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This is why I walk. I don't drive, or even have a car. I do my best thinking when I walk and my mind is free to roam. VOW of NOW[1], Summon the Warrior[2] and m

This is why I walk. I don't drive, or even have a car. I do my best thinking when I walk and my mind is free to roam. VOW of NOW[1], Summon the Warrior[2] and my upcoming Self Experiments[3] are all products of walking and gap time. Not only does walking spark creativity, but I've met a lot of new people this way. [1] http://vowofnow.com http://vowofnow.com [2] http://summonthewarrior.com http://summonthewarrior.com [3] http://selfexperiments.com http://selfexperiments.com

return0 13y ago
I think driving is a less distracting experience than walking
- contextual 13y ago
  Walking provides a potent combination of fresh air, exercise and the freedom to explore that driving never could.
  - agumonkey 13y ago
    I mostly agree but vehicles shields you from the environment which is nice too. I don't know how many people function this way but being in my own physical bubble makes my brain expand.
    - Karunamon 13y ago
      Unbelievable, and you get downvoted for this. Folks, you've all had ideas come to you in the shower, yes? The heat, the warmth, the isolation from all else tends to make it a great place to just relax and think. Now imagine a mobile climate-controlled bubble with no noise but whatever you put on the radio or barring that, the constant background of rubber rolling across asphalt, and you get that same effect.
      - agumonkey 13y ago
        Who was downvoted ? All in all there are different environment which helps thinking. Long walks put your body in long term effort, releases endorphins which helps inspiration, or at least relaxation. Isolation helps too, be it showers, cars, toilets ... whatever works.
- agumonkey 13y ago
  It's contextual. If you walk or drive in a disrupting location you won't be able to wander or think. Taking the bus works sometimes when they're almost empty. One disappointing thing I learned is that the less efficient is biking, I thought I'd be able to day dream while riding but it's the fastest path to injuries.
  - vanderZwan 13y ago
    Depends on where you live - I grew up in the countryside of the Netherlans, which has excellent biking infrastructure, almost no traffic, and a calm environment in general. Biking to and from school every day was very good for my mind.
    - agumonkey 13y ago
      Probably, but then you must ride slowly, otherwise not paying attention can lead to collision.
      - vanderZwan 13y ago
        Nah, did 18 kilometers in 45 minutes every morning. There's really, really little traffic, and it's mostly long straight roads.
        agumonkey 13y ago
        Oh okay then, the main bike lane in my area has regular curves and vicious intersections, with people/kids walking by. I don't stare at girls anymore since I don't like kissing trees that much.
    - return0 13y ago
      Well you are lucky. Somewhere between bad drivers, bad roads and the lack of any flat distance whatsoever, it's impossible for me to leave my mind off the road for any length of time when cycling.
  - clarry 13y ago
- vanderZwan 13y ago
  Considering that I'm almost thirty and still don't have a drivers license, simply because it overloads me with multitasking issues (looking around, steering, the mess that is changing gears, all the other knobs) yet have succesfully been combining walking with all kinds of activities since a very early age, I respectfully disagree. EDIT: Although the points raised by others about cars providing a nice isolated comfortable environment makes a lot of sense as well. I guess it all depends.
  - return0 13y ago
    Allow me to disagree (after all, you don't drive). Driving becomes subconscious after a short time, something most drivers can confirm, and the driving environment is actually less stimulating than walking. I would bet "subconscious walking" or "subconscious cycling" is a much less common thing, due to the larger number of distractions/unexpectedness. Quick test: it's easier to concentrate for lengths of time listening to the radio when in the car than when walking.
    - tekalon 13y ago
      Disagree with your Disagreeing. You don't want the act of driving to become subconscious, because that means you miss stuff like stop signs and pedestrians. I hate driving. Way too much to pay attention to (signs, lights, pedestrians, other drivers/cars, trying to remember directions). I know that if I start making it subconscious, I start speeding and missing information.
julianpye 13y ago
For me cycling does the trick. At one point there comes a feeling of being in a zone, where puzzle pieces in the brain just start to get put together. For this reason I always have a voice recorder in my cycling gear.
- Toenex 13y ago
  I also find cycling to and from work helps process the day. Cycling forces you into the now, you have to deal with the reality of situations around you. My theory is a that this has some similarities to sleep in that it frees up the brain to perform that clever thing it does that makes you smarter. Probably.
  - lostPixels 13y ago
    There's something to this for sure. I went from not riding a bike in 10 years to doing a 111 mile ride this summer. One of the main things I noticed was a noticeable drop in negative thoughts/anxiety in my daily life. When you're pushing your body to its limits, combating fatigue and pain, your thought process seems to really change. In the moment it's kind of like meditation, and afterwards it adds some perspective to things.

return0 13y ago

I think driving is a less distracting experience than walking

contextual 13y ago
Walking provides a potent combination of fresh air, exercise and the freedom to explore that driving never could.
- agumonkey 13y ago
  I mostly agree but vehicles shields you from the environment which is nice too. I don't know how many people function this way but being in my own physical bubble makes my brain expand.
  - Karunamon 13y ago
    Unbelievable, and you get downvoted for this. Folks, you've all had ideas come to you in the shower, yes? The heat, the warmth, the isolation from all else tends to make it a great place to just relax and think. Now imagine a mobile climate-controlled bubble with no noise but whatever you put on the radio or barring that, the constant background of rubber rolling across asphalt, and you get that same effect.
    - agumonkey 13y ago
      Who was downvoted ? All in all there are different environment which helps thinking. Long walks put your body in long term effort, releases endorphins which helps inspiration, or at least relaxation. Isolation helps too, be it showers, cars, toilets ... whatever works.
agumonkey 13y ago
It's contextual. If you walk or drive in a disrupting location you won't be able to wander or think. Taking the bus works sometimes when they're almost empty. One disappointing thing I learned is that the less efficient is biking, I thought I'd be able to day dream while riding but it's the fastest path to injuries.
- vanderZwan 13y ago
  Depends on where you live - I grew up in the countryside of the Netherlans, which has excellent biking infrastructure, almost no traffic, and a calm environment in general. Biking to and from school every day was very good for my mind.
  - agumonkey 13y ago
    Probably, but then you must ride slowly, otherwise not paying attention can lead to collision.
    - vanderZwan 13y ago
      Nah, did 18 kilometers in 45 minutes every morning. There's really, really little traffic, and it's mostly long straight roads.
      - agumonkey 13y ago
        Oh okay then, the main bike lane in my area has regular curves and vicious intersections, with people/kids walking by. I don't stare at girls anymore since I don't like kissing trees that much.
  - return0 13y ago
    Well you are lucky. Somewhere between bad drivers, bad roads and the lack of any flat distance whatsoever, it's impossible for me to leave my mind off the road for any length of time when cycling.
- clarry 13y ago
vanderZwan 13y ago
Considering that I'm almost thirty and still don't have a drivers license, simply because it overloads me with multitasking issues (looking around, steering, the mess that is changing gears, all the other knobs) yet have succesfully been combining walking with all kinds of activities since a very early age, I respectfully disagree. EDIT: Although the points raised by others about cars providing a nice isolated comfortable environment makes a lot of sense as well. I guess it all depends.
- return0 13y ago
  Allow me to disagree (after all, you don't drive). Driving becomes subconscious after a short time, something most drivers can confirm, and the driving environment is actually less stimulating than walking. I would bet "subconscious walking" or "subconscious cycling" is a much less common thing, due to the larger number of distractions/unexpectedness. Quick test: it's easier to concentrate for lengths of time listening to the radio when in the car than when walking.
  - tekalon 13y ago
    Disagree with your Disagreeing. You don't want the act of driving to become subconscious, because that means you miss stuff like stop signs and pedestrians. I hate driving. Way too much to pay attention to (signs, lights, pedestrians, other drivers/cars, trying to remember directions). I know that if I start making it subconscious, I start speeding and missing information.

julianpye 13y ago

For me cycling does the trick. At one point there comes a feeling of being in a zone, where puzzle pieces in the brain just start to get put together. For this reason I always have a voice recorder in my cycling gear.

Toenex 13y ago
I also find cycling to and from work helps process the day. Cycling forces you into the now, you have to deal with the reality of situations around you. My theory is a that this has some similarities to sleep in that it frees up the brain to perform that clever thing it does that makes you smarter. Probably.
- lostPixels 13y ago
  There's something to this for sure. I went from not riding a bike in 10 years to doing a 111 mile ride this summer. One of the main things I noticed was a noticeable drop in negative thoughts/anxiety in my daily life. When you're pushing your body to its limits, combating fatigue and pain, your thought process seems to really change. In the moment it's kind of like meditation, and afterwards it adds some perspective to things.