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Local authorities, schools and workplaces should introduce ways to enable their communities to be more physically active and change their behaviours.
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http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/cycling-more-reduces-early-deaths-says-new-health-guidance
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"Shun the car for short journeys, cycle instead, urges health guidance"
(53 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Posted 12 years ago #
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and the guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/nov/28/cycle-walk-maintain-health-advises-nice
Posted 12 years ago # -
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said people should shun their cars if a trip could be done in 15 or 20 minutes on foot or bike.
I find it extremely difficult to get my head around the fact that there are some people who actually need to be told this.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Min, the (somewhat portly) gentleman sat quite close to me drives a mile to get to the office...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
I find it extremely difficult to get my head around the fact that there are some people who actually need to be told this."
Yes, but you - like everyone on here - understands the 'benefit of exercise' and has experienced some of the benefits (as well as the speed/convenience of cycling).
Some people don't think they could walk/cycle for 15 minutes (some probably couldn't).
But - think main point of new report - many don't feel safe and there really does need to be a change in institutional/political thinking about infrastructure (for urban walking as well as cycling).
The NHS encourages walking groups - but understandably - these tend to go to 'greenspaces' (where there are extra benefits).
Imagine (**for instance**) Leith Walk as a place for organised - or casual/pleasant - walks (and as somewhere where 'everyone' would feel comfortable cycling).
Posted 12 years ago # -
Also -
I think walking is immensely boring - and (for me) organised walks the ultimate tedium.
There must be plenty of car owners/users who think the same about cycling...
'We' are a minority of a minority!
Posted 12 years ago # -
I think walking is immensely boring
I find walking to get to places quite boring, as I usually think I'd be getting there faster if I was cycling.
However I do enjoy walking around places, I think there are things you miss if you're moving as fast as you would on a bike.
I'd always rather walk or cycle than take public transport, that I find really boring!
Posted 12 years ago # -
But it's a sad man my friend who's livin' in his own skin
And can't stand the company.If walking was perhaps a little quicker I'd probably walk every where.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Walking wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for all those pedestrians in the way who don't have basic pavement sense - and never signal...
Posted 12 years ago # -
Some people need brake lights! Especially during the hunting seasons in August and the early winter months.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I'd always rather walk or cycle than take public transport, that I find really boring!"
You can sleep on buses or trains, that is good. Whenever I get the train to work, I will be asleep before Aberdour.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Walking ! thats like cycling innit ! Its outside !never catch on with the masses !esp those who think that you suddenly catch a cold because its raining, or those who also beleive that the smell of the country is vile and should be sprayed with air "freshner " !
Yep, these are genuine beleifs of some of my work mates !!!!! Keep them in their cars and leave the quiet stuff to us! Imagine all these numpties rushing to buy BMW/Audi branded nordic walking poles etc !
I am biased cause I still cant walk properly cause of my broken ankle : (
ScottPosted 12 years ago # -
Yes, it is mostly just enormous sloth plus a hatred of being outside. With cycling I can understand why people don't feel safe doing it - I don't. But with walking, unless you live on a road with no or very narrow pavements there is no excuse.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Min, the (somewhat portly) gentleman sat quite close to me drives a mile to get to the office...
I'd be very surprised if that was actually quicker than walking!
Posted 12 years ago # -
How can walking be 'boring'? Surely then life is boring. Washing the dishes is boring. Eating breakfast is boring. Lying in bed at night trying to get to sleep is boring.
What I can't understand is why some people feel the need to plug themselves into music every waking our of the day. Is that to fight boredom?
I think I'm digressing.
Posted 12 years ago # -
having only one servicable ankle is a fair excuse surely ?
Some people will never walk , or cycle or do anything that gets their blood moving.They eat pies, watch rubbish tv and drink huge amounts of lager washed down with iron bru ! They might get a taxi to the pub on a friday as a special treat. Its the scottish way !
While i know it makes sense, i cant see a great deal of people taking up walking( or cycling !) because of this campaign , its too late for many, its the schools we need to get involved, my own sons school has NO bike sheds! Hes almost 16 and walks every day, but he would take his bike if he felt it safe to leave it, which he dosnt.
scott
oh and drinking water is boring too !it has no taste !!!! thattle be why bottled water is so much more interesting ?Posted 12 years ago # -
"I'd be very surprised if that was actually quicker than walking!"
Could easily be 15 or 20 mins quicker.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"How can walking be 'boring'?"
It's exercise innit.
And too slow.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Splitshift having only one servicable ankle is a fair excuse surely ?
Well I did say mostly. ;-)
CB What I can't understand is why some people feel the need to plug themselves into music every waking our of the day. Is that to fight boredom?
Ah, well I listen to music while walking -it is the only way to drown out the roar of motorised traffic.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Could easily be 15 or 20 mins quicker.
Probably depends quite how portly this gentleman is! There is an issue, I think, when people get too big; the joints are only designed to carry so much load beyond that walking is not only very slow but uncomfortable or painful. Obviously people shouldn't let them selves get that big but...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"How can walking be 'boring'? Surely then life is boring. Washing the dishes is boring. Eating breakfast is boring. Lying in bed at night trying to get to sleep is boring.
What I can't understand is why some people feel the need to plug themselves into music every waking our of the day. Is that to fight boredom?"
The times I walk to work I'll plug into music to drown out the traffic noise. After walking up through Duddingston Village, and through the Park (which in itself can be quite noisy with traffic, but there are at least gaps) Melville Drive and Lothian Road are hideous. I'm much less likely to plug into music if I'm somewhere peaceful, and never plug into music if out for a walk in the wilderness.
EDIT: Beaten by Min.
As for 'boring'. Similar sort of thing. Schlepping across town to get somewhere is a bit dull (I try and mix it up with more interesting routes but it's not always possible). Whereas a ten hour walk up a hill or round a loch or through a forest is never boring.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm quite good at disappearing into my own head when I'm going somewhere, I'm fairly successful at blocking out traffic noise and I can't really think properly when I'm plugged in. Which is why I've taken to wearing headphones in the office...
Posted 12 years ago # -
@steveo
My joint gave way because of an accident, I am not of humungus dimensions, even though i drove a lorry !!!: )
@min , and others, plug in music to drown out the traffic roar........
walking without due care and attention ? the car drivers are right, walkers are dangerous, they are obviously the best drivers there are, or is that another thread ?
scottPosted 12 years ago # -
My joint gave way because of an accident, I am not of humungus dimensions, even though i drove a lorry !!!: )
:D
Posted 12 years ago # -
Just read the "editors pick" of the comments on the BBC, I think s/he may be a guest editor from the wail. Almost every picked comment was along the lines of walking is hard or dangerous and until this is resolved I'll stick to my car. The ones that weren't too dangerous were complaining about a lack of time but I bet some of these time poor individuals use a gym.
When did people decide walking was dangerous en mass. Maybe its just because Edinburgh is so walkable I am insulated and tend to walk even in the more dangerous parts of the country...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Maybe its just because Edinburgh is so walkable"
That usually means because the (relatively) central bits are compact and interesting - unlike many places which are 'just' shopping and fast roads.
Do also mean 'safe' in a general road crossing sense too?
Posted 12 years ago # -
I recently moved out of the city to Roslin and I'm amazed at how much they rely on their cars. In Roslin the shops are never more than 10 minutes walk away and yet so many people drive.
I recently got chatting to a neighbour and we found out we work in the same science park in the Bush. She was ashamed to admit she drives there each day and yet I walk. Its 30 minutes walk which I find really pleasant - even in the dark winter nights. She couldn't even consider walking or cycling the route and yet she says she used to be a keen cyclist.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Do also mean 'safe' in a general road crossing sense too?
Relatively speaking, apart from the approach road there are no fast roads in the centre and all of them now have signal controlled crossings which are observed (for the most part).
I've never felt in any danger, from traffic, walking any where in Edinburgh. And I've done some epic yomps, purely because I was bored and didn't want to sit around in the house. Maybe I'm just foolish!
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I recently moved out of the city to Roslin and I'm amazed at how much they rely on their cars. In Roslin the shops are never more than 10 minutes walk away and yet so many people drive."
Sadly replicated in so many places. There's a corner shop roughly 8-9 minutes walk from my front door. On a Sunday morning I often walk round for a paper (and if early enough will go for a wander round the park first); and have seen two of my neighbours using their cars for the same 'chore'. Regularly. By the time they park, turn around, get themselves back into their driveway, they save roughly 2 minutes in total.
And yet petrol is too expensive and the cost of motoring an insidious tax...
Posted 12 years ago #
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