lived in for that matter). I have a million things to do on my doorstep and live in a clean, safe, friendly neighborhood. I lived in an expensive part of London, and Windsor - neither were "clean" or "safe" by the standard I have now.
You really have no clue of what you are talking about. At least you are consistent
That's not what we would call a suburb, this would be a typical Dutch suburb near a large Dutch city. Those blocks you showed are mostly in the older cities, they don't build them any more. An upper middle class suburb would look like this.
Canadian cities seem more liveable to me too compared to American cities. Less crime, less urban decay and better public transportation.
I've been visiting The Netherlands since 1987 and have been at least 11 times, sometimes staying as long as a month.
I would take the metro and pass through places like Bijlmermeer. You can't tell me Amsterdam doesn't have some ugly suburbs, as well as nice ones of course.
Your link is Utrecht, another place I've been but don't know super well. It's a small city, 300,000 or so. I suspect there will be less blight in places like that.
However, the link shows pretty boring looking housing.
As I mentioned, I love Amsterdam and The Netherlands. I have a soft spot for it, but let's not pretend everything is perfect.
I do like the small villages and towns, and often tell people visiting Amsterdam that they must get out of Amsterdam to see some lovely sights.
If they can't, I suggest they take the Metro Gaasperplas, get off at the last stop and ride a bike to Abcoude.
The issue people have with some of your posts, is the broad brush you paint, especially of the USA.
I probably know the USA better than you, and understand to a certain degree what you say. However it's a pretty broad brush. I could take you places in the States that are absolutely gorgeous, clean, safe and very liveable.
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