To be astounded at colleagues' reluctance to walk?

[FlannelTinyTowel]

I recently worked with a colleague I've not worked with before. Part of our job involves going to people's homes. I was driving, with colleague directing a whole other thread as she was more familiar with the routes and locations (she usually drives).

At one point, she told me the house we were going to was on the right, so I pulled over and parked between the parked cars on the right.

She told me it was a bit further down the road, as if I had pulled over too soon and should drive on a bit. Actually waited for me to restart the engine and drive on.

Turns out we were just THREE houses along from the correct one. It would have taken far longer to pull out (from the right) on the quite busy road, drive approx. 20 metres to the next space, then pull over and park again, than to walk this v v short distance.

I was gobsmacked at this.

There were a few other similar incidents/comments in the same day.

I should add - colleague doesn't have any disabilities that make walking harder (pretty sure of this due to other aspects of the job including having to walk on occasion), and it was a pleasant day, not cold or raining.

AIBU to be astounded by her reluctance to walk? (And a despairing at this planet-destroying mindset?)

Same here. Close to down and loads of my neighbours drive. In the pandemic a few of them started walking, now they've gone back to the car.

On busy days I can walk it quicker than they can drive and park. I could never miss the opportunity to get free exercise, keep healthy and save money. Lots of people really are oblivious to their health and it will bite them on the backside eventually.

Where do you live that you come across all this anti-social behaviour on public transport? My journeys are virtually all very boring, with all the other passengers sitting quietly, reading or chatting to each other.

Thanks @PaminaMozart - I'll look into that, I've definitely neglected my abs

I’ve had this. I have a habit of parking in quieter far corners of car parks to avoid being dinged by cars parking next to you, and also parking in quieter areas of residential streets away from corners and junctions to avoid being scraped etc by Lorry’s etc. Not miles away, just an extra couple of minutes of a walk at most. Work colleagues, friends and family have been aghast! Lazy sods! I’m not risking expensive damage to my car to save them walking a few extra yards. When it’s busy and I have to park next to other cars or on busy streets, then fair enough, but when there’s the option to park somewhere safer and walk a tiny bit further, I’ll happily do it. But other people just can’t grasp that they have to use their legs! Obviously not talking about disabled people!

You'd think it was rude if someone visiting you didn't park right outside your house?

So it might be a disability but I am surprised that so many people don't know anyone like this.
I quite often go places and someone will proudly say "I got a space right outside" when the rest of us had to walk up to 20 metres to get there from the slightly further away spaces. I have a friend whose husband will move the car if he has parked and then sees a closer space.
Even my teenagers will be shouting "There's a space right there!" when I go past a really tight parking space and go to a bigger one a few car lengths away.
If it's a need to park outside the house you are visiting, she could say this, especially if she perhaps knows something more about the road/area than you do.

No, that's not what I said at all.

Many people just feel it's more polite to park outside the house they're visiting rather than outside a neighbours house.

Yes, I’ve visited parts of the US where people think anyone who is actually walking anywhere - not jogging - must be unhinged.

I largely exclude the area where a Dsis used to live - Cambridge, Mass. - walking wasn’t seen there as a minor form of lunacy.

The OP said she walks. She didn’t mention running.

Asked a student yesterday if she was getting picked up with her sister or walking home. They live 10 minutes’ walk. Apparently the younger sister doesn’t like walking so they were being picked up. Both over 12. My cousin just started secondary and it’s at least a 30 minute walk. He’ll be walking back daily, if not there and back.

It reminds me of the Bill Bryson book where he's doing the Appalachian Trail and wants to go from his motel to a Walmart that's metres away - but there's no pavement or safe way to actually get there, but he gives it a go and he ends up in a ditch somewhere absolutely covered in mud

Is she overweight by any chance? I’ve noticed my overweight colleagues never take the stairs and always use the lift, even when they’re only going up one flight of stairs. It’s so lazy, I’ve never used the lift even if I have to walk up four flights.

There was recently a Michael Mosley TV programme (IIRC not shown before) where he said that if everyone walked for just 15 minutes a day, it would make a big difference.
I was surprised at the ‘15 minutes’ - we’re so used to being exhorted to do 10,000 steps - which many people just don’t have the time or opportunity for - so I dare say a lot of people assume that much less than 10k just isn’t worth bothering with.

I think it's quite telling how many people think undisclosed disability is the issue. It goes to show how normalised it is to not walk short distances anymore. When it was expected you'd walk somewhere, you'd explain you couldn't, no need to give any medical details. Even my feet hurt/ too tired or something

Now so many people drive everywhere people clearly don't need to justify it. It's a change of mindset to think walking isn't the default anymore.

Some people are just incredibly lazy.
I used to live with a nurse who would drive to the corner shop for her chocolate fix. The corner shop, 25 houses away (terraced) away, max.
It would take her longer to find her keys and reverse out, and sometimes she'd come back moaning about there being no space to park up the road.
I was, and still am, genuinely gobsmacked.

Like people who use the lift to go up, or worse down, one floor.

I wouldn't be gobsmacked or astounded. I'd just assume she was in the habit of parking outside the destination house.

Also, it’s a bloody nightmare to park in town. I just don’t understand the logic unless you have a lot to carry or the weather is terrible. Crackers

So it was only one colleague? You've said colleagues in your thread title.

Was it raining?

And does she have arthritic knees?

Working in the community I've always been told to park as close as possible to the property, with the car facing towards the exit of the street/cul-de-sac etc. This is for safety so that you can escape as quickly as possible if needed. Perhaps your colleague had similar advice, I got this advice while training for my profession at uni and when starting in my job.

Yes its a very strange anti public transport stance, and such a limiting way to live. I've used buses and public transport all over the uk and the worst problem I've ever encountered is noisy face timers or annoying music

It always surprises me, too. A friend of mine got a bus home from our house on a lovely bright sunny day (not in hot weather.) The bus would have taken her far longer than the walk, due to the route. I was astounded! I would have jumped at the chance to walk on such a nice day, but she couldn’t be bothered.

Look how many medals Britain has won the para Olympics. they are often capable of much more than some able bodied people.

You do realise the people who have won medals in the paralympics are ATHLETES? Yes? Of course they they are capable of much more than some able bodied people in the same way Usain Bolt is!!!!