Pedestrians now walk 15% faster and linger less in city public spaces(phys.org)
phys.org
Pedestrians now walk 15% faster and linger less in city public spaces
https://phys.org/news/2025-07-pedestrians-faster-linger-city-spaces.html
4 comments
Because public spaces in the city have become crowded and uncomfortable. Between people not following decent social norms and people who are destructive and violent, I'm not interested in window shopping or stopping by the park. Now I just want to get from A to B as soon as I can.
Walking or driving, I want to be off and away from a road as soon as I can. There's no enjoyment to be had; there's just excessive noise, a series of detrimental vehicles and risk to self and property.
But maybe there's one advantage to my aversion. My son and I cover 5mi on our nightly hour-long walks. But that could also be the 85° dew-point.
But maybe there's one advantage to my aversion. My son and I cover 5mi on our nightly hour-long walks. But that could also be the 85° dew-point.
""Something has changed over the past 40 years," says MIT professor of the practice Carlo Ratti"
It might be related to how we destroyed cities to make more spaces for cars, or alternatively, storage for the people who don't live in the city.
It might be related to how we destroyed cities to make more spaces for cars, or alternatively, storage for the people who don't live in the city.
Original PNAS article: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2424662122