Author Topic: 1.1 miles is too far to walk  (Read 36618 times)

partgypsy

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #100 on: November 23, 2015, 11:33:34 AM »
Whenever I walk past a school that is about to start or end for the day, I can't help but shake my head at the block-long line of cars waiting to drop their kids off right at the front door of the school. Even supposing that all of these kids live so far away from school that it really is impractical to walk (which I doubt!), it would be so much faster for the parents and the kids alike if the parent dropped the kid off at a street corner two blocks from school instead of waiting in that long line of idling cars.

Except, you are told by the school not to do that (if dropping off kids needs to be done in the drop-off school lane). I know, a kid can walk to school by themselves, but if you are dropping them off needs to be in designated area.

GuitarStv

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #101 on: November 23, 2015, 11:56:35 AM »
Whenever I walk past a school that is about to start or end for the day, I can't help but shake my head at the block-long line of cars waiting to drop their kids off right at the front door of the school. Even supposing that all of these kids live so far away from school that it really is impractical to walk (which I doubt!), it would be so much faster for the parents and the kids alike if the parent dropped the kid off at a street corner two blocks from school instead of waiting in that long line of idling cars.

Except, you are told by the school not to do that (if dropping off kids needs to be done in the drop-off school lane). I know, a kid can walk to school by themselves, but if you are dropping them off needs to be in designated area.

Why?

argonaut_astronaut

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #102 on: November 23, 2015, 12:22:58 PM »
Whenever I walk past a school that is about to start or end for the day, I can't help but shake my head at the block-long line of cars waiting to drop their kids off right at the front door of the school. Even supposing that all of these kids live so far away from school that it really is impractical to walk (which I doubt!), it would be so much faster for the parents and the kids alike if the parent dropped the kid off at a street corner two blocks from school instead of waiting in that long line of idling cars.

Except, you are told by the school not to do that (if dropping off kids needs to be done in the drop-off school lane). I know, a kid can walk to school by themselves, but if you are dropping them off needs to be in designated area.

Why?

Could be a little piece of madness like this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/jim-howe-arrested-school-pick-up-tennessee_n_4310672.html

GuitarStv

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #103 on: November 23, 2015, 12:26:55 PM »
Whenever I walk past a school that is about to start or end for the day, I can't help but shake my head at the block-long line of cars waiting to drop their kids off right at the front door of the school. Even supposing that all of these kids live so far away from school that it really is impractical to walk (which I doubt!), it would be so much faster for the parents and the kids alike if the parent dropped the kid off at a street corner two blocks from school instead of waiting in that long line of idling cars.

Except, you are told by the school not to do that (if dropping off kids needs to be done in the drop-off school lane). I know, a kid can walk to school by themselves, but if you are dropping them off needs to be in designated area.

Why?

Could be a little piece of madness like this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/jim-howe-arrested-school-pick-up-tennessee_n_4310672.html

What happens in that scenario if you don't own a car?  You're not allowed to pick your kid up?

argonaut_astronaut

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #104 on: November 23, 2015, 01:08:57 PM »
What happens in that scenario if you don't own a car?  You're not allowed to pick your kid up?

I always wondered that too. Probably have to sign a waiver in triplicate and get it notarized, then make a public notice sign in your yard that you are abusing your children by making them walk.

maco

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #105 on: November 23, 2015, 02:37:53 PM »

Don't wear tons of extra socks. Instead cut yourself some boot insoles from closed cell foam. Then put sheepskin insoles on top. Sorels and other pac boots made of rubber do not keep your feet warm. If you are hanging out at the bus stop bring a square of closed cell foam to stand/sit on. Mittens are warmer than gloves (duh). Tuck a small dog inside your jacket. Insulated skirts for all genders. Use a vapor barrier liner for extreme cold and/or exercise outdoors in winter. Don't touch metal things.
Some people think it's weird I wear skirts every day, year round. "But what about winter? It's cold!" You ever tried layering leggings under jeans? It doesn't happen, especially women's jeans. Under a skirt, though? I could wear like 6 skirts and a pair of leggings with flannel bloomers over top if I wanted!

MoonShadow

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #106 on: November 23, 2015, 02:51:55 PM »

Don't wear tons of extra socks. Instead cut yourself some boot insoles from closed cell foam. Then put sheepskin insoles on top. Sorels and other pac boots made of rubber do not keep your feet warm. If you are hanging out at the bus stop bring a square of closed cell foam to stand/sit on. Mittens are warmer than gloves (duh). Tuck a small dog inside your jacket. Insulated skirts for all genders. Use a vapor barrier liner for extreme cold and/or exercise outdoors in winter. Don't touch metal things.
Some people think it's weird I wear skirts every day, year round. "But what about winter? It's cold!" You ever tried layering leggings under jeans? It doesn't happen, especially women's jeans. Under a skirt, though? I could wear like 6 skirts and a pair of leggings with flannel bloomers over top if I wanted!

I'd bet that a full skirt would also make a wonderful pocket of heated air, but then it would be difficult to ride a bike.

Uturn

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #107 on: November 25, 2015, 09:36:38 AM »
Met a few folks for dinner last night, some I did not know.  After dinner, the waitress asked if anyone wanted a drink.  One of the women in the group said no, she was driving.  I asked, "didn't you say you live 1/2 mile from here?" 
"Yes, that's right." 
"Oh, I assumed you walked."
She looks at me in such shock that you would have though I had suggested deep fried puppies.
"It's a HALF MILE!!  I can't walk that far"

Faraday

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #108 on: November 25, 2015, 06:53:09 PM »
....
She looks at me in such shock that you would have though I had suggested deep fried puppies.
"It's a HALF MILE!!  I can't walk that far"

You rokk, Uturn. That's 'effing hilarious.

jengod

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #109 on: November 25, 2015, 08:21:03 PM »
My in-laws live in a planned community in Las Vegas.

They own two houses in the development, the Big House (their home) and the Little House (an investment property that they use for Scrabble parties, as a crash pad for a friend and as a guest house when we come to visit). It is an 18-minute (.9 mile/1.5 km) walk from the Big House to the Little House.

They are ABSOLUTELY AMAZED (Every. Single. Time.) when I express a desire to walk between the two houses, in the fresh air, through the professionally landscaped golf-course properties, past the green spaces full of cottontail rabbits and mountain quail, rather than drive a car from one garage to the other.

{AAAAAAHHHH!!!!}
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 09:00:52 AM by jengod »

partgypsy

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #110 on: November 26, 2015, 07:45:11 AM »
Whenever I walk past a school that is about to start or end for the day, I can't help but shake my head at the block-long line of cars waiting to drop their kids off right at the front door of the school. Even supposing that all of these kids live so far away from school that it really is impractical to walk (which I doubt!), it would be so much faster for the parents and the kids alike if the parent dropped the kid off at a street corner two blocks from school instead of waiting in that long line of idling cars.

Except, you are told by the school not to do that (if dropping off kids needs to be done in the drop-off school lane). I know, a kid can walk to school by themselves, but if you are dropping them off needs to be in designated area.

Why?

Could be a little piece of madness like this one: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/jim-howe-arrested-school-pick-up-tennessee_n_4310672.html

What happens in that scenario if you don't own a car?  You're not allowed to pick your kid up?

There is a place to drop off kids in the morning and it is the same for both cars and people walking. When picking up if in a car it is in the same spot, but if picking up in person (on foot) there is a different door you go to. There is a lot of traffic congestion in that general area including buses loading and unloading, so I am thinking it is a traffic managment issue of not wanting cars to stop other than in the designated area. And maybe people flow/safety issue as well, as they don't want kids dropped off and crossing the street where the buses are coming in or where there is alot of traffic. I do know parents do get pissed and there are emails from school when parents break the various rules of drop off, in particular driving the wrong way when dropping off (its a 2 way street but the drop off cars are only supposed to drive in 1 direction). When picking up in person at the beginning of the year you fill out a form of who can pick up your child. The teachers are pretty amazing and pretty early on recognize the parents/designated pick up person by face when calling out the kids. Our school is very pro kids walking to school, and even has "walk/bike to school days" to encourage parents to do so.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2015, 07:54:18 AM by partgypsy »

partgypsy

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #111 on: November 26, 2015, 07:57:57 AM »
My in-laws live in a planned community in Las Vegas.

They own two houses in the development, the Big House (their home) and the Little House (an investment property which they use for Scrabble parties, as a crash pad for a friend and as a guest house when we come to visit). It is 18 minute, .9 mile/1.5 km walk from the Big House to the Little House.

They are ABSOLUTELY AMAZED (Every. Single. Time.) when I express a desire to walk between the two houses, in the fresh air, through the professionally landscaped golf-course properties, past the green spaces full of cottontail rabbits and mountain quail, rather than drive a car from one garage to the other.

{AAAAAAHHHH!!!!}

I visited someone in one of these planned communities, and was amazed that within the community it was made to be very walkable. While there were sidewalks within the culdesacks there were no sidewalks along the main boulevards! So even if you wanted to walk to your neighbors or to the clubhouse you had to walk in the street. Crazy.

robartsd

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #112 on: November 30, 2015, 12:44:27 PM »
I visited someone in one of these planned communities, and was amazed that within the community it was made to be very walkable. While there were sidewalks within the culdesacks there were no sidewalks along the main boulevards! So even if you wanted to walk to your neighbors or to the clubhouse you had to walk in the street. Crazy.
Those sidewalks are not for transportation - they are just for making it more convienent to use all the free parking along the street (and maybe for kids to play on).

Ftao93

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #113 on: November 30, 2015, 01:10:16 PM »
I see tons of this mentality all over.

I prefer not to walk the 3 miles to work, because it takes a while and I frequently carry a lot of laptops back and forth.  Fine, so I take the bus or my scooter.   

But when we're going out in the same bar area, we like to leave a little early, walk down here, eat, and walk back.  Just over 7 miles round trip.  It justifies at least some of the pizza I eat.  We love to walk when we can together.  We're just ranting to each other about nothing anyway, why not get some exercise and look at our cool city?

When it's not icy out, I like to walk a few miles during lunch.  keeps me sane and not too fat!

Drives me nuts when people holding a gym back get on the 1st floor and then get off on the 2nd....

maco

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #114 on: November 30, 2015, 01:13:51 PM »

Don't wear tons of extra socks. Instead cut yourself some boot insoles from closed cell foam. Then put sheepskin insoles on top. Sorels and other pac boots made of rubber do not keep your feet warm. If you are hanging out at the bus stop bring a square of closed cell foam to stand/sit on. Mittens are warmer than gloves (duh). Tuck a small dog inside your jacket. Insulated skirts for all genders. Use a vapor barrier liner for extreme cold and/or exercise outdoors in winter. Don't touch metal things.
Some people think it's weird I wear skirts every day, year round. "But what about winter? It's cold!" You ever tried layering leggings under jeans? It doesn't happen, especially women's jeans. Under a skirt, though? I could wear like 6 skirts and a pair of leggings with flannel bloomers over top if I wanted!

I'd bet that a full skirt would also make a wonderful pocket of heated air, but then it would be difficult to ride a bike.
I'm not really a cyclist. When I lived downtown my dad gave me a bike an evicted tenant left behind, and it shortened the distance I could travel because I can walk up a hill just fine, but I cannot go up a hill with something that weighs more than a third my body weight (the bike -- 40-odd lb bike, 115 lb maco!).

Anyway, there are skirt guards for bikes, but if you want them in the US it's DIY.
« Last Edit: December 01, 2015, 10:52:54 AM by maco »

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #115 on: December 01, 2015, 09:32:59 AM »
On Saturday my two-year-old walked three-quarters of a mile (round trip) with me to and from the hardware store. She ran much of it and scraped her knee once, but kept going.

Papa Mustache

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #116 on: December 01, 2015, 09:56:09 AM »

Don't wear tons of extra socks. Instead cut yourself some boot insoles from closed cell foam. Then put sheepskin insoles on top. Sorels and other pac boots made of rubber do not keep your feet warm. If you are hanging out at the bus stop bring a square of closed cell foam to stand/sit on. Mittens are warmer than gloves (duh). Tuck a small dog inside your jacket. Insulated skirts for all genders. Use a vapor barrier liner for extreme cold and/or exercise outdoors in winter. Don't touch metal things.
Some people think it's weird I wear skirts every day, year round. "But what about winter? It's cold!" You ever tried layering leggings under jeans? It doesn't happen, especially women's jeans. Under a skirt, though? I could wear like 6 skirts and a pair of leggings with flannel bloomers over top if I wanted!

I'd bet that a full skirt would also make a wonderful pocket of heated air, but then it would be difficult to ride a bike.
I'm not really a cyclist. When I lived downtown my dad gave me a bike an evicted tenant left behind, and it shortened the distance I could travel because I can walk up a hill just fine, but I cannot go up a hill with something that weighs more than a third my body weight (the bike -- 40-odd lb bike, 115 lb maco!).

Anyway, there are skirt guards for bikes, but if you want them in the US it's DIY.

You can buy them here in the USA at bike shops (ordered) but I guess we like our bicycles cheap so we forgo useful things like skirt guards and fenders. Watched some guy the other day riding his expensive mtn bike on wet roads. He was oblivious (?) of the dirty wet stripe running up his pants and shirt from the wet tire. I added fenders to my bike b/c I want to use it in all weather.

maco

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #117 on: December 01, 2015, 10:55:17 AM »

Don't wear tons of extra socks. Instead cut yourself some boot insoles from closed cell foam. Then put sheepskin insoles on top. Sorels and other pac boots made of rubber do not keep your feet warm. If you are hanging out at the bus stop bring a square of closed cell foam to stand/sit on. Mittens are warmer than gloves (duh). Tuck a small dog inside your jacket. Insulated skirts for all genders. Use a vapor barrier liner for extreme cold and/or exercise outdoors in winter. Don't touch metal things.
Some people think it's weird I wear skirts every day, year round. "But what about winter? It's cold!" You ever tried layering leggings under jeans? It doesn't happen, especially women's jeans. Under a skirt, though? I could wear like 6 skirts and a pair of leggings with flannel bloomers over top if I wanted!

I'd bet that a full skirt would also make a wonderful pocket of heated air, but then it would be difficult to ride a bike.
I'm not really a cyclist. When I lived downtown my dad gave me a bike an evicted tenant left behind, and it shortened the distance I could travel because I can walk up a hill just fine, but I cannot go up a hill with something that weighs more than a third my body weight (the bike -- 40-odd lb bike, 115 lb maco!).

Anyway, there are skirt guards for bikes, but if you want them in the US it's DIY.

You can buy them here in the USA at bike shops (ordered) but I guess we like our bicycles cheap so we forgo useful things like skirt guards and fenders. Watched some guy the other day riding his expensive mtn bike on wet roads. He was oblivious (?) of the dirty wet stripe running up his pants and shirt from the wet tire. I added fenders to my bike b/c I want to use it in all weather.
I do own a bike now that is lighter weight and has fenders (so I can add a skirt guard, but it also has a back rack so that kinda functions as one anyway), but now I don't live downtown. It's 2mi to the grocery store over hills, and I don't know if I have the stamina, so I've been meaning to try it, but I figure I'll need to bike a little ways and come back, then do that again longer each time until I see if I can get to the store. Because I drive a compact car with no tow hitch and with a hatchback, I can't add a bike rack short of spending several hundred on a roof kit (no rails), so bike there and maybe have my husband pick me and the bike up with the car isn't an option.

unno2002

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Re: 1.1 miles is too far to walk
« Reply #118 on: December 01, 2015, 11:16:03 AM »
At our present residence (renting) we have a walking exercise loop that’s around three miles.  The wife retires soon (Yeah!) and we’ll be moving to a home we bought for retirement purposes.  At that location typical repeat destinations are within a three mile round-trip.  Our intent is that for such close trips, we’ll walk, at least as long as the health holds out.