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   Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:07:30 JST Evan Prodromou

   I realized after posting this that I am actually a time traveler from 1974, although I took the scenic route to get here. No regrets, wouldn't have skipped a minute of the trip.

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:09:50 JST Evan Prodromou

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     Anyway, my response is pooper scooper laws. I remember walking through both American and European cities in the 80s and 90s, and how absolutely impassable some city streets were. Foul-smelling, hazardous, visually revolting. No wonder people thought walking in the city was a punishment for being poor.

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:12:29 JST Evan Prodromou

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     I also remember how controversial these laws were when they first were under discussion. So many editorials about how they were unfair, unnecessary, and unnatural. I wish people back then could see city sidewalks now.

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:15:35 JST Evan Prodromou

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     A lot of other good candidates in the replies. The prevalence of cell phones has come up a lot, but I'm not sure how visibly striking they are on city streets. Most people seem to use them for guidance or for audio entertainment (with very small earbuds!).

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:17:20 JST Evan Prodromou

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     Other items that came up: newspapers, newspaper machines, and news kiosks.

     Public phones.

     SUVs.

     Digital advertising.

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 11:20:49 JST Evan Prodromou

     in reply to

     Anyway, this poll idea came up because I am visiting Buenos Aires for the first time since 2008, and the streets are really wonderfully clear of obstacles. I sent a photo to my family because it's something we all remember from our previous visit. I don't know if they passed a law, enforcement has improved, or just social opprobrium, but it's a much nicer city to walk in now.

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     Evan Prodromou (evan@cosocial.ca)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 12:09:35 JST Evan Prodromou

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     • R Scott Jones

     @rscottjones agreed. Again, I was thinking about the cityscape from the streets. I think smoking would be most striking in bars, restaurants, and workplaces. Probably also the trillions of squashed butts would be the main difference on the street.

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     R Scott Jones (rscottjones@mastodon.social)'s status on Monday, 06-May-2024 12:09:36 JST R Scott Jones

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     @evan Interesting! This was definitely not my experience, but I’ve mostly lived in US suburbs.

     But smoking? Oh man, it was EVERYWHERE. Same with cigarette butts. Now? Little pockets of them found mostly around isolated smoking sections. And you don’t have to change your clothes after going to a restaurant, or bar, or bowling alley, or…well, you get the idea.