Do many young Americans dislike cars and suburbs in real life, as much as Reddit would suggest?

31 comments

1. I’m a millennial and I have nothing against cars nor suburbs.

2. No. Without automobiles and other form of personal transportation, I wouldn’t have seen half the amazing things I’ve seen.

   I’m not alone.

3. It’s a vocal minority situation, as is the case with lots of pet causes on the internet. Most people in real life don’t pay attention to urban design and infrastructure despite how much of a grip it holds on their lives. It can often be a bit of a “fish doesn’t know what water is” situation since like 95% of the country lives somewhere with only car-oriented, low-density design. People hear about higher densities or public transportation and knee-jerk think “that means traffic and crowded, unsafe cities”

4. I’m sure more do than older generations, but most (from my experience) don’t care one way or another. If they do, they just move to a city that isn’t as car dependent.

5. Some do (the suburbs and car-centric infrastructure have real problems) but nothing like Reddit would have you think.

6. Lots of young people absolutely love cars. Getting a drivers license at 16 is just one of those huge rites of passage that kids eagerly look forward too.

   The suburbs aren’t the most desirable for young single adults who want to live in the city close to other young single adults but some people don’t mind them.

7. Some do, but not to the extent and severity that a lot of dysfunctional Redditors hold.

8. I like suburbs. Cities are great in small doses, but they get too crammed and noisy for me after a while.

9. No. It’s pretty common for people to be into cars as a hobby and lots of people long for moving to the suburbs.

10. Absolutely not. If anything, it’s the opposite.

    Typically some young, single people without children like (or tolerate) living in “the city”. Most adults who are married and have children prefer the safe, quiet, and generally less expensive “suburbs/subdivision” living.

    I can go in my backyard at night and hear crickets chirp. No sirens, music, horns, yelling, etc. I can leave my bike unattended in the front yard, car doors unlocked and windows down in the street or driveway, house unlocked, over night or during the day and nothing happens, nothing is stolen. Neighborhood has block and driveway parties, kids are everywhere and play sports in the street and yards without worrying about anything, neighbor’s are nice and welcoming, multiple events going on in the subdivision all the time, etc.

    I can see why someone who is 21, single and with no kids would prefer to live in an area with multiple “party” type bars and nightlife, however the “urbanist” stuff you see on reddit is usually pretty absurd and extreme.

11. Gen Z here.

    My generation doesn’t hate cars. Many of them just wish all cities were walkable with good public transportation. Very few actually advocate for the end of cars.

    As for the suburbs, many are anti-suburban sprawl and favor high density housing in cities, but once again, very few would support outright banning suburbs. I’d personally never want to live anywhere else and I’m decently far left.

12. As someone who’s relatively young and likes roadtrips over flying, I definitely have nothing against cars. I don’t see widespread anti-car sentiment among peers and those that are younger.

    I have nothing against suburbs either. They’re just not for me.

13. I love suburbs. They’re quiet and low-crime; I have lots of space and a fenced yard with privacy. It smells nice. A car is a perfectly acceptable price to pay.

14. Some certainly don’t, but it’s a far smaller proportion than you would guess from reddit.

    Note: the vitriol on something like fuckcars is quite rare, most people who dislike suburban life or advocate for more transit are still in the much more moderate “cars should be an option not a requirement in most cities” camp.

15. I think people either love what they know, or really dislike it. I am happy to be a suburbanite. I love my car, it gives me a sense of freedom. I was raised in the suburbs.

    Cities feel too crowded. My introverted personality really dislikes the idea of always being *that* close to other people. The pandemic didn’t help this sentiment.

    I have family who live in rural areas, and we used to visit them for a weekend or week every summer. There was nothing to do. After you got finished with catching up, you couldn’t go to a movie, or bowling, or literally anything. Even the restaurant in town closed at 8. I can’t imagine being that isolated all of the time. I can’t speak for Americans as a whole, but I am absolutely a fan of the suburbs.

16. Not that I have noticed.

17. No. It’s a Reddit echo chamber. Those that don’t like them just don’t live there and are happy where they are.

    Reddit whiners are a bunch of low effort bores that can’t be bothered to change their own situation

18. No reddit skews towards some silly positions. Cars are annoying and require upkeep and infrastructure, but I’d be much worse off not having one even if public transit was way way better.

    Like, I am not getting up in the mountains by bus or train. A day at a remote lake isn’t happening either. My canoe isn’t going many places on a train.

19. Reddit is as far from real life as it gets.

20. I literally never hear the constant complaining about cars and suburbs IRL that I do on Reddit. For some reason, this website breeds a very specific kind of pessimist that you don’t actually find that often in the real world.

21. No. I would literally have no idea if it wasn’t on social media.

    It’s actually getting really weird. It’s gone from mostly advocating for “car-free cities” to trashing on suburbs. So odd.

22. I’m 32, and I don’t dislike cars. I *do* dislike many of the people who operate them. There are way too many reckless drivers and people who disobey red lights and speed limits, especially here in the Bay Area. This is the top reason why I have a fear of driving, and why I’m anxious about getting a license and a car.

    As far as suburbs go, I don’t mind them at all. In fact, I would prefer to live in a ‘burb instead of a major city once I make enough money to move out away from home again. Burbs are close enough to a city if you want access to any of the amenities that only a city could offer, yet they’re historically quieter, cleaner, and safer.

23. It really depends on the suburb tbh. Not all of suburbia is bad at all, especially where im from. Same with cars tbh.

    Classic old school suburbs are very desireable and popular.

24. Reddit is not irl

25. Whenever I see the urbanists on social media, I always think about how the vast majority of people straight up don’t give a shit. They just adapt to where they live and are busy living their lives. It’s a real issue and smart development is important, but it’s not really dominating the average person’s life. Some people just slip into yet another version of tribalism on the internet.

    And I say that as someone that prefers walkable areas with transit. Even I’ll occasionally lament and complain urban planning issues, but nobody really cares or is interested in that stuff. It’s more like specific groups and advocates in real life that engage in activism for better city planning. The people online are just making it their personality and being angsty social media denizens.

26. No, I don’t think so. My gut reaction is many of them haven’t driven much so they’re both afraid and not very good at it.

27. If the subject is anything about America, and you’re wondering if Reddit represents the reality, the answer is virtually always a resounding no

28. Nah, we wouldn’t have suburbs and highways if Reddit reflected real world views…

29. I’m 29 and prefer living in downtown areas where I can take the metro or light rail and don’t need a car. People like me are pretty niche in the USA. Due to the vast size of the USA and the cheaper prices for living space father away from downtown areas, most people drive. This is the case for residents pretty much everywhere in the USA except downtown Washington DC and Manhattan, New York. Reddit is unusual in that the people here are pretty far to the political left (just look at the popularity of r/AntiWork, r/WorkReform, r/Atheist, and the various LGBTQIA+ subreddits). Such people tend to prefer central urban areas over say rural areas. Thus, communities like r/FuckCars seem much bigger on Reddit than they are in the USA as a whole.

30. No, the suburbs are pretty lovely, actually.

31. I’m not against either (live in the suburbs, no less), but I do wish I had more options than just my car. I hate, hate, *HATE* driving. I’m a calm and polite person, but driving a car turns me into the angriest, most impulsive jerk on the planet, like yin and yang. Ironic since I married someone who drives for a living.