Walking to beat the recession

It’s a no-brainer, really. Walking is the  most natural way to get about: it’s easy, it keeps you fit and you don’t need any special equipment to do it. But best of all in these recessionary times, walking is absolutely free!

Of course, walking is also one of the slowest forms of transport there is. But it may still be your quickest option, taking into account all the other factors that make up your journey. We tend to over-estimate  the speed of a car or bus journey, and under-estimate how quickly we walk. Add in the time spent parking the car or waiting for a bus, and walking is often the best choice for short trips.

That’s the key. No-one seriously suggests that you sell the car and tear up your travelcard; but on average about a third of all journeys are less than a mile. Is it really sensible to drive the short trips that you could walk in just a few minutes?

From an article by David Foster in the autumn 2009 edition of  the Ramblers walk magazine.

Useful links

walk magazine site

Filed under: Walking Tips
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