How "Walkable" Is Your House?
07-20-07, 03:50 PM
#27
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My friends place in the UES got a 96
And the apartment that was on NBC's Friends got a 100! https://walkscore.com/get-score.shtml...lng=-74.005226
And the apartment that was on NBC's Friends got a 100! https://walkscore.com/get-score.shtml...lng=-74.005226
07-20-07, 04:04 PM
#28
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87 here. We had fun looking up old addresses, as well as the addresses of friends and family. Remember that this doesn't consider how desirable a place is for walking, merely how close various amenities are. We know people who scored a '2', but live on a gorgeous section of coastline. Yes, it's a chore to get things, but the walking is wonderful.
Oh-if my wife and I had moved into a house we liked (but couldn't afford) in NW Portland, that would have netted us a 92. Still, here in the 'inner SE' past of PDX, we do all our errands on foot or by bike.
Oh-if my wife and I had moved into a house we liked (but couldn't afford) in NW Portland, that would have netted us a 92. Still, here in the 'inner SE' past of PDX, we do all our errands on foot or by bike.
07-20-07, 04:09 PM
#29
In the right lane
60. Restaurants and coffee houses that I never go to are close by. Groceries less than one mile. But the hardware store is more than 2 miles. 
07-20-07, 04:16 PM
#31
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A freaking zero.
I hate Georgia.
I hate Georgia.
07-20-07, 04:38 PM
#33
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But that's doable by bike, yes?
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07-20-07, 04:48 PM
#34
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45 Phhbbt.
It said the closest theater was a porno theater 7 1/3 miles away. There's actually the theaters at Baywalk which is about 3 ish. It's right about one thing though, I'd rather ride to all of those places.
It said the closest theater was a porno theater 7 1/3 miles away. There's actually the theaters at Baywalk which is about 3 ish. It's right about one thing though, I'd rather ride to all of those places.
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07-20-07, 05:07 PM
#37
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2 out of 100. I'm about 95% car free without much trouble, but of course that score doesn't take into account my incredible cleverness. 
Tennessee doth suck.
Tennessee doth suck.
07-20-07, 05:15 PM
#38
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It gets better, my parents house in a super small town in MN got a 53
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07-20-07, 06:49 PM
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Well that site is a JOKE!!
I typed in the address for where I used to live in Winnipeg, and ended up with a score of 29.
"25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving is a must."
Yeah ... right. I lived there for 6 years without a vehicle! Driving is a must. Hah! Not true.
Not only that, but I clicked on a few of the symbols that come up ... and the addresses they list for those symbols aren't even in Winnipeg ... they are in other towns around Manitoba! Really accurate!
Ah ... but I see it is Google technology. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... Google should have stayed in web browsing and should never have gone into mapping. Most of the time their maps are wrong, or completely useless.
I typed in the address for where I used to live in Winnipeg, and ended up with a score of 29.
"25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving is a must."
Yeah ... right. I lived there for 6 years without a vehicle! Driving is a must. Hah! Not true.
Not only that, but I clicked on a few of the symbols that come up ... and the addresses they list for those symbols aren't even in Winnipeg ... they are in other towns around Manitoba! Really accurate!
Ah ... but I see it is Google technology. I've said it before and I'll say it again ... Google should have stayed in web browsing and should never have gone into mapping. Most of the time their maps are wrong, or completely useless.
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07-20-07, 07:34 PM
#41
The Rock Cycle
I clicked on the link and it said Not Available.
So I guess I can make up my own score.
Within walking distance of my apt: (all with a 1/2 mile radius, that I use)
College that I go to
Library at college (with free daily newspapers)
Albertsons grocery store
Rite Aid store
Hardware store
Subway shop
Pizza joint
Convenience store/gas station
Brewpub
Hair cut place my SO goes to
in the other direction...
2 Hospitals
Medical Clinic for uninsured folks
Post office
Bank
Video rental store
Another brewpub
Liquor store
Bakery thrift store
Further out, still walkable:
REI store
Insurance company I use
More banks
Safeway grocery
County library
Sometimes we walk to downtown about a mile away, takes 30 min to get there. Sept 1 at a historic theatre downtown we will be going to see a concert by Weird Al Yankovic. We will walk there of course!
We bike all over town for other errands as well.
I'd give it a pretty high score. I try to make a point of driving my car once a week so it doesn't die of neglect.
So I guess I can make up my own score.
Within walking distance of my apt: (all with a 1/2 mile radius, that I use)
College that I go to
Library at college (with free daily newspapers)
Albertsons grocery store
Rite Aid store
Hardware store
Subway shop
Pizza joint
Convenience store/gas station
Brewpub
Hair cut place my SO goes to
in the other direction...
2 Hospitals
Medical Clinic for uninsured folks
Post office
Bank
Video rental store
Another brewpub
Liquor store
Bakery thrift store
Further out, still walkable:
REI store
Insurance company I use
More banks
Safeway grocery
County library
Sometimes we walk to downtown about a mile away, takes 30 min to get there. Sept 1 at a historic theatre downtown we will be going to see a concert by Weird Al Yankovic. We will walk there of course!
We bike all over town for other errands as well.
I'd give it a pretty high score. I try to make a point of driving my car once a week so it doesn't die of neglect.
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07-20-07, 08:36 PM
#43
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Someone here should create an online quiz to determine "walkability".
The quiz would ask questions like:
1) What would you consider a reasonable walking distance? (Multiple choice answer)
Then based on that answer ...
2) How far away is your place of employment? Your school?
3) Your grocery store?
4) Your department/clothing/hardware (whatever type of shopping is next most important to you after groceries)?
5) Your medical facility (i.e. Doctor's office)?
6) Your alternate medical facility (i.e Physiotherapist/Chiropractor)?
etc.
And then ...
1) What alternate methods of transportation do you have available to you? (i.e. transit bus, bicycle)
2) Are the above mentioned places within reasonable transit/cycling/etc. distance from your home.
Etc.
Something about your SO and kids could be incorporated into it. Something about the weather might be important (i.e. some parts of the world are covered in snow and ice 8 months of the year).
And when all the scores are totalled from the quiz, then a percentage would be produced telling us how "walkable" our homes are.
Just an idea.
The quiz would ask questions like:
1) What would you consider a reasonable walking distance? (Multiple choice answer)
Then based on that answer ...
2) How far away is your place of employment? Your school?
3) Your grocery store?
4) Your department/clothing/hardware (whatever type of shopping is next most important to you after groceries)?
5) Your medical facility (i.e. Doctor's office)?
6) Your alternate medical facility (i.e Physiotherapist/Chiropractor)?
etc.
And then ...
1) What alternate methods of transportation do you have available to you? (i.e. transit bus, bicycle)
2) Are the above mentioned places within reasonable transit/cycling/etc. distance from your home.
Etc.
Something about your SO and kids could be incorporated into it. Something about the weather might be important (i.e. some parts of the world are covered in snow and ice 8 months of the year).
And when all the scores are totalled from the quiz, then a percentage would be produced telling us how "walkable" our homes are.
Just an idea.
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07-20-07, 09:10 PM
#44
In the right lane
07-20-07, 09:16 PM
#45
In the right lane
Someone here should create an online quiz to determine "walkability".
The quiz would ask questions like:
1) What would you consider a reasonable walking distance? (Multiple choice answer)
Then based on that answer ...
2) How far away is your place of employment? Your school?
3) Your grocery store?
4) Your department/clothing/hardware (whatever type of shopping is next most important to you after groceries)?
5) Your medical facility (i.e. Doctor's office)?
6) Your alternate medical facility (i.e Physiotherapist/Chiropractor)?
etc.
And then ...
1) What alternate methods of transportation do you have available to you? (i.e. transit bus, bicycle)
2) Are the above mentioned places within reasonable transit/cycling/etc. distance from your home.
Etc.
Something about your SO and kids could be incorporated into it. Something about the weather might be important (i.e. some parts of the world are covered in snow and ice 8 months of the year).
And when all the scores are totalled from the quiz, then a percentage would be produced telling us how "walkable" our homes are.
Just an idea.
The quiz would ask questions like:
1) What would you consider a reasonable walking distance? (Multiple choice answer)
Then based on that answer ...
2) How far away is your place of employment? Your school?
3) Your grocery store?
4) Your department/clothing/hardware (whatever type of shopping is next most important to you after groceries)?
5) Your medical facility (i.e. Doctor's office)?
6) Your alternate medical facility (i.e Physiotherapist/Chiropractor)?
etc.
And then ...
1) What alternate methods of transportation do you have available to you? (i.e. transit bus, bicycle)
2) Are the above mentioned places within reasonable transit/cycling/etc. distance from your home.
Etc.
Something about your SO and kids could be incorporated into it. Something about the weather might be important (i.e. some parts of the world are covered in snow and ice 8 months of the year).
And when all the scores are totalled from the quiz, then a percentage would be produced telling us how "walkable" our homes are.
Just an idea.
Another factor is the mindset of the car drivers. For instance, I've heard several people say that Winnipeg drivers were more polite than most US cities of the same size (like Omaha...) That's certainly a factor too.
07-20-07, 09:30 PM
#46
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Hmm, my house only scored a 60 even though everything I need is less than a mile away, most things on the list less than half a mile. We walk to them all. Not sure why my score was so low. Maybe half a mile is considered a long walk.
Open-air and vendor markets that don't have business addresses aren't listed, either, even though the one by me is open six days a week. There are at least four bars and one coffee shop closer than the ones they listed, too.
Other than that, it was accurate with locations/distances, and pretty much came up with a list of the places I shop.
Edit: okay, I entered in my old Brooklyn NY address, and everything came up less than two tenths of a mile from the house, most things less than one tenth. The score is only 89. Just where do you have to live to score in the 90's?
Open-air and vendor markets that don't have business addresses aren't listed, either, even though the one by me is open six days a week. There are at least four bars and one coffee shop closer than the ones they listed, too.
Other than that, it was accurate with locations/distances, and pretty much came up with a list of the places I shop.
Edit: okay, I entered in my old Brooklyn NY address, and everything came up less than two tenths of a mile from the house, most things less than one tenth. The score is only 89. Just where do you have to live to score in the 90's?
07-20-07, 09:47 PM
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I don't know why we need to be even this "scientific". A simple description of the layout of a neighbourhood -- proximity to groceries, entertainment, work, along with street layout and geographic highlights like hills... that would give me a good idea of the walkability or bikeability of any town.
Another factor is the mindset of the car drivers. For instance, I've heard several people say that Winnipeg drivers were more polite than most US cities of the same size (like Omaha...) That's certainly a factor too.
Another factor is the mindset of the car drivers. For instance, I've heard several people say that Winnipeg drivers were more polite than most US cities of the same size (like Omaha...) That's certainly a factor too.
I found Winnipeg drivers to be a nasty bunch ... it's well known there that the drivers hate the cyclists. Alberta drivers, on the other hand, are almost too nice!
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07-20-07, 11:27 PM
#48
tired
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"Real wars of words are harder to win. They require thought, insight, precision, articulation, knowledge, and experience. They require the humility to admit when you are wrong. They recognize that the dialectic is not about making us look at you, but about us all looking together for the truth."
"Real wars of words are harder to win. They require thought, insight, precision, articulation, knowledge, and experience. They require the humility to admit when you are wrong. They recognize that the dialectic is not about making us look at you, but about us all looking together for the truth."
07-21-07, 12:25 AM
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One problem with a program like this, is that it assumes that everyone considers a reasonable walking distance to be the same thing ... and from the look of it, that distance is pretty short, like maybe 1-2 kms.
In my quiz suggestion, the very first thing that would be established is what an individual person considers to be a reasonable walking distance.
For me, anything within about a 4-5 km radius is a reasonable walking distance, although when it gets to about that point, I start thinking about cycling rather than walking. But for others the distance might be longer or shorter.
In most cities there are enough stores, medical facilities, schools, daycares, vets. etc. etc. within a 4-5 km radius of residential sections to keep a person/family reasonably well fed and healthy ... so really, most cities should score fairly high on the walkable scale ... but for some reason they are not.
In my quiz suggestion, the very first thing that would be established is what an individual person considers to be a reasonable walking distance.
For me, anything within about a 4-5 km radius is a reasonable walking distance, although when it gets to about that point, I start thinking about cycling rather than walking. But for others the distance might be longer or shorter.
In most cities there are enough stores, medical facilities, schools, daycares, vets. etc. etc. within a 4-5 km radius of residential sections to keep a person/family reasonably well fed and healthy ... so really, most cities should score fairly high on the walkable scale ... but for some reason they are not.
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07-21-07, 12:51 AM
#50
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Machka, if they're assuming a reasonable distance for the "average" American, 2 km would be pushing it. That's another thing - spend enough time riding a bike (even for short distances like me), and one doesn't consider longer walking distances to be as onerous.
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"Real wars of words are harder to win. They require thought, insight, precision, articulation, knowledge, and experience. They require the humility to admit when you are wrong. They recognize that the dialectic is not about making us look at you, but about us all looking together for the truth."
"Real wars of words are harder to win. They require thought, insight, precision, articulation, knowledge, and experience. They require the humility to admit when you are wrong. They recognize that the dialectic is not about making us look at you, but about us all looking together for the truth."