Social Aspects

For any country it is important to carry out policies that improve income distribution and the quality of life by means of public expenditures and government policies. Children's basic education, sanitation, public health, housing, security against crimes and last, but not least, public transportation, which works only if people like walking, are examples of priority areas for governmental action. To improve the accessibility and the mobility of pedestrians has very strong social effects on the population and on the environment, both in developing and developed countries.

Most people from middle and upper social classes move in private cars, even when the distances involved could be easily walked. The poor depend on their feet and on public transport. We can say that a transit trip is not complete without some walking. The same is not true for most journeys made by car. All transit users are benefited from improved walking conditions. And many car users might give up the automobile for short distance trips in congested area, reducing pollution.

Walking gives us a deep feeling of happiness and freedom emerges. And this is not surprising for those who have had the opportunity to watch the development of a baby when it stops crawling and starts to walk. A toddler expresses freely and objectively while walking its sentiments of joy, which later on remain hidden, but still alive, in the memory of the adult. That is why everybody who can loves walking and hates the impediments which may arise in his way. The pedestrian's sense of freedom does not affect negatively his behavior as does the one of many motorists. On the contrary, through random eye contacts, walkers exchange sympathy with each other, no matter the social, cultural and economic distances which separate them.

It is, undoubtedly, an exercise of citizenry and democracy. That is why politicians looking for support of their constituents walk a lot in electoral periods.

If the income is well distributed and there is a good integration of the population, to share the public space with people we do not know becomes an exciting adventure full of surprises which later become stories to tell our family and friends. Inequality and racial discrimination may raise feelings of resentment and even fear which dissipate, however, when people systematically share the same sidewalk. In very poor countries sharing the sidewalk with the population awakes compassion for the weaker instead of the fear normally felt by motorists driving through congested areas.

Competition is a strong force which moves our economies. It is also responsible for most human achievements in science, technology, arts, sports and whatever man's activity. In certain instances and conditions, however, it can be a destructive force. Unfortunately, many people change their character and values when driving a car. Nothing is won in competing for space and time in our roads. Only accidents, deaths and injuries are the outcome of it. When walking, however, it is very unusual we meet someone who behaves so aggressively as a driver to harm other pedestrians. The number of sociopaths who might do that are insignificant in comparison to the ones who show solidarity and sympathy for the weaker sharing the sidewalk.

Increased wealth and new styles of living has filled our urban roads with automobiles making them inconvenient to walk along. Only in old cities and in historical areas of modern ones it can still be found charming streets with proper sidewalks which can be shared by pedestrians of all ages and conditions, including those with restricted mobility. Instead of malls, which pack stores and people in gigantic boxes-like buildings with air conditioning and artificial lighting, these streets offer diversified products and services in stores located along their sidewalks attracting people who enjoy promenading.

Of course, severe weather conditions make it uncomfortable, but not prohibitive to pedestrians to walk as, for example, New York, London and Paris have fully demonstrated.

The very old and the very young people belong to the social groups more affected by the lack of good sidewalks and pedestrian crossings around their homes. Both depend on others for moving long distances, especially when the services of public transport can not fulfill their needs. We can say that the lack of conditions for walking represent a kind of imprisonment in the earlier and later years of life. In other words, the first and the last impressions of human beings living in cities dominated by cars are associated with impaired mobility.

Traffic in urban areas should be organized and operated according to the following priorities: first, to fulfill the needs of pedestrians; second, other social needs, especially those of public transport; third, the traffic of goods; and last, the mobility of private cars.

From the pedestrian standpoint public space should offer the following: sidewalks wide enough to provide level of service classified as "A"; safety against pedestrian crashes; good accessibility and mobility; security against physical and psychological aggressions; cleanliness; availability of public toilets; good public lighting; space for casual meeting and talking; protection against air pollution and noise.

Besides these psychological and social aspects mentioned here we should not forget that walking is very healthy as doctors have already proved through their academic researches.

Author of this section:
Eduardo Daros, Brasil; daros@transporte.org.br ; www.pedestre.org.br

Many papers on the social aspects of walking by authors from different countries you find on the search-page of the walk21-website