It's also that in many places things have been built to enormous widths (with huge parking lots) but low heights. I hated living in Mountain View as walks were cumbersome. On the other hand I loved moving down to Santa Monica later where things tended to be much closer together, making walkability a real thing (which was in fact easier/more convenient than driving, at least in the downtown cores).
Exactly. Environment design can alter behaviors. If there’s a grocery store near me but no sidewalks, I have to cross a huge intersection, and there’s sketchy spaces — that’s not a good pedestrian experience at all.
