I have not driven a car since moving to San Francisco in 2013. The city covers 7x7 miles. I have walked from one end to the other more than a few times. The times a friend has driven me to an appointment, a place I have walked to on numerous occasions, I have learned my walking directions do not translate well into driving directions. I confirm your experience. Feet on the pavement vs tires record differently.
May you continue to find joy in your decision to walk to versus drive to!
You've always been a good walker, John. San Francisco offers the ability to walk and it's awesome you're leveraging it. It is strange how our brain builds different maps for different paths but then relies on other parts of the brain to merge the two. I have no desire to jump in the car any time soon and dread it when I have do. The world is a much better place when experienced by foot or by bike.
Well written! I've been walking the dog in the mornings for that past few months. I really look forward to our little walk and dead the time we return to work as I'll once again want to get there early to "miss the traffic".
Thank you, Maria! Dogs are pretty good at pulling people out of the house. Yet another lesson to be learned from dogs! I'm hopeful many who are able, will choose to keep the car in the garage and continue to work from home or from a location nearby that they can walk to. The commercial real estate industry is having to respond to these new needs and desires. We'll see if it sticks, but I'm hopeful it will. We can't grow populations exponentially and continue on our past 'normal' path. Otherwise, it will be impossible to 'miss the traffic' as the roads will be clogged nearly around the clock.
Ah you make me feel like re-reading The Great Good Place. It’s been about ten years. Almost changed to urban planning after reading that. Who knew a book about third places and city design could make a 20-something girl cry. Explained why so many of the places in the US (towns, city centers, suburbs) feel so inhuman. So happy in the recent decades many places are coming around to different thinking, partly through amazing things like this project, Interplace.
Sounds like a book I need to read. I've long had a lust for urban planning and design. It's what fueled my motivation to go back and get a degree. I chose sustainable transportation because the movement of people and goods plays an oversized role in determining how land us used...and abused. You're right, there's a growing sense that it's time to reclaim public space for our human right to move. That is at the heart of Interplace. Thanks for the note, Jodie!
Fascinating article, Doctor. I'm excited that you're turning to cartography. The cognitive map research reminded me of the remarkable ways birds migrate. https://www.audubon.org/news/lost-birds-rely-earths-magnetic-field-get-back-track
Thanks for your hard work on this newsletter.
Thank you, Kip. And thanks for that article. Amazing. Birds are so cool. Hardly 'bird-brains' at all!
Cartography excites me too. Maybe too much...as evidenced by my current writer's block. 😏
I am really enjoying these postings - Definitely great food for thoughts. Keep it up!
I'm really happy to see this, Hugh. I'm having fun and am thrilled people are getting something from it. Thanks for engaging. 🙏🏼
John Schilling9 hr ago
I have not driven a car since moving to San Francisco in 2013. The city covers 7x7 miles. I have walked from one end to the other more than a few times. The times a friend has driven me to an appointment, a place I have walked to on numerous occasions, I have learned my walking directions do not translate well into driving directions. I confirm your experience. Feet on the pavement vs tires record differently.
May you continue to find joy in your decision to walk to versus drive to!
You've always been a good walker, John. San Francisco offers the ability to walk and it's awesome you're leveraging it. It is strange how our brain builds different maps for different paths but then relies on other parts of the brain to merge the two. I have no desire to jump in the car any time soon and dread it when I have do. The world is a much better place when experienced by foot or by bike.
Well written! I've been walking the dog in the mornings for that past few months. I really look forward to our little walk and dead the time we return to work as I'll once again want to get there early to "miss the traffic".
Thank you, Maria! Dogs are pretty good at pulling people out of the house. Yet another lesson to be learned from dogs! I'm hopeful many who are able, will choose to keep the car in the garage and continue to work from home or from a location nearby that they can walk to. The commercial real estate industry is having to respond to these new needs and desires. We'll see if it sticks, but I'm hopeful it will. We can't grow populations exponentially and continue on our past 'normal' path. Otherwise, it will be impossible to 'miss the traffic' as the roads will be clogged nearly around the clock.
Ah you make me feel like re-reading The Great Good Place. It’s been about ten years. Almost changed to urban planning after reading that. Who knew a book about third places and city design could make a 20-something girl cry. Explained why so many of the places in the US (towns, city centers, suburbs) feel so inhuman. So happy in the recent decades many places are coming around to different thinking, partly through amazing things like this project, Interplace.
Sounds like a book I need to read. I've long had a lust for urban planning and design. It's what fueled my motivation to go back and get a degree. I chose sustainable transportation because the movement of people and goods plays an oversized role in determining how land us used...and abused. You're right, there's a growing sense that it's time to reclaim public space for our human right to move. That is at the heart of Interplace. Thanks for the note, Jodie!