pinKaboo

Actually, maybe I'm not finished...

Why does Iced Tea in the UK taste so bad when in Georgia it's so dayum good?

Free refills on soft drinks - *blink*

Right turn on red. *aargh!! (white knuckles) as I think we are running a red light*

No kebab!! I could massacre a decent chicken kebab. Am missing Manchester kebab's terribly, that and the Rusholme curry mile. Still, as when I'm in the UK I'm now based in Devon I can't get it there either. Bah humbug. *craves kebab*

jaytee

The point of that is to keep a neighborhood on one side of the tracks separated from the other. There is a fear in the good neighborhoods that bad people from surrounding bad neighborhoods can just waltz in and get tempted to commit crimes.

Sure enough, the good neighborhoods sometimes suffer a string of burglaries. The last thing they want is to build a sidewalk connecting neighborhoods. Also remember that many of the good communities have their own private security police. Even in the South, new gated neighborhoods are springing up complete with high walls that are well-lit at night.

NC Penguin

I have to disagree with you to a certain extent. Strangely enough, from what I've seen in my city/area and from anecdotal accounts from friends and family of other US cities, it is the older (and sometimes more run down) neighborhoods that in fact have sidewalks.

I live in what is probably considered a better neighborhood and within that neighorhood (as with many newly created neighborhoods), sidewalks have been forgotten at the planning stage.



NC Penguin

Yorkieabroad

Its much the same here- the older/(sometimes) cheaper neighbourhoods have sidewalks, but the newer ones to a large extent seem to be built without them. In our area they are now going round 'retrofitting' the new neighbourhoods with pavements, though you rarely see anybody walking - there's the early morning jogging/blading/cycling fraternity, but apart from that, if I go out for a walk during the day I can pretty much guarantee seeing nobody in 1.5-2 hours. Mind you, it is kinda warm....mad dogs and englishmen and all that!!

I was interested in the lack of pavements = lack of mobility between good/bad neighbourhoods = reduction in crime. Maybe I'm missing something, but wouldn't the bad guys normally drive anyway to get a quicker getaway...? Thats how it always happens in the movies at least

Pulaski

I lived in suburban SW London for fifteen years and it was almost as rare to see a pedestrian there as here in the US. The situation might be more extreme in the US, but even in suburban London pedestrians are a relative rarity, except to the extent that people might walk to the railway station or bus stop.

I was surprised at how often I was stopped and asked directions, by motorists when I lived in London. I reckon that that it was an almost weekly occurance while I was a student, and at least monthly thereafter. Then I realised that I was one of very few pedestrians and therefore one of the few people that a motorist could stop and ask for directions.

NC Penguin

I'm most surprised about the above poster's comments. I'm a born and bred Londoner and have lived in N, S, E and W London though I spent most of my life in SW London (not far from where Pulaski himself lived at one time). Pedestrians abound in all parts of London (suburban and otherwise) I have ever lived in/visited.

It's not just walking from home to the station or bus stop either. If you're talking about walking to work then few people do that anywhere (in the world, except the developing world perhaps).

The penny dropped for me when I read a messageboard on a particular US travel writer's website that was devoted to "what footwear to wear when travelling". I thought it very strange at first then realised that on the whole, Americans don't walk that much, even in cities. So, they need to prepare their feet in more than just trainers/sneakers to comfortably cover distances that are no trouble to Brits/Ozzies/Japanese/Europeans, etc.



NC Penguin

Pulaski

Walking from house to car, car to shop/office, house to bus stop/ station, bus stop/ station to shop/office, shop to shop, yes there are many pedestrians, but get away from the immediate area of shops and offices then I maintain there are few pedestrians.

I used to walk from my house to Wimbledon regularly, it was about two miles and took about 22 minutes, and about all I ever recall seeing, apart from streams of cars skipping from one traffic jam to another, was people walking as far as where their car was parked or the nearest bus stop.

Sure people milled around Wimbledon and Kingston town centers, but did they ever walk further than to and from whatever motorized transport had brought them there? I seriously doubt it.

Yorkieabroad

Thats not walking, thats jogging

DaveC

Wow, you actually tried iced tea? I refuse to drink it out of principle (it's cold tea for ****'s sake!) even though it seems to be de rigeur in the south.

meauxna

LOL! It *had* to be a plaid pantry store! Pete was gobssmacked that they would not sell to him w/out ID...like the grey hair and wrinkly face weren't enough to establish him as over 26, let alone 21. He could not believe that the beer cabinet was *locked* (actually, that surprised even me).
I too found this year that I spent a lot of time translating for him in stores & restaurants, but his American is getting *much* better. <g>
Your interview is getting so close! Best of luck

Peter Newton

I must be one of the few people in the US who walk to work. It takes me about half an hour and it's a nice stroll. I buy my cawwfee and bagel from my mate Rajiv each morning, there are a few regulars out and about - it really is a very pleasant way to start the day!

NC Penguin

My point is that many people living in countries other than the US do not consider the automobile as the only way of getting from one place to another. Most, if not have cars, but walk or use public transport as they see appropriate (e.g. the distance is safe and close enough for walking, faster or more convenient to use public transport).

Americans tend not to have that kind of mentality in my opinion.





NC Penguin

Pulaski

Not if you're 6'5".

nathan barley

Damn you
You've just got me thinking of the halal meat stall I walked past the other day downtown. The *instant* the aroma hit my nose, my mouth literally started drooling. I was almost an incontrolable wreck once I saw the delicious, juicy lamb & chicken kebabs on spicy rice being served.

NYC food stalls are the :PARTY:

Haldaman

Wouldn't be allowed in the Uk now....the Health and Safety Police would come down like a ton of bricks on them!

And are they selling food by the pound?? Disgusting habit, should be in grammes and kilos !!