willman 10 #25 Posted January 6, 2010 That's convenient for you as it incorporates the dog walk into another activity. I've no dog to walk though, so apart from the exercise (which I'm going to the gym to get anyway), it just wastes my time. I agree it works well. But i did start walking to the leisure centre prior to owning the big dogs. As i had said i had the same mentality as most others regarding walking to the gym or swimming baths prior to exercise.Now i can't remember what i did, except sit and watch tv until it was time to drive to the gym. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Projekt 10 #26 Posted January 6, 2010 Half of all urban car journeys are less than two miles. It's absurd, like you say people are driving round the corner to buy milk and a paper. 40% of schoolkids get driven to school now. We are breeding a generation of car-reliant slugs. Who says 40% of schoolkids get driven to school? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Number Six 10 #27 Posted January 6, 2010 Who says 40% of schoolkids get driven to school? The Department of Transport have it at 41% The proportion of primary school children walking has dropped from 61% in 1994 to 52% today, according to a National Travel Survey by the Dept for Transport in 2006. Forty-one percent of primary school children are now being driven to school http://www.walktoschool.org.uk/media-faq.php?show=51 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Projekt 10 #28 Posted January 6, 2010 The Department of Transport have it at 41% The proportion of primary school children walking has dropped from 61% in 1994 to 52% today, according to a National Travel Survey by the Dept for Transport in 2006. Forty-one percent of primary school children are now being driven to school http://www.walktoschool.org.uk/media-faq.php?show=51 Well its just that i dont remember ever being asked by any one weather my kids are driven to school or not! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
quisquose 10 #29 Posted January 6, 2010 OP: My commute is 15 miles each way, which would take some time even if it weren't through 6 inches of snow. I reckon it's take me 8 or 9 hours to walk to work and back in this. Do you walk when the weather is nice too - you seem to quite enjoy it. Last February I spent the whole week walking to and from work, with the odd hop on the bus. 6 miles each way, I probably did 50 miles in the week. At the time I commented frequently how much happier I was. I was definitely fitter, and slept better. Here’s something else I noticed, that horrible sweaty BO smell that arrives at the end of the hard day had totally vanished, even though I was sweating profusely from the effort of the walk. For one week only I stopped using a deodorant because I was no longer a bit smelly. I concluded that smelly BO must be more stress related, and sweating from exercise is odourless. I’ll have to check the research some time. Anyway, I definitely felt healthier, happier and less stressed without the car, but here’s the paradox … as soon as the snow vanished completely I was back in the car. I think that 6 miles each way is just a bit far to commute on foot every day, but I definitely should make a point to do it once a week. I have made myself a promise that before I retire I will get a minimum wage job in the city centre and walk to work. If I worked less than a hours walk from work I would definitely do it every day. The average national commute is less than 7 miles. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3085647.stm 8.5 miles in 2003 apparently, with an average time of 45 minutes. That’s quite a interesting article Cyclone, and a bit depressing to see that we have the longest commutes. I guess they are getting longer too. One only has to notice the traffic on the M1 in the morning to conclude there must be more traffic leaving Sheffield than entering it at rush hour. That must be very unusual for a city. If the average commute is 7-8.5 miles then there has to be a lot of people within 45 mins walk of work. So it does surprise me why so many people insist on using the car. The social interaction between people walking has been mentioned a few times here. It’s very uplifting to hear the odd “hello” from a fellow human. I’ve become convinced that frequent urban driving on our ludicrously congested roads makes people worse – more selfish, more aggressive, and more childishly obsessed with their own immediate needs. When you’re behind the wheel of a car it is far easier to be a bad citizen than a good one. Drivers expressing aggression and threatening violence is something we witness every day. Drivers can of course show some consideration for their fellow drivers and for pedestrians, but in a very limited way. More nuanced interaction with others is simply not possible. And yet, how many would choose the £35k job in Leeds and drive, over the £25k job in Sheffield and walk? I wouldn’t, but I guess most would. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
spindrift 10 #30 Posted January 6, 2010 More 20mph zones would be a good idea, get people out of their cars and onto bikes, it makes the roads safer. Drivers get used to cyclists and drivers may well cycle themselves so are more aware of the potential dangers. Counter-intuitively, perhaps, the more cyclists there are the safer the roads become, in what's called a "Virtuous Cycle". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
SatanInHeels 10 #31 Posted January 7, 2010 I would love to walk the 6 miles to and from work in the snow.... however do wonder how long this would take me as i'm not entirely sure how childminder would like me dropping my little one off at 6am! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Plain Talker 11 #32 Posted January 7, 2010 I would love to walk the 6 miles to and from work in the snow.... however do wonder how long this would take me as i'm not entirely sure how childminder would like me dropping my little one off at 6am! but... in THOSE heels? (good to see you back, BTW!) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
SatanInHeels 10 #33 Posted January 7, 2010 but... in THOSE heels? (good to see you back, BTW!) haha! I must be getting old... have only ventured out in heels in the snow once this year... ooo.. make that twice Was only 'popping in' for a visit... seem to have got stuck x Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Lorri 10 #34 Posted January 7, 2010 I wish my walk to work was more than 10 mins, yet I work with people who live 15 mins walk away and still use the car Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
millhouses24 10 #35 Posted January 7, 2010 I walk myself, and would always walk out of preference. Cheap, very relaxing with my IPod in, and means I can eat chips and cake without too many undesirable effects. I may graduate to become an evil cyclist type at some stage . I can see myself being a cyclist. But I can see potential problems as well, so I certainly wouldn't judge those who don't and choose to drive: 1. Saying hello is great, but as a girl/woman you can get some more offensive stuff, which can be quite annoying at times. 2. Health - some people have underlying stuff that's not visible to the casual observer. I know someone who is an asthmatic but chooses not to broadcast the fact - lots of late night coughing fits and short of breath a lot during the colder months. You would think her lazy for not exerting herself too much at times, but there's a reason. 3. Time - If I have to get somewhere in a hurry I get a cab, but it does take longer than other forms of transport. I certainly wouldn't have had the time or the inclination to walk when I had a bloke waiting at home to fool around with and a social event every night of the week. Some people have children and proper meals to cook in the evening as well as a full time job. 4. Carrying stuff - I take a backpack most days but add up papers, sometimes a laptop, a change of shoes, and the usual c**p one carries around and you're talking quite a lot to lug around. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Clare85 11 #36 Posted January 7, 2010 I offered to walk, they said no. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...