Of course, you can live in the Twin Cities without a car -- if you're willing to take up residence in parts of town which rival Detroit in danger and dreariness! But admittedly, the social segregation associated with car ownership/non-ownership is a problem that plagues many States. It would be unfair to single out Minnesota for this alone, since there actually are other places in America where the problem is even worse.
But ... Why does everything in the Twin Cities have to be within direct view of a roadway or parking lot!? City parks, restaurants, nature trails, etc. It's virtually impossible to find any outdoor recreation without being an actor or actress on the stage of everyone else's windshield! This really SUCKS! Even worse than the generic fact that it's so spread out here that a car is an absolute necessity.
I get sick of trying to get exercise by walking around Minneapolis' Chain of Lakes when all there is to see is boats out on the lakes, dykes or ladies pushing strollers, men without shirts jogging or skating and splashing their b.o., and cars zooming by people-watching! Am I mistaken, but isn't the Minneapolis park system somehow highly rated as systems go?
Outstate is just as bad in the sense of car necessity, the exception being that it's much easier to find a truly peaceful park far away from the roar of the traffic.
