A pedestrian perspective.
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The slow death of purposeless walking
A number of recent books have lauded the connection between walking – just for its own sake – and thinking. But are people losing their love of the purposeless walk? …
Many now walk and text at the same time. There’s been an increase in injuries to pedestrians in the US attributed to this. One study suggested texting even changed the manner in which people walked.
It’s not just texting. This is the era of the “smartphone map zombie” – people who only take occasional glances away from an electronic routefinder to avoid stepping in anything or being hit by a car. …
Boil down the books on walking and you’re left with some key tips:
- Walk further and with no fixed route
- Stop texting and mapping
- Don’t soundtrack your walks
- Go alone
- Find walkable places
- Walk mindfully
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Toronto Fail
Disastrous sidewalk planning outside Ryerson’s Rogers Communications Centre on Gould:
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The inner row would be newer – because of the raised curb around the trees.
Looks like there was a plan to remove the curbside trees and widen the road once the newer trees grew to a good size – but many of them died.
Re: Purposeless walking.
In other words, “Stop and smell the roses.” Much more succinct.
Common sense is not so common