“Mobility” is a term that shifted my thoughts from the movie, “Hancock” to “walking.” I had just finished viewing “Hancock” at Union City Theater and I think it would be really fun and convenient to just stomp my feet, damage some concrete, and fly with magnificent speed to wherever I want to be. Will Smith, who played Hancock, used flying as his primary or secondary form of mobility. Yes, not a car, but flying. Who says you can’t substitute driving with flying? The way I see it, if you are able to fly, and no not in a jet or an airplane, then I say go for it. As long as the alternative type of mobile isn't hard to obtain and is more affordable than gas, then it is advantageous and a great substitute for driving. But let’s face it, we’re not Hancock, and our lives aren’t scripted. Therefore, flying isn’t an option for us, but walking is. Not only will walking save us money, it also comes with many other great advantages. First of all, we can spend our saved money from gasoline on other things. Things that we wished we had extra money for. Things such as a new dvd player, a great new laptop with a build in web camera, or even a new pair of jeans that's totally out of our budget. Most people would prefer to pay $50-100 a week on gasoline but a little walking here and there can save us some of that hard earn money and use it towards something else. I mean you're not require to walk everywhere, just whenever it is possible and in the right weather. A little money save here and there may go a long way since everything in today’s economy is increasing. Not only that, but walking is a great form of exercise. Walking can improve our well being by helping us burn fat, improve our heart rate, and help with blood circulations. Moreover, we can tone our calves, arms, and legs just by walking short distances everyday. Also, a person can lose a few calories easily. (Ask our professor, he walks a lot!) In addition, taking walks in this town called
Sweet Dreams, Beautiful Nightmare
14 years ago
2 comments:
It is quite interesting that you interpret mobility with walking. I think when people hear the word, mobility, they think about cars, planes, ships, etc. It is true that walking is a great way to save money and helps you to maintain a healthy state. However, with the heat in Davis, it makes it extremely hard for us to do our daily activities with our own feet. Moreover, when stores, school and houses are so far apart from each other, we just need a form of transportation to help us to get to places we want to go. For example, you went to Union City to watch Hancock, but you could have walked/biked to one of the theaters in Downtown Davis to watch the same movie. My point is that because our basic "hang out spots" are located in different parts of the area, it seems impossible to walk to wherever we want. I think your ideology will work only when the city developers decide to put everything together. Don't get me wrong; I like your thought on this, but it just seems quite unpractical in the US.
I really appreciate the way that you get into this post, with the whimsical description of “Hancock.” I have lived in Davis for five years and have not had a car since I moved here; I walk most places in Davis (or ride my bike), and when I can't walk, I take the bus (to the airport) or the Amtrak (for instance, into Sacramento, SF, or the bay area). Once or twice a year, I rent a car if I want to go somewhere that is not serviced by bus or Amtrak. I don't know if I really 'save' any money, because I spend most of my money on food (see Aimee's next post), but I certainly don't spend it on gas. And as for the health benefits, I think you do see rapid results, both psychologically and physiologically. A few weeks of walking can make quite a difference. It is a change of pace, and it requires more patience, but walking is definitely a "way to save money and maintain a healthy state." In your last sentence, I think you mean "pedal" rather than "peddle."
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