Americans are too lazy to walk

frankthetank

Joel-

I was in Colorado back around the summer of 2000. The one thing that stuck out to my wife and i are how in shape the people were. Coming from fat A$$ central (WI), it was a shock. We are both skinny and exercise more then anyone we know. I play a lot of tennis and bike a lot, while my wife walks a lot. I sometimes wish we lived in Colorado. I still remember seeing bicyclists biking up Mt. Evans. Insane. My car had trouble getting up that road.

A lot of it has to do with our horrible weather. If you've never been to hell, come to Wisconsin during a cold snap in the winter. It blows bananas. Its almost come to me leaving a finding a place to stay for a few months in Florida or somewhere along the gulf coast.

I do believe the weather here (natural gas prices) will push people south.
_________________
Clothing should be optional.

Olaf

NeoPeasant

I walk a lot. I have noticed that if you don't count the people you can only see by looking at them through automobile glass, you get an eerie Twilight Zone episode "last man on earth" feeling walking around an American town.
I have been stopped and questioned numerous times by the police for just walking around. In this country walking is considered a suspicious activity.
We are a nation of voluntary paraplegics. I think peak oil may be our ultimate salvation if it doesn't kill us first.
_________________
The battle to preserve our lifestyle has already been lost. The battle to preserve our lives is just beginning.

Muckingfess

waegari

taizee · Tar Sands Joined: Jun 22, 2008 Posts: 52

I grew up in suburban Dublin, Ireland and was lucky to have a safe place to play and could walk all over the neighborhood. My parents restricted TV - it was sh**ty anyway. My schools had very good exercise programs, too, and I think that has added to lifelong fitness. My sister, on the other hand, 11 years younger was spoiled more in what she could eat, by then my parents were more worried about her being outside the house, the school she went to didn't have sports fields (development had come along and built over my old school) She now has weight problems.

I think high activity in our early years is so important for lifelong health. How a town/city is built makes a difference. Walking to the local shops, to school, to a friends house. This should be normal.

Abnormal is the modern suburbs, that are even now in Europe. The grids of American cities are totally geared towards the motorized vehicle. Some of the bikeways are really nice, but you still have to take a car to get to them. I bike here in Boise, but have constantly to look over my shoulder to make sure that I can safely manouver.

I don't blame Americans for being lazy, well not all of them, they are living in a system of development that is out of control - the rest of the world isn't immune and is catching up.
_________________
formerly Taizy and Taizy8 - having problems with the cookies.

"wherever you go, there you are"

Wren · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 30, 2008 Posts: 64 Location: Oregon

Kingcoal

When I used to work in Philly, I would walk a mile to the train station, get off at 8th and Market and walk another mile to work. On the way home, the reverse. At lunch, we would often walk over to Chinatown. In all, I was walking a good 4 to 5 miles per day. In my present job I walk around a lot in construction sites. A project manager I worked with on one site put a mileage counter on his belt and came up with about 7 miles everyday. I've had jobs that I drove to and sat in a cube all day. I got fat, gaining about 25 lbs. One of the main reasons I could never go back to being an office worker is the impact on my health. It's not natural to sit in front of a computer all day. It's tedious and wears you out mentally, which makes you tired and not wanting to work out.

Humans were designed from the ground up to walk. Our legs take up most of our bodies because we are designed to do a hell of a lot of walking. That's what we are; walkers. Having a person sit all day is like taking a fish out of the ocean and putting them in a tiny pot with water. They want to swim, that's what they do, it's what they are designed to do.
_________________
"That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money

sittinguy · Heavy Crude Joined: Sep 07, 2007 Posts: 389

Our nieghborhood bitched for a sidewalk for years. Finally a lady that was one of the first to live in our hood got hit and killed.

Soon after we saw some surveyers for side walks.

Almost 10 YEARS later they built the sidewalk, its been a year now and they still aren't done Sad

heroineworshipper

Most towns aren't designed for walking. There are few sidewalks & no easy street access from the apartments.
_________________
People first, then things, then dollars.
There will be enslavement, cannibalism, & zombie invasions.

Heineken

Ludi

emersonbiggins

seldom_seen · Fission Joined: Apr 12, 2005 Posts: 2068

I walk a simple 25 minutes to and from work. My co-workers think I am some sort of masochistic iron man triathlete.

seldom_seen · Fission Joined: Apr 12, 2005 Posts: 2068