The phrase “no shoes, no shirt, no service” reportedly became popular in the 1960s and 1970s (and similar variations) when businesses tried to regulate their customers. It has since opened the door to all kinds of rules dictated by businesses – some of which are less clear-cut than others.
A shocking TikTok video originally posted by Truly (@trulyknowsmusic) was recently retweeted in a Reddit subcommunity dedicated to discussing the harmful effects of cars while supporting alternative modes of transportation.
A sign on the door of a gas station in Tucson, Arizona, captured on video, reads: “No walk-ins. Must drive into store. We reserve the right to deny service to anyone.”
An overlay on the video reads: “That was a mess.”
In a country where cities are primarily designed around cars, we now know the negative impact the automotive industry has on the environment. Discouraging people from walking or using other forms of transportation is extremely counterproductive to the cooler climate we all need.
The United States has one of the lowest walking rates in the world, with only 12 percent of trips taken on foot, according to an analysis by researchers at Virginia Tech and Rutgers University. That’s an eye-opening statistic, especially when you consider that according to Big Think, 30% of all trips taken in the United States are under 1.6 miles.
Natural gas-powered transportation is the leading cause of an overheating planet, accounting for more than 20 percent and nearly 30 percent of all planet-warming air pollution in the United States each year, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists and Statista. A United Nations report has found that phasing out dirty energy in favor of clean energy sources like wind and solar is critical to healing our planet.
If possible, walking or any other type of active transportation is good for our health and the planet.
If anything, the country could use signs that encourage and reward people for not driving, rather than the other way around.
“When you think America couldn’t get any more ridiculous,” one Reddit user commented.
“How can this be legal?” asked another.
