Anyone considering walking as main means of transportation?

Don't Forget to Dance · Post by **Don't Forget to Dance** » 28 Jun 2010, 04:44

I guess the trick is a well-chosen locale.

Most of you probably know of the website walkscore.com.

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 28 Jun 2010, 08:36

Walking? Always so within my own large village, unless I have a large bulky load to carry.

Today I'll be doing a number of minor transactions by walkabout. The most important by far being to post a birthday card to Mum, (lest I get disinherited). And rescheduling a doctor's appointment, collecting a prescription from the chemist, getting a tub of marj from a co-op store, a little pricier there, but the big box supermarket is a 20 mile round trip.

I suppose I could get to all these points around the village on a bike, but even that takes walking time just to set up - and then there's still too many badly driven cars about, often just for i-tard schoolkids with their plugged ears being chaufferred - within the village - by a parent with mobile phone in one hand, steering wheel in the other.

My own car may be capable of 70mpg, but it won't get half that within the 2 miles covered, and it still costs 50p or more to do the journey. Not to mention the engine would be running cold throughout.

As for not forgetting to dance... Well, I seem to walk OK with two left feet, but never learned the tango. Welcome to PowerSwitch!

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 28 Jun 2010, 09:34

I rarely walk more than a mile. If its more than 500 metres I take the bike.

However, I know a bloke who until recently not only did not own a bike or a car, he did not know how to drive a car or ride a bike.

He walked half a mile into work, one mile (or a bus) into the city centre.
Train or bus (or Taxi if he was moving his drum kit) everywhere else.

He had so much spare money that he went part time at work, and when he got made redundant it was two years before he looked for another job.

Now he works 8 miles away and has to catch the bus.

goslow · Post by **goslow** » 28 Jun 2010, 09:50

welcome DFTD....

I live in a small town built most on a hill, and high housing density. So, very few cyclists are seen in our town. Walking is I think easier than biking up and down hills. I often walk instead of taking the bike.

And when its raining, I really hate getting wet so I can carry an umbrella when I walk, compared to getting soaked on the bike.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Jun 2010, 10:06

It rained here for the first time in many suns today. I just let myself get wet on the way to work on the bike. It's far easier than struggling and sweating in waterproofs and any of the worse alternatives.

OK, I'm lucky I have clothes and towel at work. But that's not luck - it's simply what should be normal.

What's more, the poster is a spammer.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 28 Jun 2010, 10:27

Yes but I bet it was warm rain, which let's face it is unusual on these isles.

Erm and I suppose all the OP's doing is promoting a website, and a vaguely appropriate one at that, so does that count as spam?

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Jun 2010, 10:27

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 28 Jun 2010, 10:39

Take it from me the OP isn't spamming. He's the genuine sort - I even had the pleasure of meeting him once in his (very walkable) home town.

Don't Forget to Dance · Post by **Don't Forget to Dance** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:15

RenewableCandy wrote:Yes but I bet it was warm rain, which let's face it is unusual on these isles.

Erm and I suppose all the OP's doing is promoting a website, and a vaguely appropriate one at that, so does that count as spam?

It's just sharing relevant information. That's what I always try to do. I'm not connected with that site, and make no money online. I make money doing physical work in my hometown.

Sorry it seemed like spam.

The concept of walking as transportation is old, honest, and certainly the least commercial form of transport imaginable.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:24

I apologise.

Don't Forget to Dance · Post by **Don't Forget to Dance** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:26

emordnilap wrote:It rained here for the first time in many suns today. I just let myself get wet on the way to work on the bike. It's far easier than struggling and sweating in waterproofs and any of the worse alternatives.

OK, I'm lucky I have clothes and towel at work. But that's not luck - it's simply what should be normal.

What's more, the poster is a spammer.

Sorry, but it appears your sniffer mis-sniffed this time. That's okay.

Walkability is a relatively new concept in the USA, even if it's a given in the EU.

It's coming of age here in some areas. Luckily, I live in one of those areas--Portland, Oregon.

I mention that site and other sites from time to time based entirely on their utility and substantive content.

Don't Forget to Dance · Post by **Don't Forget to Dance** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:33

promote walking as a viable means of transport?

Is there an official push to do this in other places as well?

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 28 Jun 2010, 12:08

There exists a "walking map of London" oh here we are, and assorted other Brit cities.

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 28 Jun 2010, 12:21

Don't Forget to Dance wrote:promote walking as a viable means of transport?

Is there an official push to do this in other places as well?

Some junior schools are / were promoting walking trains or snakes, called something like that. This is where after a comprehensive health and safety risk assessment, and extensive background checks to ensure the minimum two adult volunteers - you need a leader and follower - aren't actually child molesters, they are then issued with dayglo tabards and duly collect and return the kids from their homes. Probably there are insurance aspects and legal duty of care and so on. Which may be why there aren't many volunteers, and instead the kids end up as distracted lardy i-tards unable to cover any distance or communicate.

Back in the 70s, I used to walk to school alone or with a small group of friends, without needing adult supervision, and didn't have music in my ears, so I also could cross the road safely...

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Jun 2010, 12:33

Don't Forget to Dance wrote:Walkability is a relatively new concept in the USA, even if it's a given in the EU.

It's coming of age here in some areas. Luckily, I live in one of those areas--Portland, Oregon.

The little I know about that area says you have a rainfall similar to the one here in the west of Ireland - big problem for some folks. Also, the way planners have allowed people to build houses here means a car is considered essential for most people. One-off houses are so spread out that public transport is a near-impossibility - not that many would 'lower' themselves to using it if it was there.

We have the daft situation where people drive a short distance to and from work but then, when they get home, they go out jogging or walking (no doubt moaning about the amount of traffic).

PowerSwitch

Anyone considering walking as main means of transportation?

Anyone considering walking as main means of transportation?

Back to the subject: is there an official push in the UK to

Re: Back to the subject: is there an official push in the UK