To whom it may concern:
This thread is for the discussion of Less Wrong topics that have not appeared in recent posts. If a discussion gets unwieldy, celebrate by turning it into a top-level post.
(After the critical success of part II, and the strong box office sales of part III in spite of mixed reviews, will part IV finally see the June Open Thread jump the shark?)
The point made in the discussion of traditional cities I linked is that living without a car can be a nightmare in places that were designed around cars but that many cities that were not designed around cars are very livable without them. I've lived in Vancouver for 7 years without a car quite happily and it's not even particularly pedestrian friendly compared to many European cities (though it is by North American standards). I only walk about 3-4 miles a day.
I live in the middle of nowhere North west Ohio actually. I don't exactly consider it "the country", but it is compared to other places I've been. The roads make 1 mile grids and each has a dozen houses on it and a few fields and woods. Walking to town would take the better part of a day. Also, why are many modern cities built in the 18th century designed around cars if they only were invented in the later half of the century and became popular nearly half a century after that?