redefining community
Yesterday morning, I was sitting in traffic on the 10/405 freeway interchange, on my way to UCLA.
As usual, I was listening to KPCC - Southern California’s Public Radio. KPCC is supported by the public - so, from time to time, radio hosts remind listeners that they need listener contributions in order to survive. On AirTalk, Larry Mantle had a point: listeners should support KPCC not only for the personal enjoyment they get out of listening, but also because a public radio like KPCC contributes to informing communities through a public independent media source. He made few examples of communities and (involuntarily, I think) he referred to fellow drivers stuck in traffic, in nearby sections of the freeway - as “communities”. This is really pushing the concept of a “community” a little too far. But maybe not for L.A.
Being stuck in traffic on a freeway is not fun. Way too many lanes. Stop-and-go. Stop-and-go. But the freeway interchange is different. There’s only two lanes. Also, when there’s traffic, you go so slow (if you move at all) that you can’t avoid looking at other drivers. They’re so close to you. Freeway interchanges are special places. They shape new, car-centered communities. Post-urbanism meets social networks. Freeway interchanges are intimate. Probably not as intimate and interactive as this or this kind of car-centered community, but still.
Photo by veronica
