cross-posted from: https://poliversity.it/users/rivoluzioneurbanamobilita/statuses/115138740752337653
Comic translation:
Mother says: Levin, your snack!
Below: When SUVs go out of fashion
Cool thoughts from OP (@[email protected]) on the original post too, so I’ll translate them as well below:
Schools are reopening, ready for daily chaos at the entrance?
Why do so few children go to school on their own? Because the streets are not safe, there are too many cars. And they are all double-parked in front of schools. Huge SUVs with poor visibility move awkwardly while children pass by everywhere. It’s a paradoxical and dangerous situation.
Yet giving children independence has many advantages, both for parents and children. I recommend reading this article (thanks to @mrjive for pointing it out). Italy is one of the countries where children have the least independence. On the other hand, if cars can go anywhere, the space for vulnerable users shrinks.
So we need to change the paradigm: schoolStreets, 30kmcities, spaces for people, not cars. A city of people, where anyone can move around without needing heavy metal armor to stay safe.
We are fortunate have moved to Germany from the US. A huge part of the desire to move was the independence for the kids.
Our daughter goes to a school with about 1700 kids attending. There’s almost no car traffic to and from the school. There’s no car lines, no slow driving of huge metal boxes. Instead, the kids get to school by walking, biking, riding trains, or busses. It’s incredibly safe and the kids get to be kids during their transit.
Cars have some utility, but to make them the centerpiece of your mobility is tying shackles to yourself.
Pausenbrot? 😄 Makes me think of pope bread
luckly my city has usuable public transport like free commuter rail, trams and buses (trolleybuses return in 2026) for citizens.
