Posted on 09/02/2008 9:39:43 AM PDT by forkinsocket
The UK's towns and cities are designed primarily for men, not women, says a study. So what's the difference?
If a town was designed solely for women, how would it look?
If you think it would have more nail bars, shoe shops and coffee shops selling skinny lattes, then think again.
A study by Cambridge University says planning projects and urban regeneration schemes tend to cater to men better than women, despite the two living their lives differently.
Travel is one example. Studies show women make more complex journeys than men, dropping children off at school, going to work, getting the shopping before going home.
In contrast, men tend to just travel straight to work and back again.
Women are also more dependent on public transport, making 75% of bus journeys and only 30% have access to a car in the daytime.
Echoing complaints made in the past, the report by the university's centre for housing research says poor public transport and a lack of facilities such as schools and creches near workplaces restrict women's ability to choose where they work.
"There should be mixed developments where people are living, working, where there are schools, and shops close together," says Dr Gemma Burgess, who conducted the study.
"Women tend to worry about their safety at night more and want better lighting in public spaces. Others find pavements difficult for buggies," she said. "They are problems which affect us every day."
Lack of toilets
Dr Clara Greed, professor of inclusive urban planning at the University of the West of England, agreed that better street design would help to make women feel safer.
"Footpaths shouldn't be backed onto by high walls and fences. They shouldn't be designed so they create blind corners," she says.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
If your ladies are like mine, we are both lucky men.
Yeah, OK, the stores are geared toward the male geographic, primarily.
Only one out of three of mine like the things we do.
Manly men doing manly things! ;^)
The other two are untypical women, but they aren't into the great outdoors, more's the pity.
I meant DEMOGRAPHIC, not geographic. DUH.
Course we drive on the left hand side, like all good people. Its the rest of the world that has it wrong. Otherwise we would have to change gear with our right hand, which is just stupid.
Hogging the right hand lane of a motorway, indicator on and 10 mph under is one good way to get yourself rammed. But then, as long as you can’t see coppers, there isn’t a speed limit!!
Do I have to use my finger?
L
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