3 ms·

Curious what you rate as "easy walking distance"? 15 min (one way), 30 min? Though I'd think it rather depends on how much you have to carry...

alistairSH 4y ago
My office is close to 1.25 miles, takes about 30 minutes if I don't want to break a sweat. If I'm late, I ride a bike. That's probably the limit for me for regular/frequent trips. I can carry a mid-sized backpack that distance without problem, even with a laptop and a jug of milk or other moderately heavy items inside. With the number of signaled intersections, I can't drive it any faster than the bike. But definitely faster than walking most of the time (though walking is a guaranteed time - driving that distance has taken 20+ minutes before because of traffic jams). Basically, if it takes the same or less time than driving, I try to walk or cycle. Sometimes I walk the ~2 miles to CVS or Starbucks, but that's as much recreation as transport - I can drive it in 5 min. Nice to have the option, but if they were closer to 1 mile, I'd always walk.
- wizofaus 4y ago
  That would be about what I'd expect (except I don't use miles!). But I'm wondering if that's typical for most Americans of your or older generations. I always figured the LA story gag of driving 5 metres to your neighbour's house was only a mild exaggeration of reality...
  - alistairSH 4y ago
    I always figured the LA story gag of driving 5 metres to your neighbour's house was only a mild exaggeration of reality... It's not far from reality. But mostly because so much of the US lacks sidewalks, so driving is the safest way to get A-to-B. When getting anywhere useful requires navigating places like this [1], using the car for everything quickly becomes the default. 1 - https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ijhV2hgcKaqw/v0/-1x-1.png https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ijhV2hgcKaq... Edit - yes, that photo has sidewalks, but there are so many intersections and road crossing, it's not a pleasant place to walk. Many places don't have sidewalks at all, or have some, but they're disconnected from each other block-to-block. Or you have to walk across a massive parking lot to get to the shops. Much of suburban US really is quite dystopian in this regard. If this link works [2], it's the intersection to enter th nearest shopping center to my house. Note the lack of sidewalk on at least 2 corners. Crosswalk only on one side (if you live on the close left corner, there's no way to safely walk across the street in either direction). Lack of bike lans on the crossing street (the street has some, but they inexplicably end JUST before the shopping center). And even if you do manage to walk/ride into the shops, you have to dodge cars trying to park before you get to the actual shops. I wish this was unique, but it's extremely common in the suburbs. 2 - https://www.google.com/maps/@38.93839,-77.3287099,3a,75y,293.33h,80.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKyA3-OHfkDrBsIxgeD3qsw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en https://www.google.com/maps/@38.93839,-77.3287099,3a,75y,293...
    - wizofaus 4y ago
      Wow that really is taking pedestrian-unfriendliness to the next level. I admit I struggle to understand the mindset of people who'd consider that a desirable place to live. I admit I chose the suburb I live in now precisely because it was so walker and cyclist friendly (many of the houses actually face on to a dedicated walking/cycling path. I tried to find a good photo but this was the best I could do: http://cdn-assets.alltrails.com/static-map/production/at-map/56240140/trail-australia-victoria-stockmans-trail-at-map-56240140-1645098656-1200x630-3-5.jpg http://cdn-assets.alltrails.com/static-map/production/at-map.... We're ~4km (2.5mi?) from the city centre "downtown", but most shops/ facilities we need regularly are within 1km, mostly via that pathway)

alistairSH 4y ago

My office is close to 1.25 miles, takes about 30 minutes if I don't want to break a sweat. If I'm late, I ride a bike. That's probably the limit for me for regular/frequent trips. I can carry a mid-sized backpack that distance without problem, even with a laptop and a jug of milk or other moderately heavy items inside. With the number of signaled intersections, I can't drive it any faster than the bike. But definitely faster than walking most of the time (though walking is a guaranteed time - driving that distance has taken 20+ minutes before because of traffic jams). Basically, if it takes the same or less time than driving, I try to walk or cycle. Sometimes I walk the ~2 miles to CVS or Starbucks, but that's as much recreation as transport - I can drive it in 5 min. Nice to have the option, but if they were closer to 1 mile, I'd always walk.

wizofaus 4y ago
That would be about what I'd expect (except I don't use miles!). But I'm wondering if that's typical for most Americans of your or older generations. I always figured the LA story gag of driving 5 metres to your neighbour's house was only a mild exaggeration of reality...
- alistairSH 4y ago
  I always figured the LA story gag of driving 5 metres to your neighbour's house was only a mild exaggeration of reality... It's not far from reality. But mostly because so much of the US lacks sidewalks, so driving is the safest way to get A-to-B. When getting anywhere useful requires navigating places like this [1], using the car for everything quickly becomes the default. 1 - https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ijhV2hgcKaqw/v0/-1x-1.png https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/ijhV2hgcKaq... Edit - yes, that photo has sidewalks, but there are so many intersections and road crossing, it's not a pleasant place to walk. Many places don't have sidewalks at all, or have some, but they're disconnected from each other block-to-block. Or you have to walk across a massive parking lot to get to the shops. Much of suburban US really is quite dystopian in this regard. If this link works [2], it's the intersection to enter th nearest shopping center to my house. Note the lack of sidewalk on at least 2 corners. Crosswalk only on one side (if you live on the close left corner, there's no way to safely walk across the street in either direction). Lack of bike lans on the crossing street (the street has some, but they inexplicably end JUST before the shopping center). And even if you do manage to walk/ride into the shops, you have to dodge cars trying to park before you get to the actual shops. I wish this was unique, but it's extremely common in the suburbs. 2 - https://www.google.com/maps/@38.93839,-77.3287099,3a,75y,293.33h,80.45t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKyA3-OHfkDrBsIxgeD3qsw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en https://www.google.com/maps/@38.93839,-77.3287099,3a,75y,293...
  - wizofaus 4y ago
    Wow that really is taking pedestrian-unfriendliness to the next level. I admit I struggle to understand the mindset of people who'd consider that a desirable place to live. I admit I chose the suburb I live in now precisely because it was so walker and cyclist friendly (many of the houses actually face on to a dedicated walking/cycling path. I tried to find a good photo but this was the best I could do: http://cdn-assets.alltrails.com/static-map/production/at-map/56240140/trail-australia-victoria-stockmans-trail-at-map-56240140-1645098656-1200x630-3-5.jpg http://cdn-assets.alltrails.com/static-map/production/at-map.... We're ~4km (2.5mi?) from the city centre "downtown", but most shops/ facilities we need regularly are within 1km, mostly via that pathway)