this post was submitted on 09 May 2025
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[–] [email protected] 45 points 4 days ago (3 children)

I know it's a dumb meme, but strong disagree on grid cities. They always violate the natural landscape of the city, and are only easier to navigate if the land is very flat, or if you are driving.

The windy roads of organically developed cities look confusing on a map, but are often way easier to navigate and understand when on foot. Wayfinding is instead done in terms of natural features, e.g. go downhill towards the river until you hit the main street.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Grid cities, specially when combined with tall buildings, also tend to create more pronounced microclimate issues and "heat islands".

San Fransico has a varied terrain and enviroment that cause microclimates on is own, but the grid layout means the temperature can change as much as 9F/5C from one block to the next.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Interesting, why do grids cause that?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Air currents and long straight road surfaces heating up simultaneously as the sun moves.

Long straight roads in grids can cause the air to "stick" to the ground as wind moves overhead. And the sun hitting roofs and sides of buildings over shorter periods mean less "stored heat".

Some of it can be alleviated by having trees along the sidewalks. Since they help disperse wind and creates shade for the concrete/asphalt that store heat a lot longer.

EDIT: If you have more "random" road layouts with trees, there's less sun heating up the sidewalk and road. And the wind is more likely to be pushed around and prevent hot air from stagnating or circulating in an area.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Windy roads help prevent drivers from falling asleep/going on auto pilot

Maybe not an issue in a city where you constantly stop

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

Navigating London by foot without GPS is pretty much impossible if you don't live here. And even after 10 years some parts are so fucking confusing... On the other hand I've learned the layout of Barcelona on my second trip.

[–] [email protected] 50 points 4 days ago (4 children)

Massachusetts has entered the chat

[–] [email protected] 26 points 4 days ago

Its called "New England" for a reason.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Most of Southern New England really

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Is northern New England better? Or is it just because it's still sparsely populated?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Yeah, Northern NE is sparsely populated and has more wilderness/conservation areas, mountains, and stuff.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Is that somewhere in Asia?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Dunno about the rest of PA, but Pittsburgh's no walk in the park either.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago

Goddamn triangle grid downtown!

Me: "Oops, I went the wrong way! I'll just take two rights and be going back the way I came!"

Pittsburgh: "The fuck you will!"

Great city, though, once I let go of my preconceived notions of how navigation works.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Philly is a grid system for the most part. It’s still mad max out there though despite that. You just know exactly where you’re being run off the road

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago

Philly is a grid system but you have to drive in wild spaghetti paths anyway to avoid all the potholes, construction debris, drunk college kids, double parked vans, the police, sinkholes, mudslides, children on bicycles who fear nothing on this earthly plane, discarded mattresses, spontaneous otherdimensional vortexes, concrete rubble piles, etc.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 days ago

More rural and recently-suburbanized PA areas (outside of the neighborhoods) can get a bit spicy. Not quite like Mass though.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 days ago (5 children)

Someone's never been to Pittsburgh. Now that I think about it, I'd guess most people haven't been to Pittsburgh. Why would they?

Anyway, like I was saying, roads.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

Fun fact: Pittsburgh looks exactly like Kaunas, Lithuania, on a map.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago

Pittsburgh: I want a grid, but make it a triangle

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

What is Pittsburgh?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 days ago

I know someone who is working there tonight. It's apparently an enjoyable region, enough that moving there was considered.

I also know someone who has an undiagnosed mental illness that travels for work. Totally unrelated.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

that was one of the top 100 reasons i hated pittsburgh

[–] [email protected] 20 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Boston GPS directions would be a good time

"make a hahd right turn to stay on Comm Ave, but don't be stupid enough to get on the carriage way, peckah-head. why? because fuck you, that's why"

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

Pahk ya cah etc.

Would make a fun turn-by-turn voice.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 days ago

We tried making a grid city with Milton Keynes and look how soulless that turned out.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 days ago

Stamping down a grid over a hilly landscape makes for a shitty walking or biking experience. >:/

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 days ago

Being a paper boy in Europe sucked let me tell you. I spent half the time figuring out where the next street on the route was.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 days ago

Whenever we drive onto a country road here in Victoria that’s totally straight we’re both reflexively yell “Roman Road!”. Maybe you can take the grid system too far.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 days ago

hah, show that poster Tokyo. I can't imagine actually knowing that city like I know Denver.