Community Chat

[JBKO]

Hi everyone. I remember going to Toronto and finding it to be very nice but not that many people on the street. It was a little strange being in a major city and wondering where all the people were lol? This was 20 years ago so I'm sure that things have changed. What cities have you traveled to that were like this? Have you traveled to cities that were severely overcrowded? TIA

[fitfuninformed]

Just to be clear, you're preference is to be in a major city that is crowded/overcrowded?

To each his own, but why on earth would you?  

[JBKO]

I do not prefer cities to be overcrowded but I expect them to be populated. 

[DukeBlueNan]

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@JBKO wrote:

I do not prefer cities to be overcrowded but I expect them to be populated. 

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Cities ARE populated. Towns are smaller but still populated. 

[dex]

There are a lot of people in Toronto...metro area 6miliion people and almost 3 million in Toronto itself...that’s no shortage of people for the streets.

[fitfuninformed]

@JBKO  You're still being unclear.  Manhattan is your basic nightmare as far as overcrowding/overpopulated goes; however, you claim to be 'spoiled' by it.  Which is it?

[Laura14]

It honestly depends on the season if you are in a tourist destination like NYC and time of day.

Obviously people are going to be out and about during rush hour trying to get to work.  If I'm visiting, I'm the lone person who really will not ride the subway during peak hours.

I went to Chicago several years ago and I just had a sixth sense not to be on the streets after the workers went home even though I was in a really good area.  My city girl vibe was on high alert.  I just didn't like the feel of that city at all.       

On the flip side, I love to walk all over NYC late into the night with lots of people around.  Altough I steer clear in June, July, and August because you just can't move around the Times Square and other tourist areas with everyone in town on summer breaks.  

[millieshops]

@JBKOEven though I've lived near NYC for lots of years and I think I've been in all the cities in the top 10 in population, but even NYC crowds most often don't compare to the crowds I've been in when I've been some places in Europe or in Russia.  I've never been to China or anywhere on the African continent, so I can't compare them.

I like living near a big population center but I'm not so sure I'd want to live right in its midst. 

I grew up in a small town (under 5000 with nothing much bigger close) and I've chosen not to return to that kind of area because I do like the amenties more prevalent in bigger population areas and am willing to live with the inconveniences of the extra people and traffic.  I don't consider that being spoiled though -  it's what I'm interested in at this stage of my life.

It's been nearly 50 years since my ex and I drove cross-country several times, but in those years what did surprise me was that even close to the big cities we toured, we could drive just a few miles out and be in the country.  That hasn't been true in the NYC area for decades -  and I've also seen lots of growth happening close to other Eastern big cities so I assume the same thing is happening in the rest of the country.

[chickenbutt]

I live in a small city (pop around 250,000 last I knew) and I'm fine with that.  I have traveled around the country and to numerous other countries and wherever I am I am not particularly fond of crowds.   I like having space. 

Also, being from LA, not fond of major traffic!  At least up here that's seldom any concern at all.   Only time traffic is aggravating is when they are working on the freeway, or any main thoroughfare, and have lanes closed off.

[ValuSkr]

I was in Dallas for work, 30+ years ago.  We were working outside the city but went into the city after work or on weekends.  It was very dead, as if the sidewalks had been rolled-up and everyone had gone home to the suburbs.  I remember seeing the Neiman Marcus store and there wasn't a soul around.  Of course, it may be very different now.  But that's the impression that stuck.