[loafa]

But the biggest cities in the world have problems with foot traffic and subway traffic.

I'm not sure that they still employ "pushers" in Tokyo but they very well might.

And that's with the benefit of Japanese culture where people are generally clean and polite. Japanese density plus American social problems sounds hellish.

[cylinder]

Yeah all this pro density hype comes off as coming from newbies to big dense cities. High density sucks for quality of life really quickly. Especially peak hours on the subway! I've learned I prefer medium density: walk to a shopping precinct for a commuter train to CBD and essential amenities. Weekends a small car to get about to social stuff, run errands, larger shopping trips, etc. You can have this even in suburban settings by planning well and keeping lot sizes smaller. Hardly exists in the US though.

[TheOneTrueKyle]

Lived in Japan for a few. Would gladly take being stuffed into a train than ever stepping foot into a car again.

[vonmoltke]

To each their own I guess. I find being crammed in like that horribly uncomfortable and claustrophobic, to the point where I would rather walk than take a subway I know is going to be a sardine can.

[TheOneTrueKyle]

Walking is great too, so long as it isn't a car

[AnimalMuppet]

I'm going to guess that you are male. Being female and stuffed into trains like that carries disadvantages when males feel free to pinch your rear. Females learn to hold their briefcase behind them while standing on the train.

I'm male, but I know it happens, regularly. When we were in a group, we always tried to put the females in the middle.

[TheOneTrueKyle]

As a male who has been constantly harassed by other men, I don't understand why people love to make this about gender.

[mahyarm]

Long commutes and rush hour also sucks in low density suburban america too. I think a lot of the bad sides of high density living for people are unwanted solicitors, bad/old non-soundproofed housing and insecure shipping receiving.

[vonmoltke]

> Long commutes and rush hour also sucks in low density suburban america too.

Depends on where you want to live. I lived in Dallas for just over 14 years and never had a commute that was over 30 minutes each way. Half the time I was there it was 15 minutes door-to-desk.

Now that I'm in the NYC area it's 1+ hour each way and I'm beholden to a bus or train schedule. I could cut it at the expense of increased rent and less space, but that is not a trade-off my wife and I are willing to make.

[mahyarm]

I guess your wealthier in Dallas than you are in NYC in a way? A short commute usually costs more than a long one.

[vonmoltke]

I don't follow. We don't need two cars here, but my monthly public transit outlay is a small car payment in itself. Were it not for the significant drop in car insurance rates, I would still be paying more for transportation than I did in Dallas (since the car I sold had been paid off for close to seven years).

[erispoe]

I wouldn't project your preferences onto everyone. For instance, I vastly prefer being able to do stuff on my phone, even standing in a crowded bus, to driving behind the wheel not being able to do anything.

[cylinder]

As I said,I prefer commuting by rail on weekdays, not driving. It doesn't have to be one extreme or the other.