![[discussion] This is what walkability means for me](https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/16951e3f-e3ab-4b79-b2b9-9c2710bdf45d.jpeg){kind=link}
Living in a walkable city means my weekly shop is a few hours of walking or biking instead of being stuck in traffic, and I’m only mildly tired afterwards since I use a bike with pretty large pannier bags. Since I have no car related costs I can afford more fresh food, a healthier diet, and I can afford to be more choosy about the ethics of what I buy. There’s a twice weekly farmers market about a ten minute walk away, and quiet walks through parks to get to the shops. Living somewhere with car centric infrastructure, as I used to, this lifestyle was far less feasible.
Have your experiences been different with moving to walkable/bikeable cities? Any questions or points to be made? I’m not very up on the theory side of city planning, but my experiences line up with the whole “fuck cars” thing.
Hmmm, I dont think people want to walk for hours to complete a grocery shopping trip? Walkable means you’re done in 20mins max, that’s a reasonable standard given what some urban areas already have.
I double checked the stats. It was more like 1.5 hours total walking over 2 miles, though I was out and about four 3 hours. I wanted to go to a bigger shop outside the city centre and the farmer’s market in town, had to stop at home to empty the cart. If I was less choosy I could do it in 20, but the shop near me is a little depressing.
I think it’s cool you’re doing what you like. I walk long distance for urban hiking, which can take up to six hours with breaks. I am not sure I’d like a routine walk for groceries though, if it’s not 20ish - 30ish total. To each their own 🤷♀️
https://lemmy.world/comment/10526644
Fucking hell… I’ll walk all day for fun but I HATE grocery shopping, I’m not walking an hour each way and carrying shit… I’m so lucky to have a little bodega about three minutes away from me, where I can pick up a bunch of dope stuff. But actual grocery shopping? I noticed the community I’m commenting it (I only browse /all/) but I’m driving a few minutes, not hauling all that back over a 30+ minute walk.
I can walk endlessly in dirt trails, even mid to advanced hiking trails while hauling shit in a huge backpack, but the moment I touch pavement I can only manage a couple minutes.
I assumed they meant the travel walk was probably within that time then they spent the other hours walking around the shops/market stalls etc. Which is pretty standard where I live! We’re not a “walkable city” but we get the bus into town and then spend a few hours walking about buying stuff before getting the bus back. Like OP its doable by bike too, both methods work depending how lazy you’re feeling and how many shops you want to go in.
The travel of 2 trips was closer to 2 miles. The long time quoted was just because I’m a lazy ass who meanders through the shops in a dissociative fugue, deep in the reverie of some unspeakably horrible podcast.
It sounds so weird to call “a few hours of walking” lazy but I completely get what you mean, and I’m all for it!