National character

[Ryujin]

Population density reduces the distances a little in the U.K. and Western Europe, but not drastically. The average person's radius is the same in the US as everywhere else - you might be in an area five time larger, but you don't habitually wander across deserts and mountains to visit the local supermarket.

The post apocalyptic wastelands of suburbia, yes, but no deserts nor mountains.

I did once have to explain to some Cuban government officials why we couldn't go to Montreal for the afternoon after visiting Niagara Falls though. Yes. Seriously.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The travel radius for most people is identical in most Western countries. Nobody drives 200 miles to work, or to watch a movie, or to do any of the things people do.

Depends on what you do and where you live. I'm in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, which covers at least 4 counties and is comprised of a couple dozen municipalities. Our public transportation system is nascent.

And I've worked with people whose daily commute is a 2 hour drive, each way. Now, that IS distorted by traffic, but that just shows how much people are willing to travel around here.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I did once have to explain to some Cuban government officials why we couldn't go to Montreal for the afternoon after visiting Niagara Falls though. Yes. Seriously.

I had to explain to some Europeans that a 2 week road trip would not be sufficient to cover their goal of seeing NYC, Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, and San Francisco.

 

[Umbran]

I have an unreasonable distaste of that hoary old chestnut. Mainly caused by endless repetition. Who originally coined it? They're on my TARDIS assassination list.

The travel radius for most people is identical in most Western countries. Nobody drives 200 miles to work, or to watch a movie, or to do any of the things people do.

This will be anecdotal, of course. But, how often (say, how many times a year) do you leave a 50 mile radius of your home? 100 miles? 200 miles?

 

[Morrus]

Depends on what you do and where you live. I'm in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, which covers at least 4 counties and is comprised of a couple dozen municipalities. Our public transportation system is nascent.

And I've worked with people whose daily commute is a 2 hour drive, each way. Now, that IS distorted by traffic, but that just shows how much people are willing to travel around here.

I know people with 2 hour commutes, too. Heck, my wife takes at least 90 minutes to get to work, and that's not a major deal to us. Honestly, radius is the same. People have the same number of hours in their day.

 

[Morrus]

This will be anecdotal, of course. But, how often (say, how many times a year) do you leave a 50 mile radius of your home? 100 miles? 200 miles?

Oh, I'm a terrible example. I work from home, and am something of a hermit.

I read that 90% of people in Western countries only leave their city 3 times a year. I'm way beyond that, thank goodness. I'll leave the country once a year on average (many times to the US, so 3000 miles or so?)

Went to Rome last month. Not sure how far that is. 900 miles?

Other than that, I'm a terrible hermit. Not a good example! My family is about 100 miles away, so not far. I do that once a month or so, but that's more about scheduling than distance.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

If you're willing to spend 4 hours going to and from work, the distance is, in a sense, immaterial. IOW, of you're willing to drive 2 hours in rush hour to go from Allen to North Dallas (@30 miles) to work, you might also be willing to drive 120 miles* to do likewise, if the time investment were the same.





* more, if you're a lead foot.

 

[Morrus]

I had to explain to some Europeans that a 2 week road trip would not be sufficient to cover their goal of seeing NYC, Washington DC, the Grand Canyon, and San Francisco.

Yeah, that's the other anecdote that gets repeated constantly. I'm not sure who these Europeans are that Americans keep having to keep explaining basic geography to!

I think there's this single family who travels round America expressing rube-like amazement at everything for some kind of reality show that we'll all see one day.

We know. We have maps and things.

 

[Morrus]

If you're willing to spend 4 hours going to and from work, the distance is, in a sense, immaterial. IOW, of you're willing to drive 2 hours in rush hour to go from Allen to North Dallas (@30 miles) to work, you might also be willing to drive 120 miles* to do likewise, if the time investment were the same.





* more, if you're a lead foot.

Sure. I agree with that. Time is the issue, not distance. At rush hour, I'll take 45 minutes to drive 5 miles. Narrow roads, dense populations.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeah, that's the other anecdote that gets repeated constantly. I'm not sure who these Europeans are that Americans hero having to keep explaining basic geography to!

You may have maps, but that doesn't mean everyone USES them. (For the record, the ones I was talking to were Belgians...and no, they hadn't actually looked at their maps' scales.)

I mean, look at how we Americans are about history books!