The Dumbest Excuse for Bad Cities

Go to: go.nebula.tv/notjustbikes for full access to Nebula for $30 per year (plus applicable taxes).
I have no interest in making “debunking” videos, but there’s one lame excuse that is so common, so prevalent, so ubiquitous, that I was literally forced to make this video. It's true: I had no other choice. My hands were drawn to the keyboard to write this script like they were possessed by the ghosts of people killed by cars.
Patreon: / notjustbikes
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References & Further Reading
Downtown Houston, 1912
hdl.handle.net/1911/62636
Country size comparisons
www.thetruesize.com
Number of Vehicle Trips by Trip Distance
US Department of Transportation
nhts.ornl.gov/vehicle-trips
NHTS BRIEF November 2006
National Household Travel Survey - Commuting for Life
nhts.ornl.gov/briefs/commutin...
Urban sprawl erodes rural lands
www.farmprogress.com/business...
Ontario loses 175 acres of farmland to urban development a day, says farmers group
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london...
[Netherlands] Agricultural export in 2021 in excess of 100 billion euros for the first time
www.wur.nl/en/research-result...
Ray Hill’s Tunnel photograph (2019) by Michael Manoni
www.alltrails.com/members/mic...
www.alltrails.com/trail/us/pe...
Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station?
www.startribune.com/why-did-m...
This video contains content licensed from Getty Images.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:57 People don't know this stuff
1:42 The excuses begin
2:30 Most travel is local
3:41 Life is more than commuting
4:35 America was built for trains
5:40 Even intercity travel is regional
6:41 Conducteurs sans frontieres
7:45 Walkability can exist anywhere
8:34 It's all land use
10:43 Wrapping up
11:31 Try Nebula, it's great!
12:42 Patreon shout-out

[@NotJustBikes]

If you are upset by my "tone" in this video, then I have some _great_ news for you! There are over 500 hours of video uploaded to KZbin every minute! So *go watch something else.* If you are happy that someone is finally saying these things bluntly and without pussyfooting around, then you might enjoy watching my content ad-free on Nebula! You can save $20 per year by signing up at go.nebula.tv/notjustbikes Or support the channel on Patreon if you prefer: patreon.com/notjustbikes.

[@kylehagie1647]

You're kidding, the tone was my favorite part of the video!

[@olavsantiago]

@@kylehagie1647 the tone hints of a frustrated European talking to an idiot sandwich

[@NotJustBikes]

@@kylehagie1647 Yes, but you are a clearly a man of fine taste and great intelligence. Not all of my audience are so blessed.

[@commemorative]

Sorry to inform you.... but I think there used to be three places called Chinaman's Knob in Australia until recently.

[@tikket10]

Its incredible how americans still make the same arguments in the comments of a video that literally countered those arguments. A few comment down theres a guy "Ian" who triggered an american, and he is still standing his ground.

[@jjthetrainman9430]

I don't get how people think you can't have rails across the entire U.S., but you can have highways across the whole country.

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

The truth is that they are just being intellectually dishonest. They may have bought into that argument because if suits their self interest. Truth is that they love their cars and for want more roads and parking lots for it. They don't want a proper train network and public transport system, because that's something they will never use. Spending tax money on roads is seen as good, because that's what they use and want. Spending tax money on public transport and bike lanes would mean giving money to the others.

[@miz4535]

"I don't get how people think" the problem is people don't think. The US (not just but that's what we are talking about) is full of brain dead people with zero imagination and want to keep the status quo because that's what they know.

[@miz4535]

@@maythesciencebewithyou But that's because they think it's somehow a better system. The US is a country where the population is fucked over in multiple ways but the population is so brainwashed they believe it is the best way, and are incapable of seeing how it is better. The equate driving with freedom despite all the bad it does to you (and makes you miserable).

[@gangsterbroccoli]

literally 🤦‍♂️

[@cjohnson3836]

@@maythesciencebewithyou This

[@1.4142]

The most annoying thing is that politicians talk about electric cars instead of this.

[@Bionickpunk]

All while ignoring the efficiency of electric trains, trams, and buses.

[@TalesOfWar]

We have the same problem here in the UK too, not quite as bad, but the government policy basically seems to be "get an EV, fuck public transport unless it's within the M25 because that's where the important people live".

[@Ironkhight]

It's incredible the mental gymnastics I hear, the push for self driving electric cars on the rise. But self driving electric public transit is scoffed at.

[@alexsmith-ob3lu]

Because our politicians know that they cannot fix this urban planning issue! It will takes a few decades to correct this problem we’ve built ourselves into from the 1950s to the early 2010s.

[@danielcarroll3358]

In California laws have been passed to phase out ICE cars, ICE trucks and ICE trains. The truckers aren't happy. The railroads have sued in federal court. It will be interesting to watch.

[@notnow1013]

The argument "The U.S is too big for trains" is immediately disproven by how Russia's cities are connected by rail and the country is twice the size of the continental U.S

[@wheeliebeast7679]

With less than half the population no less over there in Putínistan. Fuck Russia, but at least there's one thing they do right.

[@TheEclecticDyslexic]

Hilariously, saying the country is too big to have walkable cities is just an admission that because we have the space we plan our cities poorly.

[@eksbocks9438]

I can't begin to tell you how many good ideas get shot-down in this country. They always look for something small. And attack us for it. Sometimes to the fullest extent of that word. Hence why nothing gets done in America. Turns out the dumb people can be aggressive too.

[@Kurgosh1]

Keep in mind that it's not _just_ incompetence though we have plenty of that. A lot of it is an intentional choice made by various people for various reasons. Car-dependent politicians choosing to destroy walkable and bikable neighborhoods, and ruin public transit because they're bought and paid for. Racists shooting down public transit to connect suburbs to urban employment centers because if white workers can take the train _into_ the city then they fear that black "criminals" will take the train out to their suburb. Pure racist nonsense, but it works on way too many people.

[@hitreset0291]

Logic is not how most politicians are elected ~ graft, corruption and lies generally is.

[@neurofiedyamato8763]

yea its a poor argument. having the space doesn't mean you have to use all of it.

[@nerdwisdomyo9563]

Seriously tho

[@mooingAlong]

"American cities were not built for the car. They were bulldozed for the car." A quote for the ages.

[@robertmoore2049]

Powerful and true!

[@rainbowkrampus]

This video had a couple of banger quotes.

[@localnyraccoon]

Honestly such a powerful quote.

[@Sembel-xh9vq]

Imagine extensive tram, train, bus and metro layouts, which allow citizens to reach all areas of the city without a car while still beeing cheaper then a car for each individual person, while the Co2 emissions sink and the city makes a small-medium profit. Sounds like something only europe has

[@LinkStorm13]

not the first time he brought that

[@sebastiandiaz3265]

Its crazy how America only got so big that we needed cars until the 1930ish. It must have suddenly grown in size after then.

[@BogFiets]

Well clearly it was adding Alaska and Hawaii

[@Will_JJHP]

FACT: The F150 has been the best selling vehicle in the US since the Louisiana Purchase

[@aaravsingh2062]

@@Wonka59makes even more sense to get more public transport then

[@sangfroidian5451]

It wasn't that America got bigger, but the American mindset became smaller!!

[@tombo416]

@Bonka please tell me this isn’t meant to be an excuse…

[@SaadKhan-us2vt]

"The Dutch make great cities, while North Americans make excuses" Murder he wrote

[@yueminwang3551]

Canadians: Our land is scarce which explains our sky rocketing housing prices. Also Canadian: That gravel surface parking lot with a size of two football fields at downtown core absolutely is needed and makes perfect sense.

[@StressingBabies]

Ontario: “huh good thing we’ve got all this nice arable land down here because glaciers scraped away everything up north” Also Ontario: “lmao let’s put a Michael’s on it”

[@sirhorseiv]

I am so shocked that some American cities actually looked good in the past. It’s awful to see what they have become.

[@marcuscenturian2152]

Visiting cities that were designed before cars like Savannah, Charleston or anything on the east coast is wild if you grew up in the Sunbelt.

[@intreoo]

It’s very depressing. I live in the greater LA region, and every now and then I’ll drive through a stroad with decaying buildings lining the streets. These were communities built before the car, and now they’ve been abandoned and discarded. Luckily though, some communities have retained/revived their downtown cores and have converted them into thriving walkable areas, such as Artesia in LA county and Fullerton in Orange County.

[@sentientnatalie]

@@carkawalakhatulistiwa A perfect example!

[@tomlais5336]

I live in an old neighbor hood. It is slowly regaining its charm. I would suggest we be happy that somewhere in the US there is hope

[@blushdog99]

Just about all American cities looked great around 1900. Dense and tall downtowns with historical European architecture with a ring of urban residential development after that and then dense streetcar suburbs after that usually with some Victorian era park nearby. Pretty much the standard look of every American city at that time lol

[@WhatAboutZoidberg]

I forget the exact phrasing but "America will always do the right thing, after exhausting all other options." As an American, this is painfully true.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

That will be the Winston Churchill quote.

[@gamermapper]

I think the reason why it's true is because since the US has a cultural hegemony of all over the world, and is also isolated from most other countries via an ocean. While the rest of the world would at the very least see the advantages and disadvantages of their own country by comparing it to the US via Hollywood and other forms of American media, or just by traveling to another country nearby. And for formerly colonized nations, which is like most of the world, they'll also have to interact with European culture imposed by colonizers (be it the form of government, society, etc), so they'll also know there's other options. Only Americans can live their whole life while ignoring completely a different way is possible.

[@eksbocks9438]

Aristocrat-wannabes will always keep smart people down. Until the last minute.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

I have a bad feeling that this time around we won't be able to afford to and that it will be too late anyway (global overheating into the 'Murricanocene).

[@eksbocks9438]

@@edwardmiessner6502 Not to be too political, but there are hostile countries (China and Russia) who are trying to make sure of that. I think eventually people will come to their senses. But it's going to be a while.

[@GhostOnTheHalfShell]

It was said many decades ago that we in the US don’t drive because stuff is far away, stuff is far away because we drive.

[@wheeliebeast7679]

Yeah, but it was explicit policy from the late 1940's and 1950's that created the situation where everything became so far away. Us 'Muricans didn't become quite so car dependent until then.

[@GhostOnTheHalfShell]

@@wheeliebeast7679 in the context of the comment, it was of a soccer mom complaining about driving so much and needing to drive. It was made after the transition.

[@madfx8058]

The fact that we as Californians can't build a high-speed rail across our state displays the political gridlock that exists in this country.

[@BikeHelmetMk2]

And that's with a super majority... which is a clue that they don't *actually* want it.

[@austinw2375]

Tbh i feel like most americans are super averse to trains and buses

[@Canleaf08]

@@austinw2375 I rode the BART in San Francisco and found that ridership was low. But the Interstate highway has a lot of cars traveling in to the city. Same with buses. Everyone is so car centric there. Then I traveled lastly to Toronto and found fuller busses and subways. I even rode with the VIA rail canada from Quebec City via Montreal to Toronto and found that every seat was taken. I even got meals for free.Still Canada is car dependent, you can find places like Pembroke ON without bus service or bus service hard to catch without a time table just to text a number to know when the bus comes. The other factor is that you often need hard cash or a smart card to use a bus in north america. In Germany, I found that train service is reduced or abandonned in favour of bus and later cars in some areas. We have a nation wide ticket there, which is very hard to obtain and to use with a subscription and a lot of bureaucracy, like no child can travel with you or you need to order before the 10th of a month. We have better transit in Germany, but the ticketing structure is confusing with a lot of traffic unions, making a trip from Duisburg to Dortmund a very expensive endeavor.

[@JohnDoe-rl9ft]

It’s also a sign of paranoia, insecurity and classism. The affluent don’t want any kind of transport where they might encounter people from outside their social bubble. They are blind, scared and distrustful of their fellow citizens.

[@ska042]

@@Canleaf08 FWIW, I got my "Deutschlandticket" in the HVV switch app where I just signed up, entered my payment details and got it, no stupid 10th of the month thing or anything else. Incidentally I can now use that app to hire those electric scooters or (after setting up my driver's license) rent cars as well.

[@ichijofestival2576]

In recent days, I've come to realize my suburb is even worse than I thought. Forget bike lanes. Not a *single* place of commerce in this hole, not even the national chains, has a single bike rack, or any sort of flimsy alternative. This town doesn't just *prioritize* cars, it's actively hostile toward anything else. And they wonder why "downtown" (a single street) can't keep any businesses open.

[@TrevorDyck]

Seriously, this. It is downright hostile to peds and bikes.

[@capn_l]

No more sidewalks we have to walk in the street!

[@ichijofestival2576]

@@capn_l This is another big part of it. Not only do sidewalks run the gamut from "nonexistent" to "bad," but the transitions from sidewalk to street are wildly inconsistent, with some of the designs being so stupid I literally can't think of any other purpose they might serve beyond discouraging bikes... and strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, and... people? (Since each curb introduces a chance to trip.) You'd almost be hard-pressed to design this place any worse.

[@KannikCat]

"And that is a CHOICE." 1000% this. All of this. Brilliant video, thank you for setting the record straight.

[@rridderbusch518]

A choice made by those with power and money. They have their own islands, after all!

[@bansheezs]

@@rridderbusch518 I like having my own island and a car I can drive where and whenever I want. I don't want to live in a cramped city in the netherlands.

[@thomastakesatollforthedark2231]

​​@@bansheezsave you ever been to a dutch city outside Amsterdam? Because Dutch cities are anything but cramped

[@ragnkja]

@@bansheezs In most of the world, you don’t need to live in the inner city to not have to depend on driving for absolutely everything. I live in a small village in Norway, and need to sit in a car maybe once a month on average because most things I need are within walking distance. (Nothing nicer than walking to the harbour on a sunny Friday to buy a kg / 2 litres of freshly caught shrimp for dinner, by the way.)

[@bansheezs]

@@thomastakesatollforthedark2231 Everyone lives in an apartment/condo/townhome in europe. Its cramped, I like having a large yard for just my kids and myself.

[@FrostyButter]

Saying America is too big for trains, buses, or bikes is like saying it's too big to have _sidewalks._

[@ryanelliott71698]

I tried explaining to my parents how Canada has a land waste use issue, and their response was “Canada is big so there is plenty of space.” Idk how to respond to such a response

[@sonicfan82]

We do have many unused spaces here in Canada, but that doesn’t mean we cannot have bike lanes.

[@jesaispas92]

Its not because your fidge is full that you should throw away half your plate

[@crash.override]

"Waste" isn't the best framing. Try "financially unsustainable".

[@QuesoCookies]

@@crash.override Still not good enough. Financial instability is cured by more commercial accessibility, i.e. more and wider roads, to them.

[@madmoiselle6618]

Did they hear about climat change?

[@Neongreensniper]

A great example of this is our universitys. They are made to be walkable and have many of the same features as European cities.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

This is very true! I went to a large university and a mid-sized state college. The university had WIDE sidewalks and bike racks everywhere. They also had buses on loops that passed by every 15-25 minutes, and you just stepped on and found a seat. No money required. The state college was fully walkable (once I drove there for the day, being a commuter student). Both places had outdoor and indoor places to sit, relax, study or socialize. They had places to buy food and schools supplies. The university had more amenities with a pool hall, an arcade, a non-cafeteria restaurant or two, and multiple libraries.

[@intreoo]

They also have remarkable public transportation networks as well. You could end an American/Canadian car-dependency worshipper by mentioning how their university towns are so walkable and great while their actual towns are urban hellscapes.

[@Moonstone-Redux]

​@@intreooThe kind of people who would disparage you after this comparison are either people who have never attended university or have swallowed the lies regarding what universities teach hook line and sinker.

[@patrickcorcoran4828]

I've heard a quote along these lines, "Americans love their college experience so much because it is the only time in their lives they live in a walk-able community."

[@mickeyg7219]

That's also the reason why obesity rate is very low among university students, outside the campus, it's like a whole different world.

[@gabrielsantiago7318]

Legitimately had a conversation about this with someone just yesterday. And they could not understand the problem at all. It is so damn frustrating how so many Americans cannot grasp just how badly land use in this country is.

[@mardiffv.8775]

But Americans have been told that their country is the greatest on earth. And that cars are freedooooooooommmmm. Combined with the American Dream of owning a family home in the suburbs.

[@qedqubit]

@@mardiffv.8775 woooo that's like 'mindcontrol' 🤣🤣🤣 !

[@DataLal]

@@Northern_Silverbird I've procrastinated so long on just getting the LEARNERS license, I feel rather pathetic. I have ADHD too, and it's only gotten worse over time. I'm 38, and people look at me like I have two heads when I tell them I don't drive. And then I gain a third head when I say I'm not married and don't have kids. 🤣

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

People just don't care about all that wasted land, all that destroyed nature. It's not that much better in Europe honestly. We are also asphalting too much land every year.

[@lainiwakura1776]

As someone who watches a few Japanese vloggers, I see the problem now.

[@JabbaTiure]

Mongolia has the lowest population density in the world, yet the country manages to build railways connecting small towns along their routes.

[@humvee2800]

you... realise america does in fact have trains right

[@Dell-ol6hb]

I think that was probably because of the USSR

[@wheeliebeast7679]

@@humvee2800 Yes, but the density - and frequency - of passenger rail lines, by each US region, pales in comparison to parts of Europe and Asia with similar population densities.

[@humvee2800]

​@@wheeliebeast7679 because you are being wilfully disingenuous. If we are endlessly reducing the size of the region we are discussing we radically change the measurements entirely . Its worth noting that france has a population density country wide that is comparable to the top ten MOST populated US states. States like maryland for example .. that have extensive rail systems .

[@ani23390]

@JabbaTiure Not exactly true , their rail line exists only from north to south , in order to connect Russia and China The aforementioned railway line was built parallel to an old trade route which existed before Cars became the norm . Apart from that you need a 4*4 to get around the country as most places have no asphalt roads. Been there in 2015, there we’re laying roads to connect all the provincial capitals in the shape of a circular loop . They should have completed it by now .

[@childrenovmen]

Thank you for addressing Australia in the same light as US and Canada. Very much needed.

[@lemster101]

Yeah, Australia deserves to be called out a bit more. Even more so because I also feel there's hope for us yet and I feel there's more support for it. Hope to see a video dedicated to Australia in the future. Good excuse for a tax deductible holiday for the Not Just Bikes family.

[@crack_regiment3444]

if we're going to address Australia, can we do NZ while we're at it? It'll take the sting off for me

[@a2dsouza]

@@crack_regiment3444 Depends. How many places does NZ have called Chinamans Knob?

[@crack_regiment3444]

@@a2dsouza admittedly none, however it does have a place called Whakapapa (wh is pronounced 'f' in te reo maori), and a place called hooker valley

[@DragonOfTheMortalKombat]

@@crack_regiment3444 Hooker valley 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Fakapapa 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@AnymMusic]

the funniest thing I find too is the excuse of "but I can go where I wanna go. You can't do that with public transport." Like, yes you can. Proper infrastructure would allows you to grab a train, chill, then grab the bus, chill, and be at the place you wanna be at

[@ragnkja]

Non-drivers (like me, because I know I wouldn’t be a good driver to encounter in traffic) have a _lot_ more freedom to go wherever they want whenever they want if there’s good public transport. And with walkable villages and neighbourhoods, you don’t even need motor transport for most of your journeys.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Well, my job was transfered to another place. I commute 100 km a day (few days a week) now. If I do it smartly by car, that takes two hours. If I do it by public transport, it takes 4 hours, is less convenient and more expensive. So, it is not an option. And I live in the Netherlands (Randstad).

[@ac1455]

Even then those edge cases where you really need a car and no public transit are so rare you’d be better off just renting a car.

[@ragnkja]

@@ronaldderooij1774 That’s not an argument against making sure that you can do most other things in your daily life without driving.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

@@ragnkja You are right. But not in my case. I can walk 200 meters to my supermarket. And that's it because of a dislocated disc in my back. I cannot bike and can barely walk a short distance.

[@QuebecGamer20]

The thing is, trains are BETTER are going very very long distances because they're faster and more efficient. Plus, you don't have to drive, you can sit and look at your phone or do homework or whatever.

[@NotJustBikes]

I am writing this comment while on a train. I can do that because I don't have to look at where I'm going.

[@AnymMusic]

"but but.... then I can't GO where *I* want to go! I-I am subject to the control of big rail taking me where THEY want!" - Car centrists

[@Alias_Anybody]

@@AnymMusic I mean you can go everywhere you want. * ** *** **** *only if your vehicle has actual offroad capabilities **and you are actually able to repair it if it does break down ***and you don't get shot or arrested for randomly driving on someone's land ****and you still need gasoline...

[@sergeantbigmac]

@@williammoss3884 And as an American its weird that there are so few trains in the USA! Especially on the West Coast where things are really spread out and there is HUGE swaths of land to cover. Trains would excel. Heres an anecdote for you, when I was in the boy scouts our troop organized an outing on an amtrak. It was a big deal because it was the 1st time many of us had ever stepped foot on a train. Going on a train in the US is like a special event, once in a decade thing for most Americans. Heres another anecdote; My Mom moved from the midwest to the west coast to be with my Dad in the 1980s. State officials back then were talking about building a proposed rail line that would connect the west and east sides of the state. A very sensible thing to do in my state seeing as were literally split down the middle it would connect 2 major metro areas that are a 5 hour drive apart.... Well to this day they are still talking about the same proposed plan in the House. The bill comes up every few years but goes nowhere. Ive accepted that real change in USA infrastructure wont happen in my near lifetime.

[@bababababababa6124]

@Niglet9-11 good thing Europeans and East Asians aren’t as barbaric as you Americans so we don’t have to worry about too many train attacks 😂

[@dbird2997]

We also need to acknowledge the influence of car manufacturers in lobbying for the perpetuation of a car dependent society.

[@Foogi9000]

Such companies were motivated by Capitalism. They corrupted the government long ago and have made progress impossible.

[@gamermapper]

The USA can't claim to be a democracy when it's basically controlled by rich corporations

[@SwirlingSoul]

They will eventually go the same way as the -dodo- tobacco industry. :)

[@lars9518]

@birdboy yes! That is so lucky for Europe because we don't have any car manufacturers who lobby here !😂

[@gildone84]

@njb did that in a previous video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGqXXpKvepl8m7c

[@christopherevans1361]

I like how you, CityNerd, AlanFisher, and ClimateTown are linking up now like the Justice League of Urbanism

[@nuclearwarhead9338]

Didn't see Adam Something here...oh wait! He's a geopolitical commentator and an armchair general now.

[@Stratuji]

Lmao, I'm saving this for later to use 🤣

[@blushdog99]

@@nuclearwarhead9338 I just read that in his voice lol

[@tudoraragornofgreyscot8482]

@@nuclearwarhead9338he’s still based

[@MrAronymous]

For anyone wanting to see just how much policies shapes a country, you only have to take a peek at Google Maps and compare the Netherlands and Belgium. The Belgian postwar growth pattern was quite laissez-faire and they let people buy plots and build houses just in random places along roads (aka sprawl). This resulted in lots of... not quite streets not quite roads. Stores are often located on these roads rather than in a town too. Though not as wide as US stroads, getting places and reaching houses (utilities, mail, basically anything) is much much more inefficient than in the Netherlands. Flanders actually has a rule that every 500-750m there must be a bus stop or so served by the Flanders government-funded buses. The idea is noble, but the execution with all the sprawl is outright insanity. And those roads are hard to upgrade as well, because there's buildings on both sides. And as a result, when driving through Belgium, particularly Flanders, 8 times out of 10 you are on a road with buildings next to it. Whereas the Netherlands has a very strict seperation between built-up area and 'countryside'. When seen on paper we're a very densely populated country, but when you go inbetween towns you'll have views of open fields so that makes it much less noticable and problematic.

[@NotJustBikes]

Yes, you're absolutely correct. I am amazed at how quickly I can cycle outside of the city and it'll go from urban area to farmers fields almost instantly, and this is a consistent pattern around the country. This comes from policy, not from size. I'm actually really glad that I lived in Belgium for a few years, and especially Brussels, before moving to the Netherlands. Because it made me appreciate just how much of the good urbanism in the Netherlands is purposeful, as opposed to an inevitability of population, culture, terrain, weather, size, etc., all of which are very similar between Belgium and the Netherlands.

[@andrejbartulin]

i walk everyday on street without sidewalk because houses are too close (luckily it is low volume street but there is no single tree)

[@IdentifiantE.S]

@@andrejbartulinThats true 😅

[@jan-lukas]

​@@andrejbartulinIf it's to narrow for even sidewalks there shouldn't be cars at all except for some few special cases

[@Violet_Knight]

Also, Belgian roads themselves are notoriously bad. I've driven through Belgium many times to get to France, and the change in road quality can be felt pretty much immediately after crossing the border. I wouldn't be surprised if the sheer amount of extra roads makes maintenance so much more expensive, thereby degrading individual roads.

[@bobbyswanson3498]

i feel like there’s a misconception in american thinking that europe is this tiny island where the cities are dense because they can barely fit. european cites have more than enough room to sprawl outwards for miles and devote tons of land to automobile suburbs, they just choose not to.

[@jordi95]

Yeah, I would love to show them the population distribution in Spain, the "empty donut" , we have plenty of space, it just doesn't make sense to build anything that dispersed

[@SS-rf1ri]

The whole of Europe is only 4% larger than the US, yet they somehow manage to have dense cities and international rail, I guess it must just be the hills...

[@BoarhideGaming]

@@jordi95 That was actually one thing that shocked me when I travelled Europe via interrail pass last summer (for you Yanks, that's a pass where young adults pay for a certain time frame and then can use almost all trains in almost all EU nations, freely). Spain has incredible high speed trains as standard, and I didn't understand why, going from the border to Barcelona, then to Terragona. These were all small, one hour journeys. Only when I went from Barcelona to Madrid did I understand why Spain needs such fast trains...there was hours and hours of nothingness. Basically unused land, a lot of it dry, but a lot of it usable as well. It just isn't, because what's the point? So Madrid is basically sitting in a Vacuum.

[@intreoo]

Exactly. Some European countries also have large sprawling suburbs, notably France. The difference is that France still invests greatly in transportation and walkability; look at Paris’ cycling renaissance and the incredible TGV network. We can have suburbs and cars; we just can’t have them as the only options for new housing and transportation.

[@SadisticSenpai61]

When the train came through and missed Baxter, Iowa by 10 miles, they decided to literally move the town. They took apart and rebuilt every building near the train tracks because it was that important to be located on a rail line. The only building they didn't move was the one room schoolhouse which was later turned into a very small home. And the only reason I know any of this is because that house is the first house my grandparents rented after they got married. And the house is still there, although it has been added onto over the years.

[@bensoncheung2801]

Are the tracks still there?

[@Thepissheadman]

Cool

[@mworld2611]

The USA's big-ness is what makes it a great candidate for a high-speed rail network. I often drive 400-600 miles through rural Wyoming and Nebraska to visit friends in Denver, Colorado. Sometimes, I find myself thinking about how cool it would be to have high-speed rail networks linking the major cities. By car, you're "limited" to 65-80mph and you have to stop for gas/to charge. A high speed train however, can travel at 120-180mph and doesn't have to stop as often. A high-speed train can turn an 8 hour trip into a 4 hour trip and not leave you mentally/physically tired after the journey. Im not saying get rid of the option of taking a car. Im saying give us the option to take a train!

[@davidmmm]

Spain and California share similar population densities and sizes, with Spain being slightly larger. They both feature diverse geographical features, including deserts, forests, coastlines, and mountains (more pronounced in Spain). However, Spain stands out with its extensive high-speed train network covering around 2,300 miles, while California has literally zero, so far.

[@pointbite]

How are mountains more pronounced in Spain? California has the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with a 14500 foot peak.

[@tvpunk]

@@pointbite you don’t really cross much in the way of mountains to connect the major population centers in California.

[@pointbite]

@@tvpunk only because the major population centers are on the coast so you drive along the mountain ranges rather than over them, mostly.

[@gweegoop7781]

In Colorado, we're trying to create basic minimum state-wide standards to allow denser, multi-modal housing development, especially along transit corridors. Everyone is up in arms about losing "local control", aka the ability to build more stupid sprawling suburbs 🤦

[@bearcubdaycare]

Actually, in Colorado Springs, it was the city pushing to build an expressway past old neighborhoods to let developers build more sprawl far out, for the zillionth time over the decades for this expressway proposal, and the people in the city finally got them to back down, and instead plan to build a multiuse pathway on the land to connect some well used existing pathways.

[@gweegoop7781]

@@bearcubdaycare that’s awesome!

[@tshirtphilosophers]

We need to protect HOA freedom to micromanage. Otherwise, what are those board members going to do with their free time?

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Start with all that empty land around the RTD stations. Densify them all

[@orangeradishneo]

You aren’t alone. There are conspiracy theorists all over the place protesting 15 minute cities thinking it’s about government control. Newsflash, we’re already controlled. We’re dependant on cars!

[@linusoppenheimer9248]

it’s also funny how people seem to forget china is about the same size as the us, canada, and australia, and yet they have walkable cities and widespread public rail

[@Genexperiment100]

To be fair: there are 2-3 times more people in China then in the USA

[@linusoppenheimer9248]

@@Genexperiment100 and? it’s still a similar amount of land, and as pointed out in this vid, most travel is regional/local. it also has a similar population distribution, with one half of the country being much denser and flatter and the other half being more widespread and deserted, and rail infrastructure can be scaled up and down as necessary. to be honest, i think that china having a significantly larger population makes it look worse that we use space so inefficiently and have so little thought and investment into rail and density planning

[@TSBye-qo1vc]

You left out the "hills" excuse I see a lot... "But the Netherlands is flat, we have hills"... except completely flat parts of the USA don't have decent bike infrastructure either... and people still ride bikes in parts of the Netherlands with hills.

[@Kittsuki]

Also electric bikes make hills a non-issue!

[@handoverthestromboli6715]

florida is like, one of the flatest places on earth

[@twojstary1839]

it's crazy how the Roman Empire had cars (since it's so big) and then we forgot how to make those for like 1500 years

[@x103femke]

Or Ottoman Empire 😂

[@mini_bunney]

no but imagine if they did have cars :O such a smoothly organized empire would have absolutely exploded in size, imagine Roman highways stretching even further out into Asia and Africa, it would be like the Mongol Empire on crack come to think of it, Romans would have loved both trains and cars, connecting all the cities with efficient railways while the rich could drive around in their proto-Lamborghinis

[@zephyros256]

@@mini_bunney Trains would instantly have become the backbone of Roman Military transport (and by extention civilian). "Need another legion up in gaul to fend off the incoming barabarians? Sure, the 17th will be there later this week after they get some replacement gear in Bari".

[@marioformicadae6637]

Yeah, but they also did cardio

[@poopscoop9016]

Don’t even get me STARTED on the mongols

[@merrygin]

"American cities were not build for the car, they were bulldozed for the car." what a line

[@Jerbod2]

built*

[@Brindlebrother]

and don't comma-splice*

[@mvvpro8688]

You forgot to mention one advantage of all those abandoned malls. They create the perfect locations for even more zombie apocalypse TV series.

[@contrapunctusmammalia3993]

UK urbanism is so wierd, it's constantly trying really hard to do american sprawl but the distances are so small and towncentres so narrow that you just cant do it and it's really silly

[@blakksheep736]

4:18 "The problem is not cars, it's car dependency. We need to give people the freedom to not to have to drive." Basically the main premise of this channel. Very well put.

[@DiamondKingStudios]

Even those people who like their cars should be on board; means less traffic on the highways, which they should like. _It works in their interest._

[@AtomicAlchemist]

Wouldnt "We need to give people the freedom to not have to drive" (without the 3rd "to") be the gramatically correct version of that sentence? why the 3rd "to"

[@dominiccasts]

@@DiamondKingStudios The only way I've managed to get some level of understanding to the thinking of people who oppose better infrastructure (and honestly to reactionary sentiment in general) is the statement "Everything not forbidden is compulsory". As soon as I realized it's that thought that is the driver for the vicious reactions to making more options available for people living their lives, it all made sense.

[@christianmoore7932]

If you ever have a reason to leave your city you need a car and if it's remote a rail will not be made there

[@blakksheep736]

@@christianmoore7932 okay..?

[@NoFuqinIdea]

The romantization of owning a car and driving is also a key factor. A friend of mine lives in Japan and recently bought a car despite how much of a pain in the ass it is to find a place to park there. When we went to see the cherry blossoms in her city, she insisted on driving there despite living only 10 mins away from the local train station and there being a train station directly next to the cherry blossoms. We spent over an hour stuck in traffic, trying to find a free parking lot for a trip that could've been 25 mins.

[@themurdernerd]

Maybe that experience will help open her eyes.

[@thayr6993]

Honestly, your friend is missing out. Walking in Japan is a great experience and the only time I can't recommend it would be during tsunami season when it's so hot you need a shower st the destination as well. Otherwise, walking is really the way to go.

[@adam__smith]

@@thayr6993 You mean typhoon season, right? 🙂

[@j.c.jeggis1818]

There's no romanticization of owning a car if you live somewhere with shit public transit, freezing cold winters, and huge amounts of sparse land. When I started driving instead of taking the bus to school, it saved me hours every week and improved my quality of life 10X

[@AVideoMan83]

But you didn't enjoy being stuck in traffic for over an hour? Surely that must have made it all worth it.

[@muse3043]

As an Australian it pisses me off to see all these European cities with great urban planning and transport and then to look where I live, Sydney, and see half-completed train lines, an unfinished metro that only services the northwest, no bike infrastructure, and random bus lines used as a shitty band aid for all of this. What makes it worse is that we USED to have trams. Melbourne still does even. So frustrating.

[@danielkelly2210]

This is basically,100% correct from start to finish, demolishing stupid, common arguments for bad city design in North America.

[@wheeliebeast7679]

I'm the 69th like on your comment. Niiiiiiccccce.

[@KB-ke3fi]

So what? Move to South America. See where that gets you.

[@gerardanderson9665]

​@BrittleIron don't mind these stupid comments by stupid people. Mind on with your day

[@wheeliebeast7679]

@@brittleiron638 He's just yelling the opposite of North America since he probably missed his evening dose of copium. If his brain hadn't gone completely offline he'd have at least said Europe or Asia.

[@Huskie]

​@@KB-ke3fiI only pity you because you are blinded by your ignorance

[@Who-vt9oh]

I think "We Make Excuses, Not Great Places" should become our official motto in the US.

[@generalkurt6033]

From all arguments I had with North-Americans this is mostly the essence, regardless of topic. "We can`t, because".

[@TakZ000]

Make America Excused Again!

[@BababooeyGooey]

@@TakZ000 "Again"?

[@ambiarock590]

Honsetly. The US is just full of excuses instead of actually trying to solve issues.

[@yrazu05]

I noticed all of this when my family immigrated 20 years ago. I always kept asking, "why can't I see people walking outside." And little by little I realized how US city design destroyed sociable areas and walk-throughs. And later in college I realized how racism and "white flight" created this problem to begin with, as this crested suburbs and the excuse to make highways to isolated neighborhoods. It's funny how people still think how racism does not affect them, even when the proof is all around them.

[@ujean56]

Thanks! For remaining the voice of sanity in the world's largest urban planning nut house - Canada.

[@NotJustBikes]

Thanks so much! Good thing this channel isn't "too big" for SuperThanks! 😆

[@hardopinions]

I used to live in Canada. My neighbours drove to their community mail boxes that were literally on the corners of their properties. They started their cars, backed up to the mail box, got out and took their mail and then drove back home. Since it was more in rural area, this was about 100-200 meters. Hello from sane Nuremberg, where the city is 4x smaller (in area), similar in population and somehow manages to net 4x the revenue of a Canadian city. Like businesses actually like to be here?

[@wcjerky]

Former Winnipeg resident - can't wait for the day to leave again to escape this urban car nightmare. I am happy for everyone able to leave, but I am also happy that this channel can help show others who can't so easily depart.

[@minotaursgamezone]

@@NotJustBikes perhaps pin a $20 donation?

[@troglodytestroglodytes220]

So North American politicians criticise South American countries for decimating rain forests while simultaneously decimating potential North American farm land?

[@ernstschmidt4725]

yes

[@Pistolita221]

And forests, they're destroying the forests, too.

[@drewmfie]

they do that while funding right wing governments in LATAM so that they can decimate forests for the sake of american corporations like united fruit and chevron because guess who lobbies these same politicians

[@ShieldAre]

Just to be clear, two wrongs do not make a right. Regardless of what other countries do, it does not make it right for your country to decimate rainforests or otherwise pollute and damage the environment. It is also not wise to do such things for short-term profit when at longer timescales it creates a far more costly ecological disaster. Other people polluting does not justify your own country polluting. Being able to point out that some other person is littering does not give you the right to litter, knowing that some person is a thief doesn't mean that you are free to steal yourself, and so on.

[@SuvuIC]

To be fair, the rainforest is much more important to protect (for the world) than arable land.

[@eviljonbob_]

As an Ontario resident, it was an INSANE fact about how much land we waste every day. Every time I drive past a new suburb it's so depressing to see land being wasted for car centric development.

[@skygge1006]

@@Niglet9-11cities used trains and streetcars before cars in the west. Before that, yes it was horses.

[@bikeenjoyer977]

@@Niglet9-11your rebuttal to this entire video is to say "but they used horses" ignoring the entire section where he showed pictures of streetcar and train lines in virtually every major city in the US?

[@eviljonbob_]

@/\/igger 🤣I cant believe your a real person. Stupid comments like this is exactly what NJB has to deal with on a daily basis. You probably drive a Ford F-150 and don't actually use your truck for trucking activities…There's a big difference between car centric development or development that includes cars, walking, and public transportation. For example you can still drive your car in the Netherlands but they have public transportation and biking options. Whereas developments in suburban Ontario tend to lean heavily towards cars only. Which is exactly my point, that we're wasting land on developing neighborhoods that are not built for walking and public transportation. And what's so bad with cities that were built before cars (Horse drawn carriages as you mentioned). Some of the best cities in the world such as London, Rome, Amsterdam, etc just so happened to be built before the automobile. Rethink who your calling a dips***.

[@dangvo271]

​​@/\/igger and you conveniently forgot that we evolved from horse drawn carriages to trains, then devolved to a different kind of horse drawn carriages that goes vroom vroom... which is the whole point of this video. "Just add more lanes" is stupid. It never works then, it won't work now.

[@bouncyvenus]

@/\/igger before cars people got around with early busses , trams and this neat thing called walking , along with horse pulled carriages , do some research

[@Kanadabalsam]

The “its too big for rail” excuse is more ridiculous when you consider Russia, the biggest country in the world by land area, has railways (including passenger services!) across its territory.

[@wheeliebeast7679]

And a pretty interconnected web covering most of the European part plus a sliver of western Siberia. You know, the places lots of people live, like the vast majority of the US at points due east from San Antonio.

[@jasonreed7522]

Or even a defining historical moment we were all forced to learn in grade school like 12 times. The TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD, a railroad that crossed the entire continent. (Technically linking the existing network in St. Louis to California) Admittedly today a NY-LA train won't beat a plane, but a DC-Boston train already does. (Acela only averages 69mph on that trip too) But also how many people seriously drive NYC to LA on the highways that go such distances?

[@laurencefraser]

@@wheeliebeast7679 Pretty sure the transiberian railway still exists, no? or did that get done away with at some point?

[@begemotowa]

@@laurencefraser yeah, you still can go from Portugal to China by train, just have to switch few times along the way. TransSib is fully functional, it's just other railroads are fairly limited in Siberia due to lack of people to use them.

[@gabetalks9275]

Based K-ON pfp

[@rhobson]

"My country is too big" and that is exactly why it should have high-speed trains everywhere! Travelling by train is much more comfortable than driving 4 hours straight, and that is my opinion as someone that really likes driving and cars...

[@rustyshackleford9498]

I am an American currently in Amsterdam and it's really astonishing as I don't feel like your videos have captured the scale of the bicycle and transit infrastructure here. Even places that there are not dedicated bicycle tracks, bikes seem to have taken over. A small point of contention with this video. You mentioned that railroads would buy up all the land west of wherever. However, this is only partially true; they were often GIVEN the land for free by the government and then sold it for massive profits later on.

[@TrainNutter]

I'm a brit in Vero Beach, FL. They had a chance for a brightline station to be built which would help revitalise this declining city with a mostly elderly population. They voted AGAINST having a train station be re-instated because of increased traffic. Which is absolutly baffling Brightline would bring a direct train service to Orlando airport and 1 stop connection to Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale & Miami airports. Just doesn't make sense NOT to have a station

[@edwardmiessner6502]

And Brightline could have local and express services.

[@dxb338]

up here in the northeast corridor megacity, when affluent suburbs vote against transportation infrastructure that links them to the nearest city center, its usually driven by fear of "undesirable elements" being able to reach town. As if they're going to make off with your catalytic converter on the bus. and also as if criminals dont have cars.

[@azurite2926]

That is unfortunately extremely on point for Florida. Southern states have a tendency to vote against anything that actually benefits them, individualism is so ingrained that many people and politicians call public transportation communism. There is a reason why Florida is known for its absolutely terrible drivers. It turns out that older people typically decline in mental acuity and eyesight. Put two and two together… if only there was a way for them to get around with out driving.

[@timezerohour8864]

Going to Japan for a vacation and not having to need to drive at was like half the value of the trip in a twisted way.

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Even in Tokyo, each station becomes a desirable destination because of the development that happened around it. Except Kabukicho. Stay away from there.

[@timezerohour8864]

@@JohnFromAccounting Even a lot the small towns in the country side develop around the train stations. I will admit on only use the JR rail service due due it was the only places my vacation pass work with.

[@LLCL2012]

That happened to me when I visited Madrid, I was a bit overwhelmed at first comming from a car dependent country, but then I realized how affordable and pleasant its public transport was.

[@saanrio]

The sad thing is when a city tries to add more transit, but they do it in the wrong way, so no one uses it and everyone just curses it...

[@Pain.-]

The USA has such gorgeous landscapes, sucks that THIS is whats done with it

[@gundulfguy2179]

that's true, it's one of if not the most beautiful country when it comes to natural landscapes, yet it seems (although i haven't been there) they've majorly fucked up the living areas. Or atleast the cities. Can't not appreciate a quaint us town

[@gamermapper]

It's also all stolen land which makes it even more sad

[@The_Creature151]

Imagine how nice it would be to see the landscape far away going 300 mph in a train, not having to worry about what’s ahead of you since you’re not driving. Just freedom.. which is ironic since we don’t have that.

[@letsgoOs1002]

I just want to thank this channel. We gave up 1 car for a couple of ebikes and it's such a great way to get around our town. Now I go to meetings and annoy local officials to get better bus and bike. For the record I live in northern Virginia and we try to use the metro as much as possible as well. We now only fill up our car once a month or every other month, plug in hybrid van also helps. The toddler is so happy on the bikes. We also got lucky that we have a path system that goes everywhere we need to go.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

Way to go!

[@issamkw]

As someone that lives there, thank you

[@letsgoOs1002]

@@issamkw looking forward to route 7 being done soon. 7 more miles in each direction of massive paths.

[@Mystro256]

I live in Ontario and I did/do the same. We're now a one car home and I take bike+transit to work. I now take the train to visit my mum, who lives an hour drive away, which was unthinkable to me in the past, yet is so much more pleasant.

[@RiSkyNick]

"That's not inevitable, that's a deliberate choice" Amen!!

[@eksbocks9438]

Unfortunately, it's a deliberate choice that's forced on everyone. It's hard to explain. Unless you actually live here. And realize how aggressive the dumb people here are.

[@TerranceArthur]

It's like Dad used to say, "Successful people make excuses to get things done and unsuccessful people make excuses not to get things done. Pick which one you want to be and act accordingly." any excuse will do when you don't want to do something.

[@SiraLilyAus]

As an Aussie who fell in LOVE with Berlin because it was so walkable.... I was deeply moved by your declaration to be done talking about Australia. Like, seriously, there is nothing here and what is here is total scheisse.

[@tnlonewulf]

If the country is too BIG it would perfectly makes sense to have trains

[@AnymMusic]

right??

[@Bionickpunk]

Trans-Siberian Railway go "CHOO CHOO!".

[@bararobberbaron859]

@@Niglet9-11 Found the compulsive contrarian. You have to counter an argument no matter how good it is.

[@alexioskouvakas1953]

@@Niglet9-11 guys thats a trolling 12 y o dont feed him

[@KateeAngel]

​@@Bionickpunkit is still super slow, like most rail in Russia. Only few lines are high-speed, mostly near Moscow and SPb, while the larger Siberia relies either on slow rail, or very expensive (and now rather unsafe) planes. Flying domestically in Russia is very expensive, so many people use rail even when it is slow and you have to share living space there for days with numerous complete strangers

[@ThomasLaCroix0]

Damn NJB went hard in this video. I love how biting your videos are becoming. All well-supported by facts.

[@NotJustBikes]

lol! I am old and cranky. I don't have time to entertain the same tired old "arguments" over 9000 times.

[@buttnutt]

His KF thread is also amazing lmao

[@Gamerad360]

@@Patrick_Bateman92 Destroys idiots with basic facts.

[@MrGvella]

love/hate the fact that here in Malta, most people's excuse is on the lines of: 'we're too small' - the things we say to avoid giving up our car eh

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Which is weird given how Malta had functioning railways until 1931 and even smaller San Marino had trains to Rimini until the British bombed them by mistake in 1944.

[@falthyfrunk8862]

"This is the only possible way humans can live," say three countries that have only been living like this for the past 70 years.

[@SanderGrolleman]

I thought I already knew everything about USA's car dependancy but with this video you managed to blow my mind yet again with this sentence: "American was not built for the car, it was bulldozed for the car."

[@NotJustBikes]

I used that line in my Houston video but I feel it needs repeating. There's this persistent myth that American cities are the way they are because they were built "after the car" but pretty much every city in the US (except Phoenix) was built before cars. And even Phoenix was once a walkable city built around a train station!

[@glaxtydreams]

​@@NotJustBikesYou should of put that in the video

[@fatrobin72]

In the uk we sort of did the same... just didn't have to bulldoze as much as those friendly Germans provided quite a bit of assistance in that matter.

[@rogerwilco2]

He has used it before.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

@@fatrobin72 Not blaming someone else again, are we now UK? :o)

[@osochara]

I have finally heard it: the problem is not cars, it’s car dependency. Thank you.

[@genociderjill]

Car Dependency runs America. Without it we'd be a third world country like most of Europe nowadays.

[@gsami1256]

This is so important to note! I like driving; but you know what I like more than driving? Not having to drive!

[@allergy5634]

I disagree. Cars are space inefficient, cause noise pollution which is linked to chronic mental health issues and cause air pollution and climate change, and world wide kills nearly 30 million people each day. Cars are absolutely a problem as well as car dependency.

[@jamestown8398]

This channel even has a video pointing out that driving in the Netherlands is also better! While you don’t have to drive due to having several alternatives, if you decide to anyway then you’ll be driving on smooth and clear roads with no heavy traffic.

[@capn_l]

​@@jamestown8398thisss. Yes in America you can always do shortcuts and detours to avoid traffic but everywhere is very dense and its nerving sometime

[@milkomeda7819]

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING UP AUSTRALIA. We're just as car dependent as North America. I'd love to see an in-depth video about Sydney and what we do right and wrong!

[@realityblooms]

The arguments that you’re making and the data behind it is extraordinarily helpful in city planning around the United States. You have no idea how many people view your videos of you’d buy over here in Philadelphia. You’re the main topic of conversation, and I think all your well read research is infiltrating our local government. Thanks for what you do and remember these videos are literally saving lives.

[@Teapot-Dave]

Some years ago I read that Americans make up 5% of the world's population, but use over 30% of the world's energy. After watching NJB's videos, I can really believe that is true.

[@gamermapper]

The American lifestyle is simply unsustainable. If every person on the planet lived as they do, there wouldn't be enough resources on earth for everyone. And even if we ignore the blatantly unfair global inequality and exploitation of the Global South that allows them to consume as much (like for example, if instead of wasting so much food, it would've been given to Africans, world hunger would be over), it could hurt even them too, because all this highly contributes to global warming, which will hurt them too, not just the poor countries.

[@justfun287]

Tbf we have done a lot of good as well

[@agilemind6241]

@@justfun287 Like what?

[@bermuda333]

@@agilemind6241 ur mom

[@rcl5555]

@@agilemind6241 American technological and political ideas improved the living standards of people around the world. For example, the internet - Soviets were also building it for their military, but it was closed off. American internet, while also initially built for the military, ended up giving the whole world the ability to connect to each other.

[@FullMetalGoat]

i lived in texas most of my life which is a car centric state but eventually i moved to westminster colorado and was very poor during that time, so with my low income i ended up using public transit to get to work or walked places and for the first time in my life i realized how much i loved public transit. my job was 8 miles away at first and i took the light rail that took me from westminster to denver but eventually switched to a job that was 3 miles away from my house, i road my bike there every day and absolutely loved how i felt making that ride to and from work, well eventually i had enough money to get a car but found myself not using it to go to work despite having a car. fast forward to a time when i had to move back to texas and now i find myself hating how much i have to depend on my car to do literally any thing, i hate the excuses americans make and all i want is walkable cities in my life, is that to much to ask for?

[@kate4781]

I had a similar experience, but Florida and Chicago instead of Texas and Westminster, respectively. I live in England now.

[@michiganroadencounters5420]

9:21 This is literally happening in my city. An undeveloped lot was recently cleared and a sign was put up saying a new bank is being built there. The thing is, not even 1/2 mile down the road is a empty building that used to be a bank. The building (from the outside) doesn’t seem to be in bad shape as it’s only been empty a few years. Even if it was in bad shape, they could tear it down and just build on the site. Instead, we have some new bank building that will probably be oversized with an unnecessary amount of parking, and a former bank that is sitting empty, which could instead be housing the new bank and that lot could be used for something better

[@BikeHelmetMk2]

If they reuse it, it doesn't contribute to GDP. The US has the highest GDP in the world... for a reason.

[@CityNerd]

Haha, thanks for linking to the first video I ever made (with even more laughable production quality than my usual). I stand by the analysis, though! Coincidentally, more high speed rail content coming on Wednesday.

[@LeafHuntress]

Don't you guys coordinate this through Nebula? What are you even doing? Duh! 🙂

[@Delvin4519]

The original HSR video NJB linked to isn't on Nebula.

[@Danji_Coppersmoke]

Hi CN, I love your video too... I think laughable production quality is more than compensated by snarky, apathetic and condescending tone ... 🤣🤣 even if your wife's boyfriend does not approve those videos... we need more of your "reading comments videos"

[@brandonsaffell4100]

"America is too big" isnt an argument that comes from a place of reason. Its a cope. Its the same line we use to end conversations about health care. Systemic change is uncomfortable, and a nice thought terminating cliche fixes that problem.

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

There are generally two major reasons they say things like that. One is from a nationalist point of view. Critisizing anything in the US is seen as some personal attack, they can't have that, so they become defensive and often more than that like to think the way they are doing things is the only right way, just don't question how things are. The other reason is that they are intellectually dishonest. They just don't want tax money spent on something, which they will never use, something that would only benefit others. Those who oppose universal healthcare are generally people who are lucky to have their own healt insurance, often paid by their employer. So they already benefit from socialized medicine, but think making it universal would mean poorer people will join the insurance, which would mean they would have to pay more to support those.

[@eksbocks9438]

I've seen it first-hand. They don't have the intelligence to understand this. But they think they're better than everyone else. It's really childish. And it holds back progress.

[@edwardmiessner6502]

I think their real fear is that if we tackle problem "x" we'll all go bankrupt, we'll lose all our freedoms, and we'll all be forced to live in the projects and ghettos with all the [slur]s.

[@svenjorgensenn8418]

If the US is so dumb how come you guys can't stop talking about it?

[@Erintii]

Size argument is lame. Russia is bigger than US and have functional public transit. Same with China. Excuses about public transit and healthcare are lame excuses of a corporate greed.

[@mah6183]

You are 100% right. Americans were sold on the ideas that transit is for the poor, bicycles are for children, and that the car = “freedom”. Freedom from what? Clean air? Our next door neighbor has five cars and whines that there is no parking in a walkable town🤦‍♂️

[@ashleymalamute]

The situation in Australia is similar to Canada's Windso-Quebec City Corridor.. As vast as Australia is, almost 20 million of its 26.5 million inhabitants live within a linear 1500km straight line(okay, slightly kinked) from Noosa to Geelong. If you MapFrappe New Zealand onto S.E Australia, it fits perfectly onto this near 20 million population area.

[@wheeliebeast7679]

Never thought about that, though the 3 major cities in that corridor aren't clustered together the way Toronto, Ottawa, and Montréal are, proper high speed rail would be necessary to cover the distance from Melbourne to Brisbane for that to be economical, while Windsor to QC is just over half the Noosa-Geelong distance. That said, Canada has the opportunity to cheat a bit by adding 4.3 million Americans to that catchment area via a tiny westward (well, actually northward) extension of that 18-19 million person corridor, into the metro area of Detroit, whose city center is just across the border/river from that of Windsor.

[@MetalMephiles9000]

The fact that the Netherlands can export so much is a testament to their insanely efficient land use. It's only about the size if Michigan's Upper Peninsula, even though it's more populated than 46 U.S. states. I can only imagine what the U.S. and Canada could be capable of if we used our land in a similar way.

[@daniellarson3068]

Well - The climate in the Upper Peninsula is not so good. Its on the Canadian Shield too. The glaciers swept the good soil away many years ago. I'm just saying that there are other factors besides land size to consider. Those 300 inches of snow in the Copper Country discourage some people too.

[@filipleko7386]

@@daniellarson3068 That's not the argument, it's just for the perspective to Americans. The argument is that y'all suck at land usage across the Atlantic. Other parts of the US are still available for better usage. And even if the climate is the argument, Finland beats you guy by miles in that too

[@daniellarson3068]

@@filipleko7386 I get what you're saying, but remember that the Upper Peninsula is about the same size as Estonia but only has 1/4 the population. Use of any commodity depends on the availability. For many generations, there has not been a shortage of land. North Americans have not been forced by economics to maximize this resource. However, as population grows, resources become more scarce and we face oncoming global warming changes must be made. I guess we'll have to copy the Finns. (I would like to have a sauna.)

[@dr.vikyll7466]

​@@daniellarson3068 just polder the great lakes/s

[@caseymurray7722]

Honestly a ton. We seem to have the issue that people think they need a massive house and large lawn that literally does nothing but be grass. Suburbs are the absolute worst though. You can have a dense population even with single family homes if it's in a line with small lot sizes like is the case in urban areas. You can have a 4 bedroom house with a backyard if it's built with multiple stories and smaller rooms.

[@user-jv9xb5wz5c]

Pro Argument for Public Transportation YOU CAN BE TOTALLY WASTED BY ALCOHOL AND GO HOME without any issues. Best Argument against Drunk and Drive.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

Best argument: You shouldn't participate in traffic if you are wasted by alcohol, not even in public transport. You wouldn't do anyone a pleasure, including yourself.

[@ragnkja]

Not having to drive gives you the freedom to go out for a good meal and have beer or wine with it and not having to worry about how long you have to wait before you can drive home, or to simply go out for a few drinks.

[@Br3ttM]

@@user-xi6nk4xs4s There's a difference between too drunk to safely drive a ton of metal at 55mph, and too drunk to sit down and behave for 15 minutes.

[@Andreas_42]

Beware, you might geht charged for extraordinary cleaning services by the public transportation provider without even remembering why 😉

[@bmxkamikazee]

@@user-xi6nk4xs4s you probably shouldn't get so drunk you can't be on a bus, ever. one can get pretty god damn drunk before they are going to bother anyone around them simply by physically being near them

[@fivetwoeighty7012]

So many people take criticism of American car culture as a personal offense, as if they single-handedly perpetuated it 😂

[@Mystro256]

I started emailing my city counsellors, my MPP, the transit authorities, etc, etc, about all the nonsense of car first design in my neighbourhood. I encourage you to do the same.

[@annihilatorg]

The dichotomy of "it's too big" and "there's no space".

[@rishabhanand4973]

like fucking pick one, not that either one is valid of course

[@Yorick257]

Nah, it's pretty accurate. Take suburban sprawl - it's too big and there's no space! (Because it's badly designed). So I get them but the logic is backward.

[@mushyroom9569]

??? “it’s to big” refers to the area outside the city, and “there’s no space” refers to the area inside the city. How hard is this to understand?

[@siyacer]

I've had to argue with someone who claimed that the country was too big, but when I mentioned the state-level suddenly they were too small. Quite literally doublethink.

[@kiranthomlinson3056]

@@siyacer in no way agreeing with this persons beliefs, I’m a big NJB fan, although if you think for 2 seconds that doesn’t contradict each other at all, ofcourse the entire country can be “too big” and at the same time individual states can be “too small”. Again to reiterate I think it’s a bs argument however it doesn’t contradict itself in any way, the events aren’t mutually exclusive you can have a big total area with small subdivisions (that’s sort of the very nature of subsections)

[@williamsawicki2841]

Ah yes, America is too big to lay railroad tracks across the country, which is why laying out massive, long concrete slabs across the country is a much better idea.

[@siyacer]

​@@therealgoody except Russia and China do have adequate trains, lol. and trains don't tell me where to go, trains go somewhere, and with this knowledge I voluntarily board it

[@MaoTao]

@RealSweetKid lame excuse lol

[@wheeliebeast7679]

Lmao at anyone who thinks China of all countries has inadequate trains. JFC, have you seen their high speed rail map?

[@RustyDust101]

​@@therealgoodyyou really didn't watch the video, right?

[@hermitthedruid]

@@therealgoodyAnd how often do you travel half a day straight in a car, on a whim, to justify car culture over common sense public/mass transit?

[@nuclearpoweredbrain2211]

I remember a billboard advertising apartments, "If you lived here, you'd be home already." It's a jab at those who choose to buy a house further away.

[@swegatron2859]

Pretty sure most ppl would live closer to their work if they could afford it. Where I live in Europe rent prices are quite proportional to commute times. Kind of a classist jab

[@AVideoMan83]

Thank you for having the guts to call out stupidity for what it is without trying to worry about who you're offending. Ideas can always be stupid, but those most ignorant people think if you say that, you're calling them stupid. Big difference. Having the grace to realize everyone has "stupid" moments is a part of being human. There's no way around that.

[@Whiskey-Alpha-Tango]

The other excuse I always hear is "Having a car gives you freedom to go where you want" but the only reason you can't go anywhere you want without a car is because the cities were designed to force you to use a car, so you actually have less freedom because you are forced to only one option of getting around.

[@ragnkja]

Not having to drive (you wouldn’t want me to drive) gives me that freedom. Ever had the luxury of taking a leisurely ten minute walk to the harbour on a sunny Friday to buy freshly caught shrimps for dinner? Of always having been able to walk or bike to school or work (the longest commute I’ve had was less than 15 minutes by bicycle)?

[@maitele]

​@RealSweetKid Designing for cars is actively excluding cycling and walking, and discouraging buses and trains. They are the same thing. Designing around the car is mutually exclusive with promoting any other form of transit.

[@miz4535]

@RealSweetKid That's stupid because not everyone had cars at all.

[@eksbocks9438]

Cars make you even more isolated from people too.

[@svenjorgensenn8418]

You're more than welcome to build a train.

[@Knucklebreaking]

Americans (especially the US) are hilariously slow to change policies that seem archaic to other countries for the same reasons. We can't really fathom how bad something is and when we do, we think it's impossible to change things for the better and often don't even try.

[@acrocent9788]

Cause of capitalism, lobbying is the only possible way to get a policy changed in this dumbass country

[@ragnkja]

Last I heard, you guys still used paper cheques. I remember finding my mum’s old chequebook as a child (in the 1990s) and thinking it was quaint (though obviously not that exact word, since I was still thinking in Norwegian all the time at that age).

[@friskytwox]

what other americans are there??

[@thesatsui]

America runs on profits. They won't try unless it's more profitable.

[@ragnkja]

@@friskytwox Canadians and Mexicans, if you limit your scope to North Americans. If you include _all_ Americans, the list is too long to quote here, as it encompasses everyone from Canadians to Argentinians.

[@spinni81]

Land use in North America is baffling. Meanwhile I'm upset that in my walkable European neighborhood a plot of land (really a gap between houses) is turned into a parking lot for 27 cars (monthly fee per car is 75€) instead of using it for people like planting trees and making it into a pocket park or built more housing.

[@anabelsama]

Yes! And they always can make the park underground and let the rest of the building for public use. In my town we have dozens of plots of land that would be perfect for dogs parks, but they don't care, they just let people illegally park there

[@sk8rgrlteen]

It stung a little when you said you don’t see an ability for North American cities to improve in the foreseeable future.

[@richscott2619]

If it can't be done in the foreseeable future, what are the first steps to get us there?

[@ombremad6951]

it’s tricky because there’s no simple solution but I’d say one of the first steps is to enforce simple but strict rules about what can and can’t be built, how, and with which money. There’s still new neighbourhoods coming out of the grounds everywhere in the US, and that would be a way to make sure that they are built properly from the ground up. Get rid of the stupid zoning rules, make it so that the cities can’t rely on (future) debt to finance their infrastructure (especially roads), with mandatory walking and cycle paths… This is already a huge step because it involves a lot of political decisions which absolutely no one in the US seems to want to take. Because when you talk about Europe, you also have to talk about how taxes are used to make everything you see in those videos possible. I doubt there’s a world in which North Americans are somehow convinced that they should pay taxes for the greater community (instead of paying individually a much greater cost).

[@Jonassoe]

Bizarrely enough, this excuse is also used to explain why tax-funded healthcare wouldn't work in the US. Oh America is such a big place, we can't use a solution other smaller nations use. It's just too big to have universal healthcare!

[@zacharygustafson8714]

Eh, there's also questions over jurisdictions and if it should be done on a state-by-state basis or federally. Personally, I'd be alright with a mixed system federally, both private and public clinics.

[@EbonySaints]

You hear the vocalized excuse, but you're missing the implied one. The one that echoes that Lee Atwater quote (Google it, because there's no way I can post it here without a ban.)

[@reubendensmore4648]

@@zacharygustafson8714 If America can have public corporations like Amtrak and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, then surely a similar service can exist for healthcare that can exist next alongside private options.

[@repelsteeltje90]

​@@zacharygustafson8714 Is this the famous American Can't Do mentality?

[@zacharygustafson8714]

@@reubendensmore4648 I think that most people advocating for it want it to be directly run as a social service IE schools, for instance.

[@jorikrouwenhorst7220]

We need a movie or series where a guy in a post-apocalypse setting were everyone else and their cars get stranded due to lack fuel, maintenance and other stuff while the protagonist just bikes past them on a electric omafiets laughing all the way. He fixes his own bike and evades bad guys in a city by going into places cars can’t.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

Like your imagination.

[@PobortzaPl]

There was a possibility with 5th season of "The Expanse", but the bikes are shown for like 5 minutes total

[@karlhoffman9817]

Russia (not a good marketing word this day) literary the biggest country with Europeans-like city design: walkable space, public transit etc

[@Volvary]

"Sometimes it's the weather, Canadians love that one." This one hits especially hard for me since I know damn well that, while there used to be some logic to many of the issues we have with the infrastructure (Such as potholes, street layouts and such) being caused by the extreme weather flips (+30c in the summer, -40c in the winter), we have long since developed better technologies but the government refuses to apply them because "they are untested", but no one is actually running the tests to see if the results are worth it, leading to a cycle of non-amelioration.

[@ztl2505]

People just need to talk to their grandparents because a lot of this destruction is still in living memory. My hometown, which has never had more than 15,000 people and is still nearly 2 hours away from the nearest interstate, once had two streetcar lines and daily train service to the nearest major metro.

[@taylorslade961]

This is my biggest beef with all US politicians. Redesigning cities isn't even an option to them, its all about going electric.🙄🙄🙄

[@jintsuubest9331]

Huh, most US political actively sabotage electrification as far as I can tell.

[@morosis82]

To be clear, we need both.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

Same in Europe, but fortunately there has been enough pressure from the citizens to at least have other options.

[@genociderjill]

​@@morosis82 yes we need more cobalt mines in Africa killing the youth of hundred of kids and murdering thousands with poisonous gases.

[@repelsteeltje90]

The problem with electric cars is that they are still cars

[@Mikey_mau5]

As a Canadian who has travelled the world. I simply can not understand how we don’t have a high speed rail system. VIA exists but charged an insane amount to use it and has poorly designed stops. A dedicated system between Montreal and Toronto (I’d say going east to Quebec City and west to Windsor would be even better) would be such a breath of fresh air. And that’s just the start of changes needed.

[@exploringim6191]

I live in a tiny town in Australia, and I wish you could talk about places like this. We aren't expanding, we're just in the middle of nowhere. The highway is out the front of my bedroom window and you can hear trucks travel past multiple times a day. There used to be a train from a smaller town nearby to the big city, but now we have to go to Ballarat, and that's a few hours away. To see a specialist is 4 hours constant driving to the city and back (Melbourne). Our closest big town is 45minutes away. Basically, if you don't have a license, you are screwed. Our town has a tiny main street of shops, an age care home, tiny pool and bowls lawn and oval. But then, it's just rows and rows and rows of houses. Big roads between, sometimes paths, sometimes not. Giant back yards. Smaller front yards. Sometimes big nature strips at the front, sometimes not. Especially down the sides. It's sad to think there are actually squishly walking lanes next to giant roads that are rarely ever used, actually. It's pretty sad. I wish we had trains pass through, or something. Even a tiny train carraige. The bus only comes from the closest big town to us and back one day a week. I know there are ways we could make our town better, but for individuals it takes a lot of time out of our days. And I just dream of having what the city does. One of those little city carts that goes two and thro from one place to another. I'm so envious of Amsterdam. I wish my small town was more like that.

[@RestoreSanityFear]

I know you don't like these style videos, but I appreciate them. Thank you for making high quality content. You've made and continue to make an impact.

[@travelingman45]

Agreed! It helps provide details and facts when I get into an argument lol

[@Anarcath]

We have paved over our parks and forests to accommodate cars. It's entirely depressing when I step outside and find abandoned sidewalks while the traffic 3 feet away is so heavy that crossing the street is taking your life into your hands. Even sidewalks are disappearing.

[@SmilingOrange]

Perth in Australia is so annoying. One the one hand we have great trains and it's being expanded massively (see: Metronet). But getting from the station to your house is all car centric. Not many suburbs have bike infrastructure and as usual those that do are expensive because people want to be there.

[@eddieredmann3]

One of the things I've started noticing since I started watching your videos is how the areas in my city that are around the two functional streetcar lines in town have some of the highest property and wealth values in the city per capita. (You cannot buy a house on either for under 7 figures.) They also have the densest, biggest, and oldest trees (dozens of oak trees that might very well be older than the city itself) in a city where it was 95 degrees with 87% humidity yesterday (and it's above 85 for about 6-8 months out of the year). And it's also striking that at the intersection where the streetcar line ends, the stark contrast of the houses' values drop from people who obviously have tons of money to people who are obviously struggling. Also, the street the streetcar line is on goes from 2 lanes to 6 at that intersection, and the thoughtfulness of development drops off a cliff. It's... striking to me now. I hate it.

[@hankhillsnrrwurethra]

The vocal tone of a teacher who is approaching their last nerve in a class full of dunces is priceless.

[@monsieurtoutlemonde1549]

That's exactly it I love it

[@hitreset0291]

Too right.👍

[@Erintii]

USA: we are too big for public transit in cities and trains. Russia: Am I a joke to you? China: rolling eyes.

[@o_s-24]

Russia does really lack more HSR, but yeah the trans-siberian is a great example to anyone who says that the distance is too big

[@Erintii]

@@o_s-24 Precisely. Also they have working public transit in Yakutia where buses are running in -50 Celsius. So, any excuse about cold or size is a lame excuse.

[@gamermapper]

@@Erintii it's kinda crazy how Sakha and Sakhans even survives with so low temperatures all year round lol they do have pretty good walkable cities, trains, and buses, although their city could have the disadvantage of being too bland and gray. Crazy lol. (Sakha is a Turkic country in Siberia with its own unique culture and traditions. It's technically a part of Russia and is called "Yakutia" in Russian. It's also bigger than most US states, lol)

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

Even the US before the invention of cars would roll their eyes.

[@Erintii]

@@maythesciencebewithyou I think if they see what they become they will drunk themselves to oblivion in hope to unsee what they saw.

[@steeledminer616]

The other favourite argument I see that makes 0 sense when these ideas get brought up; "Well what about us who WANT to drive?" Like; Okay? This benefits you too; less cars on the road AND more efficient roads make your car take less gas, and you get to your destination faster so why aren't you in SUPPORT of this?

[@laurenr842]

The commute from San Antonio to San Marcos (half the way to Austin) is what radicalized me in college. I spent at least 1.5 hours per school or work day on the highway, under construction, thinking abt how this could very well end my life if I’m too tired or someone else is. Thinking abt the train cars we could be riding in, and actually study or do something relaxing with the time was tragic. The gas that was spent and is still spent by commuters and students on the highway every day, the way that gas usage could double when it’s hot out or during rush hour when we are basically in a parking lot every 15 miles. And then, we keep building more highway to more suburbs so more people can commute from far far away to schools and jobs.

[@Sonicfan1661]

All those houses we keep building, yet too expensive for most people to buy. What a sad amalgamation of problems we've created for ourselves.

[@Bionickpunk]

What use do they have of suburbias if nobody can get to the jobs they need? Cause they have no public transportation and not having a car is a death sentence.

[@Sonicfan1661]

@@Bionickpunk That is a very good question. I'd like to ask our politicians that, but I already know that they don't care. Honestly at this point, I'd say just socialize all the empty houses, they're literally not being used, and we have plenty of disabled homeless that can use them at the very least. As for the poor public transportation, it's honestly surprising that we haven't tried to one-up every other country in that regard yet, we really hate losing in pretty much any metric (including having a low number of impoverished people apparently, as we have far more than enough to claim the high score), so to see we're losing in so many different metrics is uh, *_very concerning._* I really don't know what to do at this point, we are not only staunchly against progress, but ignorant of the progress we once had but have been undoing in the name of profit. Learning that we had walkable cities at one point just, kills me.

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

Those aren't houses. Those are investment objects.

[@AdvancedGemini]

Easy: Those houses are built so corporate landlords can buy them up and rent them to you for 50%+ more per month than a mortgage payment for that same house.

[@niavellir7408]

@@AdvancedGemini yup