Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Detroit's 'Walking Man'
I'm sure this guy has put a few miles in and I bet it feels like 20 miles, but I've run a few 100 mile weeks and I just don't beleave it.
They say 7 miles from bus to work in morning. 7 miles from work to the bus, then 5 miles back to the house because after work the city bus does not run. 5 days a week.
At 13 minutes pace that's over 4 hours of walking And I don't think many people walk at 13 minute pace. Average walking pace is 17-20 minutes per mile at 17 minutes this would be over 5 hours.
What do other runners think. And he does really walk 19-20 a day then big respect, that is some real walking and I'm impressed.
Any thoughts?????
https://news.vice.com/article/detroits-walking-man-walks-on?utm_source=vicenewsfb
Sure, why not. He has (had?) more time than money.
Having been stuck on the treadmill at the gym for the last few weeks I saw this story on all of the news stations when he had his 15 minutes of fame. Its really kind of a sad story all the way around. I'm kind of ambivalent about the kick starter campaign and the car dealer getting involved. Its nice people wanted to help but did they help him or just make his life harder? I dunno man.
Runners run
I've heard it actually ends up as 7 hours of walking per day. Seemed hard to believe for me too, but I guess I'll believe it till proven otherwise.
I am also ambivalent about the campaign to get him a car, not because it won't help him, but because there are so many thousands of people in Detroit (and obviously elsewhere) with similar issues. Few jobs in the city so people have a long trip to work, and an abysmal public transportation system. And that's for those lucky enough to have jobs. His was an extreme case, but not sure why he should be the lucky one to hit the free car jackpot.
Dave
Kalsarikännit
I just don't beleave it.
They have had commuters come forward and say they see him out there walking every day. His boss says he shows up every darn day for work and isn't late. The guy has pride and work ethic. Good for him.
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
Old , Ugly and slow
The man who lives next door to me has walked to work for years.
It is about 3 miles each way. We live on top of a mile long hill.
first race sept 1977 last race sept 2007
2019 goals 1000 miles , 190 pounds , deadlift 400 touch my toes
rectumdamnnearkilledem
I saw his daily schedule posted...I think in the Detroit Free Press. He only sleeps 4-5 hours, most nights. It makes me sad and angry that we have people who are diligent and hard-working and have to sacrifice sleep in order to work for a meager living...and are left with no time for an actual life outside of work and the time involved to get to/from work. I hope with the car he'll have to the time to actually enjoy living.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
why he should be the lucky one to hit the free car jackpot.
Why not him? At least he did something noteworthy like display an extraordinary work ethic. Why did I win the "white male in America" jackpot instead of being born a girl in a Taliban controlled region of Afghanistan?
I was more concerned that the free car was just to make other people feel good about themselves and generate publicity for the dealer, and wasn't really a well-thought-out way to help the guy or fix the underlying problems that led to his situation, which you mentioned.
Why should half of the sixteen year olds in this country get a free car when their biggest achievement in life has been converting oxygen into carbon dioxide?
If that dude was smart he would have picked rich parents.
I'm with stick, mike and dave. Something feels odd. How do I know $$ is not the first type of help he really needs? I think we don't know the complete picture and hope people don't create bigger problems for the guy.
I'm curious why he never got a bike and saved hours of his daily life. He could have done a lot with that time. Sleep, work more, or anything...
Living in a semi-large metro area I see immigrants commuting on walmart/target bikes that can't be worth $50--$70. They are out commuting to and from work regardless of weather conditions or time of day. I see them on my crazy cold late night runs. They are out there commuting among the 6 foot snow banks. I'm going to assume they have good work ethics too. I'm not sure I see a huge difference between them and this guy, other than they got a cheap ill fitting bike.
I can only assume that maybe he walks past a few "professional ladies" on his way home and exchanges his bike money for services rendered.
Best Present Ever
Lots of people can't ride a bike. Riding a bike also feels dangerous. I choose to walk rather than bike for that reason - not being run over. Of course, I choose a walk over driving because I prefer not to drive, not because I can't afford to drive. I agree - this guy driving is a symptom of a systemic failure. I'm glad he's getting something. Too bad it sucks for so many.
Feeling the growl again
I'm curious why he never got a bike and saved hours of his daily life.
Because he'd be dead.
I'm well familiar with that area. Biking isn't a real option.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
Because he'd be dead. I'm well familiar with that area. Biking isn't a real option.
You mean casually riding 6-9 mph on sidewalk in reverse direction of traffic? It may be 2-3 times as fast as walking but it's slower than your easy pace. Not to be confused with cycling cycling.
Why are you assuming that he has continuous sidewalk? I assure you there is not. He is commuting from Detroit to Rochester Hills. Detroit metro is a very spread out area, and the area between Detroit and Rochester Hills is largely over-crowded formerly rural roads with no sidewalk, bike lane, and often no usable shoulder. I don't know what route he is taking, but I used to spend the whole day driving around that area. I would never consider a bike to be a legitimate option through that area.
MTA: I went back and refreshed my memory with a map. I guess it depends exactly where he was going in the Rochester area. But when you get that far north a clear path for a bike can't be assumed. And I had enough issues running on the sidewalks through there that I wouldn't be going any faster on a bike than an easy run pace (which is still a lot faster than walking). It is always possible he had no place to store a bike where it would not get stolen...
Why are you assuming that he has continuous sidewalk? I assure you there is not. He is commuting from Detroit to Rochester Hills. Detroit metro is a very spread out area, and the area between Detroit and Rochester Hills is largely over-crowded formerly rural roads with no sidewalk, bike lane, and often no usable shoulder. I don't know what route he is taking, but I used to spend the whole day driving around that area. I would never consider a bike to be a legitimate option through that area. MTA: I went back and refreshed my memory with a map. I guess it depends exactly where he was going in the Rochester area. But when you get that far north a clear path for a bike can't be assumed. And I had enough issues running on the sidewalks through there that I wouldn't be going any faster on a bike than an easy run pace (which is still a lot faster than walking). It is always possible he had no place to store a bike where it would not get stolen...
Mostly I assume he can run a 25 minute 5K with all that cardio.