What do you consider a casual "walking distance"?

J

jerrybee

The key word here being "casual". For example I find 1km to be comfortable, but it's not casual. It's not the sort of walk where I say "hum I feel like a bag of chips" and just pop out for a bit. The moment where 50% of the time you could be convinced to hop in a car instead, I define this as outside that casual boundary.

So I'd be curious to hear how you all define a "casual walking distance". This is mine:

To dissuade me from ever getting into my car, even on a rainy day - 500m or less

Distance having to carry anything heavy like bags of groceries - 400m or less

Public transport - no more than 800m before I consider riding a bike to the local station

To get something super frivolous that I could do without, like a bag of chips - 50m to 100m...basically across the road

What about the rest of you?
 
No further than the fridge for another beer. :D

Actually about 1km.

This is an interesting topic. Groups like Residex and RP Data have been including a 'walk score' in their stats for a while now and it's becoming more relevant in how property values are assessed. It essentially gives the property a score based on how far it is to walk to various services such as shops, public transport and education.
 
For most folks - probably between 500m and 1km.

The other factor is time.

I can walk to a 7-11 if I need stuff at short notice - it's approx 800m.

Humans walk at approx 5km/h.

So, approx 10 mins to walk there, 10 mins back - call it 25 mins worst case to allow for getting stuff, maybe wait at the counter for someone else, pay money etc.

I am reasonably fit and like exercise, so the distance is not that big an issue for me.

But, it always happens when I have no time to walk there and back; so I drive.

But when you factor in the current stat that 65% of Aus adults are overweight to obese - they aren't even considering a walk like that; even if they have the time.

For folks to do a "commute to work" walk - I'd say 15 mins tops.

If it is a "commute to the station to get a train to go to work" walk - about 5 mins or so.
 
Last edited:
2 kms is a nice short walk to our local shops and back that I would define as casual. If the weather is nice, I'll take an even longer, more scenic route.
 
I regularly walk 3 km home from the train station. However, that is a commute and I would not consider that to be 'casual' walking distance.

A 'casual' walk to the shops for me would not be more than 1.5 km. But then, that is 3 k round trip, so it looks like it is 3 km for me :D
 
My house is 500 mts from bus stop, shops, restaurants and primary school, a 15 minute round trip to the IGA and bakery.

It is 3.5 klms to my workplace (the high school) but I drive because of all the hills and the hot weather. My boys would walk home from school in the same time it took the bus on its scenic route.

A ten minute walk for me is nice. I'm getting old.
 
Ideally no more than about 3-5mins for a good coffee fix.

I'm hoping that one of the unit blocks going up closer to home will have a good cafe, even though I live only 10 minutes walk from the centre of town.

NB - sounds like I don't like walking although 18 days of walking is my record.
 
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