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Pedestrian Locomotion

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Living Car Free Do you live car free or car light? Do you prefer to use alternative transportation (bicycles, walking, other human-powered or public transportation) for everyday activities whenever possible? Discuss your lifestyle here.

Pedestrian Locomotion

Old 03-10-13, 10:49 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Dahon.Steve
I found out real fast, my feet, knees and ankle were not ready for 10K steps a day. For those who just ride bikes, you'll discovery that your body is no longer conditioned for long distance walking. I really can't tell you if that is good or bad. However, if you walk five miles in a fast pace, you'll end up drenched in sweat.
This is one reason I do walk regularly. I don't want to lose that walking fitness. I think pedaling unevenly conditions muscles on the front of the leg, while walking is more balanced. If you walk all the time, you will get more tired if you ride. And,as you said, if you ride all the time you'll be more tired if you walk.

i guess this is why some professional bike racers refuse to walk anywhere. I read a book about the TdeF that said the racers won't even walk out to the parking lot. They make their wives or girlfriends pull the car right up to the door.
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Old 03-10-13, 10:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Roody
This is one reason I do walk regularly. I don't want to lose that walking fitness. I think pedaling unevenly conditions muscles on the front of the leg, while walking is more balanced. If you walk all the time, you will get more tired if you ride. And,as you said, if you ride all the time you'll be more tired if you walk.
Well, certainly humans evolved to walk, not pedal. I believe that I've also read that it's good for the bones to be load-bearing, which does not happen on a bicycle.
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Old 03-11-13, 12:20 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Artkansas
Well, certainly humans evolved to walk, not pedal. I believe that I've also read that it's good for the bones to be load-bearing, which does not happen on a bicycle.
Yes, weight bearing exercise is supposed to reduce osteoporosis, and also reduce falls in the elderly.
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Old 03-11-13, 02:54 AM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by chewybrian
I'm just wondering how often and how far do you walk? Why do you walk instead of riding, taking the bus, etc.? Do you enjoy it, and do you have any issues when you walk?

----------------------------------------

I walk about 5 or 6 miles a day, mostly walking my dog. She needs the workout, or she has too much energy around the house. I enjoy walking around here. The weather makes it easy, and it's safe.

The only issue is at crosswalks, where the right turning drivers rarely yield. One nearly runs you down, and more follow when you stop in self-defense. When someone finally does yield, they get the horn from behind for doing the right thing! Except for those crosswalks at a couple choice intersections, walking is easy and enjoyable here most days.
Stay in the lines of the crosswalk, use the walk light and if motorists get pissed then STOP, make eye contact and POINT at your walk light!! YOU have the right of way and THEY get to wait for you to cross!!
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Old 03-11-13, 04:38 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by technoD
Stay in the lines of the crosswalk, use the walk light and if motorists get pissed then STOP, make eye contact and POINT at your walk light!! YOU have the right of way and THEY get to wait for you to cross!!
Nevertheless, a hell of a lot of pedestrians are killed by cars. If I wasn't exhausted at the tail end of a double shift, I would tell you how many fatalities and injuries. I know it has been said that walking is the most dangerous form of transportation--even worse than driving and much worse than cycling.
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Old 03-11-13, 06:39 AM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by technoD
Stay in the lines of the crosswalk, use the walk light and if motorists get pissed then STOP, make eye contact and POINT at your walk light!! YOU have the right of way and THEY get to wait for you to cross!!
Hard to make eye contact with a motorist that is rolling a red light at 20mph and could care less. That is if they are even looking at where they are going.

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Old 03-11-13, 08:34 AM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by technoD
Stay in the lines of the crosswalk, use the walk light and if motorists get pissed then STOP, make eye contact and POINT at your walk light!! YOU have the right of way and THEY get to wait for you to cross!!
I know my rights, but...

Originally Posted by wahoonc
Hard to make eye contact with a motorist that is rolling a red light at 20mph and could care less. That is if they are even looking at where they are going.

Aaron
Yes, that. Right-turning drivers know that no car can (legally) come from that side, and few give an honest look in that direction. They're only thinking about cars. If you don't block out the sun, they don't see you.

I care about my rights, but I also want to live one more day. If they stick it to me; they'll know I was p.o.'d, but I won't give the message by stepping out in front of them.
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Old 03-11-13, 02:01 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by technoD
Stay in the lines of the crosswalk, use the walk light and if motorists get pissed then STOP, make eye contact and POINT at your walk light!! YOU have the right of way and THEY get to wait for you to cross!!
I find that when I point the camera part of my cell phone at them they tend to get mad and then stop. Especially at the intersections that have the bright yellow signs that mention that state law about yielding to the pedestrian in the crosswalk. I try not to laugh too hard as I cross too.
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Old 03-11-13, 02:08 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by no motor?
I find that when I point the camera part of my cell phone at them they tend to get mad and then stop. Especially at the intersections that have the bright yellow signs that mention that state law about yielding to the pedestrian in the crosswalk. I try not to laugh too hard as I cross too.
This ^

I am often criticized for lacking a sense of self preservation in crosswalks. In actuality I am paying close attention to the cars around me but doing a good job of making it look like I am not watching for the car. Sadly, in a way, its like a game of chicken. If the car driver sees that you see him they will just go because who in their right mind would step out in front of a speeding car, right of way or not? But, if you are watching the car but they dont know that you see them they almost invariably stop. I know that someone will chime in that I will eventually get hit, and that maybe true, but I am actually watching them for signs of distracted driving and am taking necessary precautions.
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Old 03-11-13, 02:16 PM
  #35  
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I look them right in the eye and take their picture with the phone - and always leave plenty of room to keep out of their way.
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Old 03-11-13, 03:32 PM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by zeppinger
This ^

I am often criticized for lacking a sense of self preservation in crosswalks. In actuality I am paying close attention to the cars around me but doing a good job of making it look like I am not watching for the car. Sadly, in a way, its like a game of chicken. If the car driver sees that you see him they will just go because who in their right mind would step out in front of a speeding car, right of way or not? But, if you are watching the car but they dont know that you see them they almost invariably stop. I know that someone will chime in that I will eventually get hit, and that maybe true, but I am actually watching them for signs of distracted driving and am taking necessary precautions.
True story. When I started grad school in East Lansing, I was walking across the main campus with a new classmate from the Bay Area. She stepped out into the traffic without looking, and I had to pull her back to save her life. She said, "oh, they would have stopped. I have the right of way." I informed her that in Berkeley they might stop, but not here in Michigan. (Well maybe in Ann Arbor.)

Moral of the story: be very careful when you move to a new location. The laws might be the same in both places, but motorist behavior can still be very different. Especially in the Midwest, drivers might not yield to pedestrians even though legally they should.
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Old 03-11-13, 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Roody
True story. When I started grad school in East Lansing, I was walking across the main campus with a new classmate from the Bay Area. She stepped out into the traffic without looking, and I had to pull her back to save her life. She said, "oh, they would have stopped. I have the right of way." I informed her that in Berkeley they might stop, but not here in Michigan. (Well maybe in Ann Arbor.)

Moral of the story: be very careful when you move to a new location. The laws might be the same in both places, but motorist behavior can still be very different. Especially in the Midwest, drivers might not yield to pedestrians even though legally they should.
I agree. Having lived and traveled through some countries in Asia with appalling drivers I am well aware of this. I shoulder checked a number of side view mirrors in Korea because drivers would assume that if they drove really close to me I would press myself up against a nearby building to let them through. Nope. Passive agressive it maybe but since I can not issue tickets its my only recourse to try and influence behavior.
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Old 03-11-13, 06:38 PM
  #38  
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I walk so often these days that I'm considering selling one or two of my three bikes.

It only takes 20-25 minutes to walk to work (1.25 miles according to Google). Sure, by bike, it took only 7 or 8 door-to-door (counting walking out of my apartment and stepping into the office area). Going by car, that is, if I have to carry stuff, can take between 5 and 15 minutes.

But anyway -- yeah, I'm walking a lot more than just a year ago, no doubt because my wife would rather walk than ride a bike around here. I also started getting lazy about repairing a flat on my commuter, and walked for a week straight before finally fixing it.

I gotta say, I started liking it. It's even more "free" than taking a bike, because I don't have to think about where to lock up if I decide to stop somewhere along the way (and I usually don't bring a lock because I can keep my bike safe inside at work).

I run farther than I used to, too, and find that it's more adaptable than cycling. I spend about fifteen minutes riding somewhere that's good for fast cycling (good for a warmup/warmdown, but inconvenient if I've got an hour or less), but if I go for a jog, I can just start at my front door.

Weird, isn't it, that going by foot seems the most dependable, convenient, and simplest way to travel. I just can't go that far, though.
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Old 03-11-13, 07:00 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by BarracksSi
I walk so often these days that I'm considering selling one or two of my three bikes.

It only takes 20-25 minutes to walk to work (1.25 miles according to Google). Sure, by bike, it took only 7 or 8 door-to-door (counting walking out of my apartment and stepping into the office area). Going by car, that is, if I have to carry stuff, can take between 5 and 15 minutes.

But anyway -- yeah, I'm walking a lot more than just a year ago, no doubt because my wife would rather walk than ride a bike around here. I also started getting lazy about repairing a flat on my commuter, and walked for a week straight before finally fixing it.

I gotta say, I started liking it. It's even more "free" than taking a bike, because I don't have to think about where to lock up if I decide to stop somewhere along the way (and I usually don't bring a lock because I can keep my bike safe inside at work).

I run farther than I used to, too, and find that it's more adaptable than cycling. I spend about fifteen minutes riding somewhere that's good for fast cycling (good for a warmup/warmdown, but inconvenient if I've got an hour or less), but if I go for a jog, I can just start at my front door.

Weird, isn't it, that going by foot seems the most dependable, convenient, and simplest way to travel. I just can't go that far, though.
Nice to see you back on this forum again!

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Old 03-11-13, 07:01 PM
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I have a pedometer built into my iPod Nano. Getting 10,000 steps a day isn't all that hard. I manage it almost every day. A couple of days ago, I was close to 26,000 steps. I was out in the evening and I didn't want to leave my bike outside, even locked up, in an unfamiliar neighbourhood in a strange city. It would have been safe, but I didn't know that at the time. Still, the walk was pleasant and I had a great evening.
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Old 03-11-13, 07:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Roody
Nice to see you back on this forum again!

Married life (2 1/2 years) has a knack for keeping me busy.

Not to knock on anyone in particular, but some forumites are wound up so tight that reading BF can be a drain. I've found enough answers around here for my use, given as much advice and recommendations as I'm comfortable with, and I have a lot less bike lust (or a more focused version) than I used to.

Not only am I wheeled-transport-lite, I'm now more BF-lite. Enjoying it, too.
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Old 03-12-13, 11:28 AM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by wahoonc
Hard to make eye contact with a motorist that is rolling a red light at 20mph and could care less. That is if they are even looking at where they are going.

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Old 03-12-13, 12:45 PM
  #43  
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The area I grew up in was basically un-walkable. No sidewalks, no crosswalks, no signal buttons. I often wonder what previous generations were thinking when they purchased homes in suburbs like this. I know my parents had good intentions (good schools, safe neighborhood) but I feel like many in my generation missed out on the quality of life you get by living in a real community with real neighbors. Elders are so quick to blame it on video games, but what were the alternatives? There was nowhere to go outside and no old growth trees to hang out under. I'm not passing any blame, just pointing out an often overlooked (and somewhat taboo) situation of our American culture history. No one wants to admit "we unintentionally did the wrong thing", but I think many people are aware of it. Now it seems like its become a cycle we can't get out of. Much of the "new urbanism" movement is based on the philosophy of building older style, pre-automobile, neighborhoods, but also forcing the auto into the equation. It's hard to do. Some of it works, often it doesn't.

It wasn't until I was an adult and moved to the city that I started walking and learned how to use public transportation. When I do move back to the city I grew up in, I will be looking for a house in an older, walkable, neighborhood. I dont want to waste square footage on a garage and i certainly dont want a garage door as the prominent architectural feature of my house. Sadly, there is a very limited stock of this type of houseing and its become very expensive.
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Old 03-12-13, 03:11 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by nashvillwill
The area I grew up in was basically un-walkable. No sidewalks, no crosswalks, no signal buttons.
That sounds like Falls City, though I imagine we have a lot less traffic. I like to joke to the traffic planning committee that we use pedestrians as traffic calming devices. People just walk or ride their bikes in the street. People in cars just have to live with it.

If I'm just going downtown from my house (about 1.5 miles) I'll generally walk before I take my bike, just to save the hassle of finding a place to stash my bike. I like walking, though it isn't really a workout. When I ride my bike for transportation it's usually 9 miles to Dallas, the nearest place I can catch a bus.
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Old 03-12-13, 03:25 PM
  #45  
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If I have somewhere to be, or an errand to do, I will never walk. Even if that place to be or that something to do is just 5 minutes away walking. Really anything beyond 3 blocks I'll just use my bike. Always. I don't like walking whatsoever. It is extremely slow and a waste of my time.

There is only one instance in which I like walking: romantic walks with my girlfriend, which we do about twice a week for approx 30 minutes. No destination, nothing to do, just walk and talk. Walking is okay and pleasant in this case.
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Old 03-13-13, 05:23 AM
  #46  
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I usually walk if the process of carrying the bike up and down my stairs and locking and unlocking it at my destination takes longer than the actual ride to wherever I'm going. So that means I usually walk to anyplace that I can reach in 10-15 minutes on foot. I've lived within walking distance of a grocery store in my last two apartments, and I love it. So convenient. It also keeps me from impulse shopping, because everything I buy I have to schlep home. If I have something bulky to buy, I take along my handcart and lock it to the bike rack while I'm inside the store.
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Old 03-13-13, 06:00 AM
  #47  
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I walk to work every morning; but, I live on the campus where I teach. So, it is a distance of less than a half a Kilometer. Sometimes if I am going to a local store, less than a Kilometer, I will sometimes walk. However, I don't like to. My legs are different lengths and my feet are more than a full size different. As a result Shoes don't fit, they wear out very fast, and walking is often painful (yes, I'm the guy who tried to get his doctor to declare his bicycle to be a mobility device).

Last weekend I had to walk about seven kilometers and not only was I aching; but, I destroyed another pair of shoes doing it (they were less than two weeks old, they are now broken; by that I mean that there is a break forming a separation across the sole).

I cast a pretty firm vote for avoiding walking whenever I can.

However, as an oddity, if I can stay off the pavement and stay on dirt I can walk rather comfortably.
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Old 03-13-13, 08:06 AM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Robert C
However, as an oddity, if I can stay off the pavement and stay on dirt I can walk rather comfortably.
Thats not so odd. A lot of runners prefer that also. In fact, some of the new MUP's they are building around my area have a paved path AND a soft fine gravel path right next to it. I've noticed many runners in the fine gravel.
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Old 03-13-13, 09:20 AM
  #49  
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From the sounds of it, walking in most of Canada is much better than it is in most of the US. I find walking to be considerably less stressful than biking, particularly if there's a greasy layer of brown snow or other poor riding conditions. I tend to walk to the grocery store (under 1 km) or to the bar to meet friends because it's easy just to leave the house and walk on the sidewalk instead of fighting traffic on a bike.

That's not to say that we don't get the occasional distracted driver who just doesn't see you in the crosswalk, or the person who doesn't look right before turning right (gotta watch out for those cars coming from the left!), but I would say that those occurrences are the exception, not the rule. And drivers always apologize after a near miss.
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Old 03-13-13, 12:35 PM
  #50  
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The intersection I have to cross to get to the grocery store has claimed several pedestrian lives from RTOR drivers (one happened about 20 yards in front of me when I was cycling home from work). I've started jaywalking ~500 feet away from the intersection - at least then I only have to watch for cars from two directions and they're more predictable.
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