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The Crisis in American Walking

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Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#131

Post by bosie »

Duff wrote: post #8
RyanMcGreal wrote: post #4

I live close to the downtown core of my city and my daily commute is a 6 km (3.7 mile) round trip by foot. People seem to think this is exotic if not downright subversive, whereas they think nothing about sitting in a car for an hour a day and stopping off at the gym for a workout. Note that I'm not in particularly good shape and a walk of this magnitude is not at all difficult. I arrive at work every day refreshed,…

I started doing the same thing last year, at least when the weather is pleasant. It's an amazingly liberating experience. It makes you look forward to spring. I live in a place that typically has bad winters, so the prospect of breaking my neck on ice is not very appealing!

use studded tires. mine last at least 3 seasons with daily commute. http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

since i put the studded tires on, i have not slipped once. i haven't even come close to slipping to be honest. i pretty much rie as i would on clear, dry asphalt.

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#132

Post by marknutter »

jerednel wrote: post #16
marknutter wrote: post #3

This is part of the reason my wife and I are moving closer to the city. I've been stuck in the suburbs my whole life and you have to drive literally everywhere. The thought of being able to stroll over to the local market is very appealing to me.

Funny. I'm at the point where I'd trade that convenience to have a proper yard. Or to not be startled by giant rats when I walk down an alley. Or not to have to wait for 4 trains to pass you by because they're too full in the winter. Or to not have to park 3 blocks away from my apartment and worry about whether or not it is a street cleaning day or somebody got a permit to block off the area I was parked at because I…

I should have been a bit more specific: we're moving to an "inner suburb" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_suburb) which compared to the suburb I live in now is basically "the city" as far as we're concerned.

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#133

Post by marknutter »

enjo wrote: post #36
jerednel wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny. I'm at the point where I'd trade that convenience to have a proper yard. Or to not be startled by giant rats when I walk down an alley. Or not to have to wait for 4 trains to pass you by because they're too full in the winter. Or to not have to park 3 blocks away from my apartment and worry about whether or not it is a street cleaning day or somebody got a permit to block off the area I was parked at because I…

You're just in the wrong spot:) I'm pimping Denver in this thread, but what the hell, I'm going to do it again! I live in a house with a proper yard. It's not suburban big (1100 ft^2 house on a 4500 ft^2 lot), but it's really nice. I have a really cool grocery store 5 blocks away. I also have a small lake (that you can boat on) 6 blocks away in the other direction. I have a 40+ bars and restaurants within a mile of o…

Sounds a LOT like our new house. Very cool.

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#134

Post by bmelton »

noonespecial wrote: post #120
bmelton wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on your definition of fine, but probably, yes. If 'fine' means not hassled or delayed in any way, then it already didn't work out 'fine'. If you're willing to add on another hour or two waiting, perhaps the night, waiting at the police station as 'fine', then you're still good. I'm not sure if you're concerned that you would have been beaten or harmed? I'm sure it's not out of the question, it never is, bu…

Its free for them to find something to charge you with. It costs you a great deal to defend yourself, even if it comes out "fine" in the end.

It's semi-free for you to file a civil suit against the arresting officer for wrongful imprisonment as well.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be inconvenient, but fear of inconvenience isn't necessarily a great reason to lay down your civil rights.

That said, I don't mean to imply any judgement, I'm just curious as to "what would have happened". I've been in a number of scenarios similar to this one and have never been beaten, attacked, or in court spending a great deal to defend myself. Not to say it couldn't easily have happened, every encounter is different.

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#135

Post by Goronmon »

backprojection wrote: post #92
Goronmon wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Now this is still a controversial topic [5], but my point this kind of explanation seems much stronger and more on-the-mark, than such flaccid ideas like 'americans are getting fat because they don't walk to school anymore'. I interpreted the article's point is that people avoid any form of physical activity at all cost. One example being driving a child to the end of a driveway instead of letting them walk. If physi…

It's not awful, it just seems off-the-mark. My point is that it seems avoiding physical activity at all costs is better viewed as a consequence of such a metabolic disorder, less so than a cause . I completely agree that exercise is very important in maintaining health (exercise, especially weight-training is know to increase insulin sensitivity to some degree, for instance), I just think its role in weight-loss, for…

Well, the main point of that article seems to be that once someone has been overweight for an extended period of time, it becomes really hard to get to and stay at a lower weight.

So, yes, it suggests that an increase in physical activity isn't an "easy" solution. However, I don't think it affects the point the article is making. People don't wake up to find themselves obese one day. It takes some time and effort to get there. And I would argue one of the biggest impacts on gaining weight is a lack of physical activity.

Not to mention that from my experience, avoiding physical activity has a self-enforcing effect. The more you avoid moving around, the more you want to avoid moving around.

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#136

Post by molsongolden »

bartonfink wrote: post #52
simmons wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll second that -- I loved living in Downtown Denver, and still visit as much as I can. Funny, when I was reading about the seven-minute commute in Nashua, I thought "that sounds like the commute I had in Downtown Denver," then saw your comment. I'm now living 6 miles out in Olde Town Arvada. It's actually a neat walkable area with coffee shops, brewpubs, etc., although there are no major tech employers within walki…

Somewhat different note, any interest in a Denver HN meetup sometime? I knew I couldn't be the only one but I'd like to meet more if anyone's interested.

I'm interested but won't be back until next month!

Re: The Crisis in American Walking

#137

Post by SandersAK »

bitwize wrote: post #71
SandersAK wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I pretty much walk or bike everywhere in Brooklyn. When I go home to Oregon, we're constantly in the car. "Getting a coffee" consists of getting in a car, driving for 5 minutes, grabbing a to-go cup at Starbucks and driving back home... I can't really do it anymore.

Must not be Portland, where driving makes you one of the untouchables, as distinguished from the Master Race astride their bicycles, kitted out in TRON gear.

Portland wasn't always a safe haven for cyclists :)

And even now, on the sonorous hums and curves of Sandy Blvd, you may find yourself cycling next to several 'mudded' pickups, and called things that are hateful and confusing.

You can put the hipster in Oregon, but you can't take the redneck out.

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