Non cyclists need recalibrating

[Drago]

Interesting story here about supposedly poor amenities for those in new build housing...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45970349

One guy moaning that his nearest shop is a mile away. The second geezer bleating that it's a 20 minute walk to his local shop. Even worse than that, the Beeb think such laziness is commendable and worthy of a news story.

I'd think nothing of walking either of those journeys for a paper and a pint of cow juice, or hopping on my bike. In fact, this is ideal bike journey territory for otherwise non-cyclists. Why isn't BBC journalism mentioning that not everyone feels the need to drive 1 mile journeys in a car, and present a balanced piece of reporting for a change.

More proof that society and the planet are doomed, and when civilisation does collapse the Beeb will report on how unfair it is that people's nearest escape rocket to Mars is a 20 minute walk away.

 

[snorri]

Perhaps some people need to be informed regarding the convenience of having a litre of UHT in the cupboard to cover the 'no milk' emergencies.
There was another BBC article recently commenting on the fact that newbuild schemes encouraged driving because their design was both pedestrian and cycle unfriendly. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-45956792
We can't always blame the residents for using cars for every journey.

 

[tom73]

Yes had a read of this early on. I did think just walk and can't you just get a bike ? Can see it being an issue for elderly or disabled but most new builds are clearly marketed at the "yummy mummy" market. The shoe boxers that are going up near me have adverts full of nice looking families all white and all "normal" 2 pt 4. Old , disabled , ect need not apply. Walking is clearly an issue for this new estate too only last week spotted one driving her kids to brownies. It's only 5 mins up the road.

 

[alicat]

I would be annoyed if my nearest shop were a mile away. Not every location suits every person: we are all individuals.

 

[Alan O]

The obvious question to me is - if you want to live near shops, why buy a house a long way away from them?

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Yes had a read of this early on. I did think just walk and can't you just get a bike ? Can see it being an issue for elderly or disabled but most new builds are clearly marketed at the "yummy mummy" market. The shoe boxers that are going up near me have adverts full of nice looking families all white and all "normal" 2 pt 4. Old , disabled , ect need not apply. Walking is clearly an issue for this new estate too only last week spotted one driving her kids to brownies. It's only 5 mins up the road.

We walk my daughter to Brownies every week and every week we see people who live closer than we do driving there. It’s a 5-minute walk for us.

 

[tom73]

The obvious question to me is - if you want to live near shops, why buy a house a long way away from them?

So true and you'd think they'd look into this stuff. Saying that the info re the new ones near me tell's buyers the closest train station is the one that closed under Beeching.

 

[BeardyAndyM]

I live in a 70s ex council house (1st time buyer, needs must) and the pedestrian infrastructure is great, a maze of footpaths and subways. Developers today are too worried about squeezing another property in to care about getting from A-B!

 

[screenman]

I live in a 70s ex council house (1st time buyer, needs must) and the pedestrian infrastructure is great, a maze of footpaths and subways. Developers today are too worried about squeezing another property in to care about getting from A-B!

That could be down to land prices, as much as profit need.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

The obvious question to me is - if you want to live near shops, why buy a house a long way away from them?

Or to rephrase one of my pet hates, why buy a house near a race track if you don't like the sound of race cars

 

[Pale Rider]

Interesting story here about supposedly poor amenities for those in new build housing...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45970349

One guy moaning that his nearest shop is a mile away. The second geezer bleating that it's a 20 minute walk to his local shop. Even worse than that, the Beeb think such laziness is commendable and worthy of a news story.

I'd think nothing of walking either of those journeys for a paper and a pint of cow juice, or hopping on my bike. In fact, this is ideal bike journey territory for otherwise non-cyclists. Why isn't BBC journalism mentioning that not everyone feels the need to drive 1 mile journeys in a car, and present a balanced piece of reporting for a change.

More proof that society and the planet are doomed, and when civilisation does collapse the Beeb will report on how unfair it is that people's nearest escape rocket to Mars is a 20 minute walk away.

It is the resident who thinks 20 minutes to walk to the shops is too far, not the BBC.

You may think that's lazy, but you need to nip round to the bloke's house and tell him.

Moaning at the BBC just because they report views with which you disagree is the worst form of shooting the messenger.

 

[NorthernDave]

I've posted this before, but we have a Co-op an 8 minute walk away that covers all the basics and emergency stuff, and a Tesco Extra about a 10 minute walk in the other direction that has all the consumables a person could ever need on a retail park that is a nightmare to get in and out of in a car at busy times (which seems to be the design brief for retail parks these days).
Yet we have neighbours who will get the car out and drive to either rather than walking, even in the height of summer.
I really couldn't be doing with all the faff.
I've been in the Co-op and found a neighbour next to me in the queue who has asked "Where's the car?" and then on finding I've walked expressed surprise bordering on shock and offered me a lift back and been equally surprised when I've politely declined....

 

[Mo1959]

I've posted this before, but we have a Co-op an 8 minute walk away that covers all the basics and emergency stuff, and a Tesco Extra about a 10 minute walk in the other direction that has all the consumables a person could ever need on a retail park that is a nightmare to get in and out of in a car at busy times (which seems to be the design brief for retail parks these days).
Yet we have neighbours who will get the car out and drive to either rather than walking, even in the height of summer.
I really couldn't be doing with all the faff.
I've been in the Co-op and found a neighbour next to me in the queue who has asked "Where's the car?" and then on finding I've walked expressed surprise bordering on shock and offered me a lift back and been equally surprised when I've politely declined....

Not even very good for the car starting it up for such short journeys. Not long back from the Co-op myself. I'm inclined to just pop round two or three times a week to get what I need and use two bags. Probably about three quarters of a mile there and back. Hardly ever take the car unless I'm using it anyway and just stop in on the way home.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I walk to my local shopping centre every Saturday and Sunday to do grocery and other shopping, and the round trip is over 3 miles at least. I suspect I'm an atypical 50+ year old for my area, though, because all my neighbours clearly have more cars than they can fit into their driveways, and I don't see many other people walking in my area.
Recently, a local newspaper ran an article making all these dire statements about how a large percentage of people in my part of the Melbourne metropolitan area have inadequate access to trains and buses, but I've done the walk to my nearest train station heaps of times with no problems. Of course, it's about a 30 minute walk for me (perhaps 40 for others), and the very prospect of such a walk would have my neighbours hyperventilating in shock.

 

[Gary E]

We have a Tesco express 3 doors up from us. Really convenient for us from a shopping perspective but the downside is the constant amount of cars parked around the shop, often blocking our driveway. The annoying thing is that after some of these people get home and park outside their house we can still see them from ours!!!