Comments on: How Cars Destroy the Wilderness of Childhood http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/29/how-cars-destroy-the-wilderness-of-childhood/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:38:56 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/29/how-cars-destroy-the-wilderness-of-childhood/comment-page-1/#comment-90491 Rhywun Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:49:45 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=18541#comment-90491 There's much more to this than just cars. I grew up in an entirely car-dependent neighborhood, but in the eighties it was still perfectly common to let your kids roam around town all day unsupervised, which is exactly what I did. I don't know precisely why my generation, who are now raising young kids, have decided to overprotect them so much. But it can't be (just) out of fear of automobile carnage. There's much more to this than just cars. I grew up in an entirely car-dependent neighborhood, but in the eighties it was still perfectly common to let your kids roam around town all day unsupervised, which is exactly what I did. I don't know precisely why my generation, who are now raising young kids, have decided to overprotect them so much. But it can't be (just) out of fear of automobile carnage.

]]> By: oscarfrye http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/29/how-cars-destroy-the-wilderness-of-childhood/comment-page-1/#comment-90431 oscarfrye Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:36:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=18541#comment-90431 Motordom: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/communityofinterest/archive/2009/07/28/motordom-defined.aspx Motordom:

http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/communityofinterest/archive/2009/07/28/motordom-defined.aspx

]]> By: I \v/ NY http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/29/how-cars-destroy-the-wilderness-of-childhood/comment-page-1/#comment-90391 I \v/ NY Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:47:01 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=18541#comment-90391 i cant stop recommending the book "fighting traffic", it is the story of how the auto stole the streets from all other uses, how the motoring industry redefined the role of the street and put the blame on pedestrians for being in the street. it is an absolute must read for anyone on this blog. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262141000/ i cant stop recommending the book "fighting traffic", it is the story of how the auto stole the streets from all other uses, how the motoring industry redefined the role of the street and put the blame on pedestrians for being in the street. it is an absolute must read for anyone on this blog.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0262141000/

]]> By: Justin http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/29/how-cars-destroy-the-wilderness-of-childhood/comment-page-1/#comment-90181 Justin Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:58:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=18541#comment-90181 I'm remembering that when I was a kid, a friend of mine who lived a block over had a little brother who was killed just playing in the street. Run over by a car. No one talked about it in terms of livable streets or ways to make sure this kind of thing didn't happen. The discussion was quickly of how the motorist was not at fault--which may very well have been the case, but none of the adults I ever heard talk about it mentioned that it might have something to do with the way this technology is designed, unregulated, how the street is constructed.. I'm reminded of an excellent though macabre poem by Seamus Heaney. - Justin Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney I sat all morning in the college sick bay Counting bells knelling classes to a close. At two o'clock our neighbors drove me home. In the porch I met my father crying-- He had always taken funerals in his stride-- And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow. The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram When I came in, and I was embarrassed By old men standing up to shake my hand And tell me they were "sorry for my trouble," Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest, Away at school, as my mother held my hand In hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs. At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses. Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him For the first time in six weeks. Paler now, Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple, He lay in the four foot box as in his cot. No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear. A four foot box, a foot for every year. I'm remembering that when I was a kid, a friend of mine who lived a block over had a little brother who was killed just playing in the street. Run over by a car. No one talked about it in terms of livable streets or ways to make sure this kind of thing didn't happen. The discussion was quickly of how the motorist was not at fault--which may very well have been the case, but none of the adults I ever heard talk about it mentioned that it might have something to do with the way this technology is designed, unregulated, how the street is constructed..

I'm reminded of an excellent though macabre poem by Seamus Heaney.

- Justin

Mid-Term Break by Seamus Heaney

I sat all morning in the college sick bay
Counting bells knelling classes to a close.
At two o'clock our neighbors drove me home.

In the porch I met my father crying--
He had always taken funerals in his stride--
And Big Jim Evans saying it was a hard blow.

The baby cooed and laughed and rocked the pram
When I came in, and I was embarrassed
By old men standing up to shake my hand

And tell me they were "sorry for my trouble,"
Whispers informed strangers I was the eldest,
Away at school, as my mother held my hand

In hers and coughed out angry tearless sighs.
At ten o'clock the ambulance arrived
With the corpse, stanched and bandaged by the nurses.

Next morning I went up into the room. Snowdrops
And candles soothed the bedside; I saw him
For the first time in six weeks. Paler now,

Wearing a poppy bruise on his left temple,
He lay in the four foot box as in his cot.
No gaudy scars, the bumper knocked him clear.

A four foot box, a foot for every year.

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