Suburban Sprawl

[JackRussellTerrier2]

Definition erroneous... should include "low density development, usually within a metro or micropolitan area whc typically affiliates w/ th centrl city... chrctrzd by wasted spaces (drvwys reaching bhnd houses which r far fr street w/ bldng codes prvntng front & vertical addtns et al)... consists of such rsdntl dvlpmnt as ranch houses, ramblers, patio homes + low-rise office campuses, big box rtl, other 1 level dvlpmnt + huge paved areas..."

BTW most of "Atlanta" is actually outside Atlanta

[rickster348]

people are easier to control when they're centralized. We need to get people back in the cities, even if they have to live on top of each other.

[partsmet]

Very suburban city. Unfortunate.

[TheEMotionPictures]

I love how you addressed the homogeneity of Suburban Sprawl. Find my complete 82 min. documentary film on Net Flix.

Best,

David M. Edwards

[AthenaOnFire]

Hi, please watch my video on Urban Sprawl :)

[SilentServiceCode]

Why did you not credit your use of Placebo - Pure Morning at the end of the video?

[tuxedomask5432]

Sorry about that, the CD my sister made for me had it Mis-labeled as the Butthole Surfers LOL, I now know its Placebo.

[travviswavvis]

You guys did a great job!

[haverston21387]

ATLANTA IS A GREAT CITY FOR THE MOST PART AND THE TRAFFIC IS RIDICULOUS DURING RUSH HOURS.

THE MARTA RAILS HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED BY RACIST POLITICIANS FROM ITS INCEPTION.

THE TRAINS WAS ORIGINALLY MAPPED TO SERVICE COBB,GWINNETT,AND NORTHERN FULTON COUNTIES.

BUT SINCE THE IGNORANCE AND HATRED IS AGAINST MINORITIES WHITE PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO BE IGNORANT ABOUT MASS TRANSIT AND ONLY make things more complicated by driving into the city instead of allowing for the extention of marta rail lines.

[realsamwise]

People against urban sprawl consists of a few special interests groups. People who already live in a suburb or the country and just don't want the city following them, big city governments that don't like people with money escaping their grasp and eroding their "Tax base" and enviro-nuts that want to force us all to pack in like sardines so we can leave land open and unused, to them I say buy the land yourself or shut the hell up about what the owners do with it.

[livinn59801]

That was the most idiotic rant I've heard all day. Thank you for being a dumbass!

[realsamwise]

When our system at last comes down we will see who fares better. People in small towns/the burbs or in cities. Good luck all you apartment dwellers growing food in your window box

[xman4un]

Actually, you're quite wrong although of course metropolitan areas would prefer to keep it's wealthy residents. However, many of suburban sprawl's worst critics are suburanites themselves! Suburban sprawl is very much responsible for the economic crisis were currently in created from the real-estate bubble and consequently the failure of the investment sector. It's called overspeculation and greed you schmuck!

[realsamwise]

Over speculation and greed certainly have a part to play in the current issue but the lions share of the problem can be traced to the actions the government. The Clinton administration played the largest part by requireing banks to give loans to the underserved members of the communitie. The reality was that NOT giving them the loans was the economically responsible thing to do. It was and is the governments drive to get homes for people who can not really afford one that caused this.

[realsamwise]

As I have said before, the biggest critics are the governments of big cities who dont want their tax base escaping, country dwellers that resent being invaded by the city and well healed suburbanites who resent other city dwellers following them to the suburbs. Who does not wish the cruise boat would launch five seconds after they themselves board? When you live in a suburb to escape the city nobody wants other people hopping on the band wagon and mucking it all up. Its a predictable responce.

[xman4un]

Quite correct. Well, we understand that there's a clear connection between private enterprise/investments and what the government allows or will not allow done. But then this is not a new issues, it's as old as man himself, isn't it? It's innate to all of us to seek the benefits of scarcity, to fight for it even die for it whether it be material resources or more isolation! I think the issue here is finding balance so that there's no adverse economic fallout that's disproportionate to cities.

[realsamwise]

This is what it comes down to isnt it? People that hate urban sprawl do so largely because of its effects on cities. There is no doubt about it, urban sprawl has a negative impact on the economic and political strength of cities. This however is not bad, far from it. It keeps cities all ready far too large and politically influential under some semblance of control

[xman4un]

Anyone who doesn't think suburban sprawl as practiced in this country in particular is not detrimental to the environment, the economy and comes with a cost of other social ills is naive! The solution isn't perpetual human "flight" while all the while destroying vast swaths of forests, natural habitats and farmlands. If you're from Canada, you should understand that.

[realsamwise]

Actually I am not from Canada I just live here. I am from small town America. I live in a suburb of a suburb of Toronto. I suspect that some people might say the area is more semi rural then suburban. I would by choice live five miles from some Midwestern town population 5,000 but sometimes you have to compromise and move to where the work is. You want to kill the suburbs? Find a way to move the good jobs into small town America, the suburbs will dry up and blow away in 10 years.

[xman4un]

Which reminds me anyway that the suburbs aren't economically self sustaining without the cities, obviously that's always been the case. And reciprocally, the sustaining work-force for the cities is the suburbs. The private and professional sectors in the suburbs suck and are always going under. The problem has been that suburban sprawl is exceeding economic infrastructure if they're to be self-sustaining. And now, you just have overdevelopment which no one can afford and is taking up space.

[realsamwise]

It is fair to say that the suburbs are economically dependent on the city but suburbs exist BECAUSE cities suck so much. It is my experience that the quality of a suburb almost always mirrors the quality of the city they are near. Large crowed cities produce large depressing suburbs. If the city is big enough and nasty enough people will live in a shipping box if they have to just to get out. The problem is not suburbs it is what makes people want to live there. Sucky large overpopulated cities

[xman4un]

Tha'ts not entirely true by any means. I'm a product of the NYC burbs, just 40 mins outside NYC and also the Maryland suburbs outside of Washington D.C. To be expected, some of the most expensive real-estate, superb neighborhoods and school systems in the nation. What suburbs are you talking about?

[realsamwise]

The Suburbs of LA are a classic example. I would not live there either. Washington D.C is a very obnoxious place. I would never go near NYC. Subdivisions just outside of towns in the 100,000 - 300,000 population range are a tolerable compromise Suburbs arn't perfect they are just the only choice left when small towns have no work and cities are..well urban. Most people just want to live in places reserved for living. Places nobody has reason to go save the residents there.

[xman4un]

You should re-read your entries...with all due respect to you, I have to say you sound like an illogical wimp. Nothing suits you and you seem to find fault with virtually everything. Well, I guess for some people living with humanity is a hard lesson in life. I think we all have trouble with that one.

[realsamwise]

Well, nothing is perfect so sure nothing suits me. but as far as housing goes, living in asuburb 20 minutes outside of a small city is pretty close. In the end it is not I that has an issue with my living arrangements or those of others. New Urban-ism is not in the end a bad idea for changing cities it sounds better than most cities are now. Ironically, in a roundabout way less obnoxious cities could indirectly reduce demand for suburbs by giving people one less reason to want to live there.

[realsamwise]

I guess where I am perplexed is why anyone who says they live in a suburb would first, dislike it there and second stay there if they felt that way. I have lived in some sub divisions that had overgrown become too full of teens and cars and such. I just moved.

[kingreich22]

You are a sordid American bastard. If you had no inhibitions you would commit genocide against people of African descent. This is why all your people are going to be wiped out when peak oil comes!!!!!!

[kingreich22]

My message is a response to coonhuntinginc5.

[touchmebabe]

To the person from France,Ive been to Barcelona and I alute all of Europe for their effeciency and i love...absolutely love the mass transit there, and i persoanlly hate the suburbs and dont like driving..but lets not get a little pretentious.Realize that the growth of the suburbs cazme with the American mentality of pushing the western border, and the land resources we have had.So it was an inherent error to build the burbs.

[kingreich22]

France we do not have such problems. At least our people have Health Care, efficient public transit, good food, and happier lives. The reason why Americans are so stressed is because they live in these Shitburbs. We French don't and that is why we are happier and live longer.

[crazychrisva]

Your people live longer because they are lazy. You French do not even bathe regularly and speaking of suburbs isnt Paris surrounded by them.

[kingreich22]

On top of that many people around the world have been massacred by American Soldiers, so Americans can maintain their licentious lifestyles.

Thank you America!

[kingreich22]

This is why America sucks. This is why everyone hates Americans because they consume about 21 million barrels of oil a day compared to the 2nd largest consumer of oil China who consumes 6 million barrels a day. China has a population of 1.3 billion people compared to the United States that has only 300 million. Now who is the most gluttonous and disgusting society? Lay off your Starbucks, Wal-Mart, mcmansions, and Ford Explores.

[Cyrus992]

Comment to kingreich22:

All of your comments are amazing!!!! I too disagree with the suburban American lifestyle!!! they suck!!! the unattractive stores and suburbs, their oil consumption, etc. I live in the "Sh*tburbs" too and Im doing everything I can and plan to promote New Urbansim!!!!

Hopefully someday we will grow the right way!

[bearsagainstevil]

the plan for america is to crash the entire country off a cliff all the alternative fuels wont work and your society will collapse

[landongendur]

Coming from a small & relatively isolated city of ~200,000 people in Canada, I've got to say commutes like that are INSANE.

If you want country living, live & work in a smaller city of around 10,000 to 20,000 people. You might not have as high paying of a job, but at least you'll save on commuting (both time and money) and housing is most likely going to be much cheaper as well.

Real eye-opener of what large cities can be like!

[landongendur]

What is the name of the song during the opening sequence?

[allboutk]

madison avenue - dont call me baby

[landongendur]

Much thanks :)

[realsamwise]

During the day if I wanted to I could take a nap in the road in front of my house because there are no cars. I can look out the window and see nothing but my apple tree. I could yell and nobody would hear me. My commute to work is less then 20 mins. Find a city where you can say that.

[landongendur]

What city are you in?

[realsamwise]

Few miles outside Guelph Ontario

[tyrandola]

Im moving to NYC,my goal is to minimize driving. If i live outside of a city then im going to work there too. the problem is freeways and roads not suburbs. If it wasn't for America building for the automobile then all would be fine

[crazychrisva]

So I guess I should live with people all around me. I like to be able to skinny dip in my pool if I want to. I like my privacy.

[HollandParker]

THE PROBLEM is: Huge money has been wasted on malinvestments in the US suburbs, and the DEBT is still with Us. We need to restructure and write off. Google: "restructuring america's suburban dream"

[kamnov]

so peoople like to live in suburbs yes there are ways to make them more enviromentally friendly and also with cars and transit i live in the suburbs of miami and i like it and im only 16

[alanhowitzer]

Privacy rules, public space drools.

[tommybass40]

Suburban Sprawl is a US Government plot to enslave and control the population through the subsequent and utter dependency on automobiles and gasoline, which fuels the Corporate-Capitalist insanity of foreign wars abroad and mindless consumerism at home.

It's a sad state of affairs right now in the US.

[kamnov]

well we are begining to invest in alternative fuels e85 clean desiel hydrogen and hybrids you really need to get over your whole conspiracy shit and grow up

[rktech68fl]

Yes, people are just that dumb...they equate public transportation with being 'poor.' You see...it's much better to own a car to get your job at Walmart, then spend half your salary maintaining the expenses.

[manco82]

$16/gallon for gas? I don't think so. We can always go nuclear.

[OractheIII]

People are just dumb down there, guess they'll find out once gas goes to $4 a liter.

[sn1022]

I dont understand how cities like that expect people to get in... how could you not have a public transportation system? I dont get how millions of people living and working in one area are expected to drive everywhere??? Is it government corruption or are people down there just dumb?

[InflatableBear]

Yep just come to LA its just one giant sprawl as far as the eye can see

[GOPATS3000]

Atlanta is a failed city and will never sustain itself. Its an edge city. The core is joke. I couldn't stand it when I was there. It should be demolished rebuilt. You could say that for the majority of American cities though.

[realsamwise]

The core of every large city is a joke, they should all be demolished and not rebuilt

[machinesbreathe]

New Yorks core seems quite functional. Same for San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Chicago, Portland, and so forth.

I think you are entirely uninformed and completely lacking in any insight.

It sems to me that you are merely talking from your hind orifice.

[realsamwise]

I have been to both San Francisco and Chicago and they both give me the willies. Chicago's sidewalks are more packed then most dance floors. I found my tiny hotel room the least clostrophobic place in the city and San Francisco is creapy. I noticed no less then six drug deals taking place in the four days I was there and was aproached by hucksters wanting to play three card monty twice.