this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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Fuck Cars

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A place to discuss problems of car centric infrastructure or how it hurts us all. Let's explore the bad world of Cars!

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[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 55 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

I've seen a couple comments now to the effect of "it's not more walkable" or "there's no pedestrian roadway".

If you go and look for yourself, however, both sides of the road clearly have a spacious, separated pedestrian and cycling roadway.

An image taken from Google Maps showing one side of the road

The roundabout in the OP is at the intersection of East Auburn and Harrison in Rochester, Michigan if anyone wants to see for themselves.


Edit: here's the renovation plan if anyone wants to enjoy it over a slice of stale toast and some elevator music.

[–] wieson@feddit.org 10 points 1 month ago

Michigan, USA

[–] gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 1 month ago

spacious

I forgotten how fucked American roads are where that's "spacious" to them 😂

[–] herseycokguzelolacak@lemmy.ml 35 points 1 month ago (2 children)
[–] RustySharp@programming.dev 16 points 1 month ago (4 children)

As a non American, what even is that first picture? Is that a common "design" (or lack thereof) in American towns?

[–] saimen@feddit.org 14 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It really is just asphalt with paint. Not even proper signs. At least from this one picture I wouldn't have expected an intersection there.

[–] OR3X@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

As an American the top picture is very typical of less urban areas. The bottom looks very a-typical around my parts.

[–] acockworkorange@mander.xyz 3 points 1 month ago

That's almost every suburb in the US and Canada. It's sad.

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[–] BanMe@lemmy.world 8 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Suburban/stripmall decline. Hey that mud is gross, pave it. Hey I don't want to mow that, pave it. Hey everyone is already driving over that, pave it.

Now that cement is super expensive you don't see it as much, but for a while, the answer to any problem was "pave that sumbitch."

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[–] fizzle@quokk.au 22 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I dont get the hate honestly.

Sure it might not be how you would do it but its infinitely better than it was.

[–] chilicheeselies@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago (2 children)

There are two kinds if people in this space. This first kind that want better designed towns in general who reject the carcentric designs of the 50s and 60s that we are stuck with. The second kind are bike supremicists who wont be happy until every roadway is bike only. They couldnt give a rats ass about peedtrians, they just want to be the biggest thing in the road.

[–] zaphod@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 month ago (4 children)

They couldnt give a rats ass about peedtrians

Apparently in this case the pedestrian infrastructure is explicitly also there for bicycles. Mixing bicycles and pedestrians is not a good idea. OP calls this "good infrastructure" in the title. It would be good infrastructure, if the bicycles had their own lane, there clearly is enough space for that.

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[–] spacesatan@leminal.space 16 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Every roundabout in the US needs to have a sign "use signal when exiting roundabout" until drivers here become civilized.

[–] RustySharp@programming.dev 6 points 1 month ago

I'm halfway across the world and it's the same. Nobody signals their exit. I've learnt to watch the movement of their wheels to read their intent.

[–] dreadbeef@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

nah, I know how to use a roundabout. Maybe other drivers with a license can learn the rules if the road as well or lose their license

[–] HalfSalesman@lemmy.world 3 points 1 month ago

People don't want to get into a car accident.

[–] coralof@piefed.social 13 points 1 month ago

It looks so much nicer now!

[–] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Another view of the same area, now designed as a street.

624107493_25586093441084890_6370882993171756562_n

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[–] gwl@lemmy.blahaj.zone 13 points 1 month ago (10 children)
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[–] saimen@feddit.org 13 points 1 month ago

It's a huge improvement for sure. But I also have to say most "underdeveloped" countries have better infrastructure than how it was before. I would hardly call it infrastructure. It's just an area with asphalt and some paint.

[–] Glitch@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 1 month ago

A few of these conversions near my home town and they are fantastic

[–] Ek-Hou-Van-Braai@piefed.social 10 points 1 month ago

Massive upgrade!! Kudo's to them.

One thing that it lacks though is protected bicycle lanes.

[–] HalfSalesman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Still flawed, but a step in the right direction. Though I suppose you want to take baby steps to avoid backlash from sudden stronger changes.

[–] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Absolutely don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

The next step would be for people to voice there desired improvements and additions. This can be the addition of bike paths, raised crosswalks, bollards at intersections, benches and tree shade, patio areas and pedestrianised streets, dedicated tram ways, anything to turn a street into a destination as opposed to a thruway (or throughway).

Anything that can be done to push in the "right" direction is a win when it comes to improvements of infrastructure. Often enough we see cities get stuck in "planing and studies", and rarely implement, as to not inadvertently make a select few "unhappy".

Instead we all left collectively "unhappy", as opposed to a select few of us "unhappy".

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