Mx. Amadi LovelaceDec 29, 2022
Reminding leftists once again that their car free walkable utopian ideals are ableist and exclusionary, and that they need to:
a) prioritize accessibility, not walkability;
b) listen to disabled people;
c) think inclusively rather than starting from a premise that removes some people from their vision;
d) listen to disabled people;
e) listen to disabled people.
Show threadLuna CorbdenDec 29, 2022
@amaditalks @shrinkthinks I’ve been yelled at by so many anti-car types when I’ve mentioned my difficulties riding a bus. Instead of thinking about the problem. Not to mention my pondering how I would have gotten groceries as a single parent with an infant. They don’t think about families, either.
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | ΧιλDec 30, 2022

@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks I think there's much more to human-centred infrastructure than removing cars. If there are many smaller shops in living areas, and roads you can cross safely, you don't need a bus or a car. You can make a few small trips a week and don't need to carry that much.

Walking to my local supermaket takes about 3 minutes. Wheelcharing or mobility-scootering also takes about 3 minutes.

Show threadLuna CorbdenDec 30, 2022
@chielk @amaditalks @shrinkthinks I get this, and that would be nice (in cities with dense populations unlike where I live now, rural, where each house is on an acre or more and there’s only justification for one small grocery store in a 40 mile radius). I agree with this goal, but we need to take into account the edge cases, and maybe the movement could do less yelling at folks who point out those edge cases? Like, I’m usually kind of scared to talk to y’all.
Show threadLuna CorbdenDec 30, 2022
@chielk @amaditalks @shrinkthinks Another issue is that, at least in today’s society, a single parent doesn’t have *time* for several trips a week. With a baby on one arm? What if you’ve got more kids? This calls for other changes to how we do things, which I also support, but it needs to be part of a whole, and that’s what it will take to sell people with problems. And in a democratic society, you’ve got to sell people on it.
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | ΧιλDec 30, 2022

@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks I don't think people should try to ban cars, but focus on making other options more viable and safe for most people, and not blame people for using a car where that's their only viable option.

When people here, today, with multiple kids go shopping, the older ones usually walk by themselves. Also keep in mind that going to the shop takes a few minutes, and you don't have to buy groceries for a whole week, so it may even take less time in total.

Show threadLuna CorbdenDec 30, 2022
@chielk @amaditalks @shrinkthinks Well I was thinking single mom with twin babies? Which is a thing. And there could be pushcarts and such, if the market is only a 3 min walk. But yeah, these things can all be solved, and it’s a nice world to dream about. I wish more of the movement was like you, able to talk through these problems instead of, like the guy in the replies here who accused me of having a victim mentality. 🤷‍♂️
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | ΧιλDec 30, 2022
@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks I think people saying things like that lack a lot of understanding (and kindness), and what I'm saying is more aimed at them than at you. But I'm also trying to show that there are solutions that can work for everyone.
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | Χιλ

@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks I'm not describing a dream but what it is like in my city.

My eyesight isn't very good, which prevents me from driving, but at slow speeds I can see things well enough.
I, nor anyone around me has ever considered or even suggested that I have a disability, because there are almost always better options than driving. Friends who live in different cities and commute to work in Amsterdam don't even own cars. But driving is still possible for people who need it.

Dec 30, 2022 at 5:37pmWeb
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | ΧιλDec 30, 2022

@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks What made the cities here like this that people in the '70s protested for the safety of children. They changed the infrastructure to make children more safe.

The solution in NA seems to be to buy a car the size of a tank and drive them around safely until they're old enough to drive their own tank.

This is sad to me for the several reasons, but I mainly feel for the children who are denied the possibility to experience age-appropriate independence.

Show threadLuna CorbdenDec 30, 2022
@chielk @amaditalks @shrinkthinks These are all reasonable and compassionate points. The car-free movement should make you their spokesperson. A lot of Americans think Amsterdam is a beautiful city and wish things could be more like that here. Remove the need for cars, people will use them less. It makes sense. Meanwhile, a lot of Americans do associate safety with having a car, as you've pointed out, and those are feelings not thoughts, and so need to be addressed somehow.
Show threadChiel | خیل | Хил | ΧιλDec 30, 2022

@corbden @amaditalks @shrinkthinks Thank you for your kind words. I hope that the car-free people find a better name and adjust their focus so that you and others can feel included, or even part of the movement.

I would definitely suggest @notjustbikes as a spokesperson, as he's the one who made me aware of many of these points, knows more about them, and already has quite a wide audience.

I recommend his YouTube channel to anyone who's interested in this topic beyond my 500 character blurbs.