I'm really not sure what it's like in the cities in the states but here in Calgary we have tons of walking/biking trails. How ever I believe that because the U.S. and Canada have really gone away from the small neighborhood shops, unlike in Germany, and to the many chain stores, that seem to congregate in one commercial area we've lost a great deal. In my area of the city I don't even have a 7-11 to go to. It takes me ten minutes just to drive to the nearest grocery store and about 20 to get to the nearest mall. What do you all think? Chris, Calgary, Ab ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karin Book" <karin4467@yahoo.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 9:13 AM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > Although I can't speak for all Germans, I know that my > family walks much more than the average American here > does. In fact, they are always astounded at the number > and kind of drive-through windows here in the US.

I don't have anything agains hiking and biking trails, providing they don't interfere with traffic flow. Here in Houston, our very liberal mayor, has decided it is time to install bicycle lanes on some of the major streets. Some of these streets were normal, two lane roads wide enough for two cars. Now we have a three foot wide bike lane on each side of the road and the automobile lanes are three foot narrower. Not only does this create a hazard for two cars passing each other, but I wouldn't give a plug nickel for the safety of a bike rider that might be in the lane. So we endager the bike rider and the driver just to be politically correct. Klaus Dieter Cook, Houston, Texas ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christine Bailey" <r.bailey@home.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 10:54 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > I'm really not sure what it's like in the cities in the states but here in > Calgary we have tons of walking/biking trails. How ever I believe that > because the U.S. and Canada have really gone away from the small > neighborhood shops, unlike in Germany, and to the many chain stores, that > seem to congregate in one commercial area we've lost a great deal. In my > area of the city I don't even have a 7-11 to go to. It takes me ten minutes > just to drive to the nearest grocery store and about 20 to get to the > nearest mall. What do you all think? > > Chris, > Calgary, Ab > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Karin Book" <karin4467@yahoo.com> > To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 9:13 AM > Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > > > > Although I can't speak for all Germans, I know that my > > family walks much more than the average American here > > does. In fact, they are always astounded at the number > > and kind of drive-through windows here in the US. > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: > GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > > ============================== > Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2 >

I think that our workplaces and shopping areas in the US are so far from home that it makes it rather unrealistic to think of walking instead of driving. Everything is so much bigger here, and spread out, while in Europe there is less land and the population is more concentrated, so things are closer to home. Plus, we are just too "busy" in our lives. On top of that, we have developed such a fascination our cars, unfortunately! Dorie ----- Original Message ----- From: Christine Bailey <r.bailey@home.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 10:54 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > I'm really not sure what it's like in the cities in the states but here in > Calgary we have tons of walking/biking trails. How ever I believe that > because the U.S. and Canada have really gone away from the small > neighborhood shops, unlike in Germany, and to the many chain stores, that > seem to congregate in one commercial area we've lost a great deal. In my > area of the city I don't even have a 7-11 to go to. It takes me ten minutes > just to drive to the nearest grocery store and about 20 to get to the > nearest mall. What do you all think? > > Chris, > Calgary, Ab > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Karin Book" <karin4467@yahoo.com> > To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 9:13 AM > Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > > > > Although I can't speak for all Germans, I know that my > > family walks much more than the average American here > > does. In fact, they are always astounded at the number > > and kind of drive-through windows here in the US. > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: > GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > > ============================== > Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2

I grew up in a small (10,000) town in eastern Montana. When I was small there was a fairly vibrant downtown area where my father owned a bakery. I serviced alot of people besides the town folks such as other smaller towns and many many farmers. You could get almost anything there. Then K-Mart came to town and built there store as far away from the downtown area as possible. My father could never understand why this was allowed and how the Chamber could not see what would happen. Not long after there was a small strip mall built next to the K-Mart with two grocery stores near by. It wasn't long before people had to make a special effort to shop downtown even though it was within walking distance of pretty much the whole town. My father couldn't keep his prices competative with the chain store grocery store and very few people could understand that. Even though they would say his bread and rolls were the best they couldn't resist a bargain. Well, now the bakery is closed and 99% of the stores that were there when I was growing up are gone. People have tried other things in the downtown area but usually are gone within a year or two. I think this is typical of alot of towns. Chris, Calgary, Ab > I think that our workplaces and shopping areas in the US are so far from > home that it makes it rather unrealistic to think of walking instead of > driving. Everything is so much bigger here, and spread out, while in Europe > there is less land and the population is more concentrated, so things are > closer to home. Plus, we are just too "busy" in our lives. On top of that, > we have developed such a fascination our cars, unfortunately! > Dorie > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Christine Bailey <r.bailey@home.com> > To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 10:54 AM > Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > > > > I'm really not sure what it's like in the cities in the states but here in > > Calgary we have tons of walking/biking trails. How ever I believe that > > because the U.S. and Canada have really gone away from the small > > neighborhood shops, unlike in Germany, and to the many chain stores, that > > seem to congregate in one commercial area we've lost a great deal. In my > > area of the city I don't even have a 7-11 to go to. It takes me ten > minutes > > just to drive to the nearest grocery store and about 20 to get to the > > nearest mall. What do you all think? > > > > Chris, > > Calgary, Ab > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Karin Book" <karin4467@yahoo.com> > > To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 9:13 AM > > Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] German walking habits > > > > > > > Although I can't speak for all Germans, I know that my > > > family walks much more than the average American here > > > does. In fact, they are always astounded at the number > > > and kind of drive-through windows here in the US. > > > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: > > GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > > > > ============================== > > Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! > > http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2 > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > Complaints: > Contact the list administrator at: GERMAN-LIFE-L-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >