In this week's comments update, readers are debating architecture critic Aaron Betsky's claim that riding a bicycle is the best way to experience a city.
In an opinion piece for Dezeen, Betsky said that, "bicycles are great tools for urban exploration" and that "sprawl is misunderstood and understudied by architects and designers, who generally live in downtown areas."
That also means suburbs are undesigned or designed badly, he says, "in ways that waste natural resources, that isolated us from each other, and that are ugly. I think we need to design better suburbs instead of just wishing them away, and one way to start is by understanding them better."
"Interesting topic"
Readers are divided. "A bike is a great way to get a feel for the suburbs, where Jo Average lives and sometimes works," said Ian Byrne. "Yes, you do need to watch out for other cyclists, self-driving Teslas, texting pedestrians and potholes, as others have suggested, but I feel I know cities better than if I had stayed in the center surrounded by wealthy residents and other tourists." "Interesting topic," continued Corporate Overlords. "Cycling can be enjoyable, but to truly enjoy it in a city environment is to ride on completely separate cycleways where there is little opportunity for cars to mow you down."
Le Canal Hertzien agreed: "As cities become more cycling-friendly, cyclists become a real nuisance and danger for p...