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Similarly, the US has a crazy highway system that was originally intended to move tanks around in case of an invasion. We live in a car-centric country because of war machines.
Most European countries built railroads to facilitate troop movements. It's also the reason they originally all had different track widths, so other countries couldn't easily move troops in.
That's the sad thing about Civ 5. Once you build roads and the invaders have mobile infantry, you're 3 moves away from your capital being raised
You're looking at it wrong. Once they build roads, their capital is 3 moves away from being raised.
If you're not using orbital lasers on enemies still using knights you're doing Civ wrong
(Or playing FreeCiv online.)
I did wonder why they didn’t all agree when building what width to build them. Kinda makes sense now
Id argue also because the country is "young" in that the US did not have to evolve from an existing medieval infrastructure, but I'm not a historian and this is just my intuition lol
Your intuition is completely wrong about that. The US had an extensive system of railways and has since demolished a huge percentage of them.
American cities also used to have things like walkable towns and streetcar networks, which were destroyed in the '60s and '70s in favor of parking lots. America wasn't built for the car; it was demolished for it.
Case in point, downtown Houston:
1940s:
1980s:
Those two images depict different parts of Houston and should not be used to punctuate your otherwise excellent point
More context here, from the last time it was brought up
https://feddit.uk/post/22213773/14336228
I didn't mean to imply that tall buildings were torn down, and the analysis doesn't refute the point that a whole bunch of (non-tall) buildings were torn down.
I simply couldn't find better matching images, posting from my phone in the few minutes I had to spare.
I'd recommend not using the images at all, the Vox train map was powerful enough
I dont remember learning about trains prior to the 1600s
The obvious point of your comment was to imply that there's an excuse for the US' car-centricity, and there just isn't.
I'm providing a self perceived explanation, not an excuse, please let's just leave it at that because I dont appreciate your tone and this kind of strawman
"I refuse to update my world view based on the facts you provided, and the fact you provided them makes you mean."
I'm sorry is that aimed at me? What's with the aggression? The user above edited their post with more info AFTER that interaction.
I was only saying that the US (and Northern America in general) being built upon (stolen) land that had not been urbanized before like for example Europe could also be a reason why the transportation infrastructure is so dehumanizing, you don't see blocks and urban grids like the US in Europe (except for rebuilt and new cities) because of the landscape and the fact that there were buildings since medieval times.
I'm not trying to have a worldview, or justify / being an activist for the car infrastructure, I'm just participating in the conversation and sharing my thoughts, and getting piled upon by random users?
You are clearly stating that you are not an historian and this is just your intuition. People give you information and facts contrary to your intuition, and you accuse them of being mean and agressive.
No. It's not a reason. It could, but it's not. They are telling you. Sorry.
I did NOT say facts are mean, and I’m NOT accusing anyone of being aggressive for disagreeing with me. I'm trying to participate in the conversation and add one factor among many, not "the reason" and not a justification for how things turned out. It can be wrong, incomplete, an oversimplification, but I don't think the tone of the responses I've gotten are warranted, has social media become so toxic that this is glossed over?
"Your intuition is completely wrong" is dismissive, "The obvious point of your comment was to imply…" guesses my motive instead of engaging with the point (again the context they added was provided as an edit AFTER this initial confrontation), the sarcastic paraphrase is just scornful, "You accuse them of being mean and aggressive" I don't and I keep trying to deescalate?
I think we’re talking past each other at this point, so I’m good leaving it here.
I can't tell you about the US but I'm from a "young" country too. Younger than the US. The westward expansion of Canada passed the Great Lakes was entirely dependent on railways. It was a national project to make sure the country could actually exist in the first place. It's what built most of the prairies. Having a railroad that traversed the country was seen as a primordial enterprise that had to be realized at any cost. It was a way to bring European colonizers and troops in the west. Here's another ad in French.
French colonizers arrived in Québec in 1608. Sure, there were no trains and they relied on the St-Lawrence for more than a century. By the end of the 1700s colonization was expanding westward using canals and locks. First small ones like at Coteau-du-Lac, then bigger ones like the Lachine canal that was built in the 1820s.
But just like in a lot of other parts of the world, our young country also saw the industrial revolution and the invention of trains. The first rail line in Canada was between La Prairie and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, to help people traveling between New-York and Montreal. Passengers were taking boats between New-York and St-Jean using the Champlain and Chambly, then would have to take a coach between St-Jean and La Prairie, before getting on another boat to finally get to Montréal. So a rail line was constructed. It eventually linked Montréal and New-York directly. Most of it still exists.
And just like in Europe, eventually railways replaced canals and we had them every where. Every fucking where. I come from the south of Québec and there's easily half a dozen abandoned railways from the 1800s in my region alone. It was possible to go to the smallest villages by train. But then highways, cars, abandoned lines. VIA Rail's network keep shrinking. All of North America's rail network is shrinking.
No, it's not because we're "young" countries that we didn't have the chance to develop a robust rail network.
You were perpetuating harmful misinformation. You are not entitled to demand it not be refuted.
I never asked not to be refuted. I asked not to have my intent reframed and to not be talked to dismissively. If something I said was wrong, I'm more than happy to be corrected, I'm glad you and pedz added more context. You labeling it as "completely wrong" and "harmful misinformation” (what kind of escalation is this??), and attributing motives to me is the part I’m pushing back on. I’m done engaging here. PLEASE.
They were in use since ancient times.
fortunately we are starting (with some resistance, but not as much here) to redesign around bicycles
Yeah, besides roads, what have the Romans ever done for us?
Mostly killing us until we put on their clothes and learn Latin, but after that it's killing you for not addressing your superiors in the Roman heirarchy correctly!
Brought peace?
Pax Romana was a misspelling in history books, with "Pox" being the correct word due to all those damn poxy romans ruining the countryside with their damn sexy aquaducts
At least that's the part of history I choose to misremember whilst doodling in my textbook
The Romans create a desert and call it peace.
-- Some Roman Dude
All of those perks were great, but odds were very, very good that you'd be one of those slaves that served them.
I'd rather shit in the woods personally.
"Wine" snort, yeah the barbarians were sober
I love doing my slave labor for the ~~res publica~~ imperium! One day I might even be a real ~~boy~~ Roman citizen! If not, R E V O L T!!!!!
I know it's a joke but the history of water management is way cooler than that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_water_supply_and_sanitation
this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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