Walkable Weather
Kuffner wrote a great little ditty today about how the weather affects Houston. Here’s what he had to say:
Tory Gattis: “Houston has a pedestrian-hostile tropical climate five months of the year. While northern transit-based cities benefit from a personal warming technology – the coat – the only personal cooling technology that exists for southern cities is an air-conditioned vehicle.”
Charles Kuffner: “All due respect, but as someone who grew up in a northern transit-based city and spent ten years of his life walking or taking public transit to get to school, it’s cities like New York that are pedestrian-hostile for five months of the year; essentially, November through March. It’s true one can wear that magical personal warming technology Tory refers to when it’s cold, but up north we also have what’s known as “snow”, which turns into “slush”, and trust me on this – your coat only helps so much in those conditions. I’ve seen snow as early as Halloween and as late as Easter – in fact, the last snow day I recall as a student was on Good Friday, in the first week of April. Some day, when I tell my daughters that I often went to school in a foot or more of snow, I won’t be exaggerating. (The bit about it being uphill both ways will admittedly be a stretch.) You want weather that’s not fit for walking, or for waiting for a bus? Let me introduce you to the concept of the “wind chill factor”. That’s my idea of an I’d-rather-be-driving climate.
As for Houston, well, I may be more heat tolerant than some, but for the most part outside of July and August, I’ll take our weather over theirs. And you know, in a well-designed transit-oriented city, they do have a remarkable pedestrian-cooling technology available. It’s called ‘trees’, which when planted along sidewalks can make a big difference in the ambient temperature. You may recall a big argument over the redevelopment on Kirby Drive regarding the dispensation of its trees. And though it may not provide as much relief, unlike your car’s technology, a tree canopy won’t break down on you and require a costly repair.”
My only reply to ‘Kuff is that: A. You’re right, and B. Unfortunately this country’s cultural and social standards came from the North. People in the southern states believe that it’s too hot to go outside almost religously, and they don’t seem to realize that in most of the “north” it gets similarly hot in the summer – it just doesn’t stay hot as long.
But as for the sketpics: go to San Antonio or Austin and tell me that Texans won’t walk. Go to Discovery Green, Hermann Park, or Memorial Park and tell me people won’t go outside in the heat. Build an environment that’s oriented to pedestrians and people will embrace it and use it. Houston is a sorry place to be a pedestrian, and that’s really the only reason you don’t see a lot of walking.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tags: , air conditioning, culture, Houston, Off the Kuff, pedestrians, transit, walking, weather
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7 Comments
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I just don’t understand Tory’s problem at all. I walk – and work – outside all year long. True, I walk slower in the summer, but I still do it and don’t really find it uncomfortable. I think what’s happening is successive generations might be getting softer, which is certainly happening in many other respects. Regardless of weather, you hear people complaining all the time about having to walk, or go up some stairs, or not be able to park right in front of something. It seems to be much more about this softness – not sure what to call it – than anything else.
On the other hand, it’s a mystery to me why people who can’t handle temperatures above 75 work so hard to prevent other people from doing what they want.
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I once had a consulting project in downtown Houston in the summer that was only a few blocks away from my office, but if I walked it in my suit, I would sweat through by the time I got there. Instead, I would go several blocks out of my way to use a tunnel route and stay in the air conditioning. There is a reason those tunnels are there, and they’re pretty old – so I don’t think it’s a new, “soft” generation. I agree that when people are doing leisure – like the parks – they don’t mind a little sweat. But not if you’re an office worker of any kind.
I’m not trying to prevent people from building what they want and living how they want. Nor am I opposed to pedestrian improvements in Houston. But let’s face reality that the vast majority of Houstonians prefer their air-conditioned cars most of the year.
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Tory makes a valid point: it’s not pleasant to walk around in 90 degree weather in a suit.
My point is, why on earth do we wear suits in Houston?
The answer is, our cultural norms came from England and New England. We dress like Northern Europeans, even though our climate is nothing like theirs.
I think we’re beginning to see very small baby steps away from that. More and more employers are allowing their workers to lose the jacket and tie and just wear slacks and a shirt.
I hope that I live to see the day that people wake up and realize that we need to develop our own climate-appropriate clothing so that we can go outside and not be miserable.
Things like loose white shirts, big hats, and linen pants (or, gasp, shorts) would go a long way to making it more comfortable to be outside.
That’s the crux of Tory’s counterpoint above: people dressed for the weather (recreating) don’t mind, and people not dressed for it (office workers) do. The sooner we all start dressing for the weather, the better of we’ll all be.
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Great idea! I nominate Hawaiian shirts and clothes. Now if someone can just convince those stodgy old energy companies and law firms…
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** Tory makes a valid point: it’s not pleasant to walk around in 90 degree weather in a suit. **
With our humidity, it’s not pleasant to walk five minutes outside in slacks and a shirt either, at least not for about five months of the year. Most people don’t want to sit at their desk or make a presentation or what have you soaked.
A person has to be realistic about that fact. Fortunately, we have the tunnel system downtown, and some Houston workers DO walk a little more than is perceived. But even that concession to the realities of Houston weather gets criticism from some people who would prefer a more vibrant street scene.
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** Tory makes a valid point: it’s not pleasant to walk around in 90 degree weather in a suit. **
Not applicable to me or anyone that I work with (everyone I know switched to business casual a long, long time ago), so I don’t really care. Let the lawyers and energy executives fend for themselves in their Lexi (or Lexuses – whichever is the correct plural). I still want a walkable, transit-oriented community. And another thing – I want it for my leisure use as well as business use – in these cases I likely will be wearing Hawaiian shirts.