this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
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Desire Paths

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Desire paths Desire paths can be paths created as a consequence of erosion caused by human or animal foot-fall or traffic. The paths usually represent the shortest or most easily navigated routes between origins and destinations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_path

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… especially if the neighborhood is filled with little shits with too many electrified toys.

EDIT: Okay, I'm convinced. Regular bikes would actually be a sensible cause here. Let me be a curmudgeon though.

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[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 38 points 5 days ago (2 children)

They design sidewalks the way they should be designing roads: slow, deliberately requiring attention, and inconvenient.

Every time I see a cut through like that, I know that the planner failed at their job, because they failed to design for humans of all ages and abilities.

Civil engineering should be an art that follows life in many cases, like the sidewalk design, and not force a design that is inconvenient or inefficient.

[–] Texas_Hangover@sh.itjust.works -3 points 5 days ago (3 children)

What "ability" is required to follow a sidewalk with a slight curve in it?

[–] BigDanishGuy@sh.itjust.works 13 points 5 days ago

The ability to give a fuck about someone else's idea of aesthetics when you prefer function... You know, the basic cause of desire paths.

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 11 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I guess you don't have people in wheelchairs or walkers where you live.

Sidewalks shouldn't be designed as obstacle courses.

[–] Texas_Hangover@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I do know a guy who modded a wheelchair into basically a drag racer. But that was just for fun. Most of them have the ability to turn pretty well.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 5 points 5 days ago

People are going to take the shortest route. And they know this it happens everywhere.