The hideous experience of walking in the streets of Amman (1)
I found this article about walking in Amman in some neglected file. I started writing it three years ago, but then decided to stop, because at that point there were several excited initiatives to repair all the pavements and the streets and remove the trees and so on… I felt I was not being fair.
I read it to compare. Has Amman improved after all these great initiatives?… even though yes, I think it is getting better slowly in some areas… for me as a citizen, walking in my residential area in Amman is still is as unpleasant as 3 years ago!
And by the way, I happen to be living in what is considered one of the best areas in West Amman….which makes me wonder about the experience of a citizen who lives in East Amman for example? Or in other areas in west Amman?
I wonder, when will the project of fixing the streets in Amman finish?
Stroll with my nephew in 2006
One of the highlights of my daily routine is to take my nephew for a stroll around the house. He is very fascinated by the simple things, such as flying birds, hungry cats -usually around garbage bins- and the difference between small bushes and big trees. However, what fascinates me alongside his intelligence and surprised reactions to the things he sees, is the extent of his consciousness about walking on pavements. Between his parents, his two sets of grand parents and the clan of aunts and uncles, we have managed to create an obsession about the importance of walking on the pavement and staying away from streets.
That day, we chose a quiet residential area, to avoid the unpleasant experience of speeding cars and annoying traffic jams. After all, the whole point was to do a fun exercise together and try to get some fresh air, which is becoming questionable these days. I was trying to get him to engage in a conversation with me, but he was too petulant to respond. I soon realized that we were walking on the street and he was concentrating on leading me away from the cars! Nizar who subconsciously gravitates towards the pavement, did not know how to deal with obeying his strict instructions to walk only on pavements and this frank non-compliance –ironically by one of the people who imposed this rule. My behaviour was obviously confusing him, and since he is still too young to express his confusion, he decided to do what he knows best, and that is to nag his way towards the side of the road. Thinking about it now, I unintentionally managed to make this Three year old child feel that he is responsible for our safety! Which is frustrating considering that we are talking about a person who is barely out of nappies!
Like Nizar I was following my subconscious commands which decree getting from point A to point B safely. These commands dictated walking on the road since that is as a matter of fact safer than walking on the scruffy sidewalks.
For some odd reason we got the concept of pavements and walking all wrong.
Pavements in modern Amman are not designed for people to walk on; they are designed for trees to sit in! which reminds me of a comment made by another 7 year old friend, who was visiting from Canada, and said a very perceptive yet sarcastic comment “people here think that sidewalks are for decoration!” the truth is that she is right, people do think of pavements are decorative, mainly because we don’t have much choice about it!
Amman as modern is it is becoming, still did not manage to improve one of its most important features: the pedestrian culture. No pedestrian lines, in some areas we can’t even cross the road except from the bridges that are so far apart, such as the university area, the Gardens area, Al Madina al Munawara street to name a few. The narrow space on the pavement, the big trees with short trunks and low branches in the centre, the varied heights from the street level and the ragged state of the pavement make walking in Amman a hideous experience that very few people look forward to.
You could get a branch in your eye, or get a bruise on your legs or arms, you could fall in the holes that never get repaired, or were never finished to start with by the contractors who were responsible for that building. The possibilities of getting hurt are really endless!
Walking in Amman in 2009
Last few years, a few revolutionary initiatives were implemented to get people to walk and to enjoy our beloved Amman. Jara market, Wakalat Street, Rainbow street Jabal Amman, a few parks here and there. We welcomed these initiatives with so much enthusiasm and gusto! Amman is finally becoming the friendly city that it really is.
But wait a minute… Is it really?
These projects are applied in a few selected areas that are used by people in west Amman. The residential areas all around Amman are still suffering from the same neglect. ohhh, except for Abdoun of course, and maybe a few others…. because in my street in swefieh, I still get a branch in my eye, or get a bruise on my legs or arms, I still could fall in the holes that never get repaired, or that were never finished to start with by the contractors who were responsible for that building. The possibilities of getting hurt while walking are really still endless!
It’s true, It’s never an easy task to walk in Amman, but as you said, Things are getting better slowly. I read a announcement for the municipality of Amman calling for bids to reconstruct the area of downtown Amman, which I thought was a great idea. And yes, indeed we have some pavements, but they’re usually filled with Trees. The Municipality lately started cutting them off. But just then I realized what a loss we’ll face by cutting these trees. You know that we don’t have huge greenery here in Amman!
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Madas Reply:
May 18th, 2009 at 05:59
Yes, I hope things will get better in Amman. The problem with the current management of the Municipality is that they are very elitist… I hope they will not kill the identity of the balad by reconstructing it.
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This is very important issue you raise here madas, indeed the pavements are unwalkable! we walk in street lanes almost the entire time, and think as a driver how much you have to be careful of the pedestrians sharing your lane on the street.
The more sad part is with so little green trees in Amman,those on the pavements should be moved, better be the trees than human lives!
This brings to my mind another major issue about Amman streets that the media rarely mentions,its the huge cars smoke that we have to deal with and inhale,be it when you are walking or driving behind a smoking car! and all this comes with the strict regulations of the strict annual car verification done by the law here.
why can’t they implement a tube shape thing that puffs out the smoke to the sky and not human lungs!
if the damage is already done,at least make it lighter.
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Madas Reply:
May 18th, 2009 at 06:01
I always think that Jordanians have a secret death wish! so of course we can blame the municiplaity… but seriously… i can’t ignore the fact thet Jordanians really don’t respect rules
As for the smoking cars… (sigh)… where do we start my friend? i guess with the government? maybe these environmental police? i am just thinking aloud here
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Here’s a theory: Pedestrians and vehicles are both moving “objects”, so they could share the streets while indulging in the heavenly beautiful shrubs planted on the pavements. Advanced pedestrians could then wear a cap fitted with a rearview mirror if they insist on walking with the traffic flow and habby walking yakhti.
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When I lived in Alabama, there were almost always sidewalks running parallel to the streets. The trees planted between the street and sidewalks were often very large and tall, but the branches were high up. So, there was no difficulty walking on the sidewalks.
Here in Indianapolis, some places have sidewalks and some places do not. So, there is a mix of people walking on sidewalks and in the street.
I walk nearly every day, but I usually drive to a mall and walk inside or outside.
There are some very nice parks here where I sometimes go to walk through nature.
I hope that the trees in Amman can be spared from cutting down. Our world is healthier for having trees in it!
For reducing air pollution from cars, I think that electric vehicles will be one solution. I hope that car companies will begin to build them in large numbers soon.
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The beauty of jordan is that its not advance. Of course some areas are. But the majority of it isn’t and thats what i love about it. Amman is beautiful because of the sidewalks the people the akward buildings it makes jordan jordan and i love it with all my heart <3 i wouldnt change a thing
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Madas Reply:
January 10th, 2010 at 11:57
We really don’t want to change Amman… We just want to make it a safe city for pedestrians… simply because a large percentage of the population walk, and we need them to be safe and to have a pleasant time while doing it.
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