Walking is a healthier form of transportation for you and the environment, but as one TikToker discovered, getting around without a car isn't always easy.
Many users have had similar experiences and shared how they feel walking on the side of the road.
@heydaniellerenee Not a sidewalk in sight 🫠 . . #midwestproblems #midwestlife #embarrassingmoments #walkablecities ♬ origineel geluid - Tik Toker
Danielle (@heydaniellerenee) posted a video of herself walking to get a coffee while waiting for her tires to be replaced. It was like an obstacle course with rocks to navigate.
She said: "Walking in a non-walkable city is truly so embarrassing."
"Not a sidewalk in sight," she added.
According to the Center for Health Progress, the lack of sidewalks discourages walking and can lead to poor health and obesity, so it's essential to create them. Unfortunately, as the article noted, in some places, the responsibility falls on the citizens to fund it, not the government, which isn't always feasible.
A study investigating pedestrian safety and sidewalks on the National Library of Medicine website also found that "a pedestrian crash along roadways with no sidewalk is 1.67 times greater than the likelihood of a crash with the presence of a sidewalk." Additionally, a pedestrian crash is three times more likely "per mile along roadways with no sidewalks" than with sidewalks.
While driving less is a great way to lessen polluting gases, it's hard to do that when you don't have a safe place to walk.
It is possible to transform un-walkable cities into walkable ones. For example, Düsseldorf, Germany, transformed its multilane highway by the water into a large park, making it much more friendly and safe for pedestrians.
If you want to transform your city into a safe haven for pedestrians, you have to use your voice. Talk to your representative and vote for candidates who care about changing the infrastructure to create a healthier community.
Fellow TikTokers had a lot to say about walking in a city with no sidewalks.
One user said: "Also, when I see someone walking, I'm like….are they ok? Do they need help? We literally made walking abnormal in the U.S."
"It feels like a walk of shame," another TikToker said.
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