According to new research, drivers, walkers, and bicyclists will generally provide us with more useful directions than transit riders. Published in Urban Planning, "Going Mental" shows that cognitively active travelers, regardless of commute by foot or car, tend to trump cognitively passive travelers, (those who frequent public buses and trains) in perceiving distance. Questioning cognitively active, passive, and mixed travelers about distances from a survey site to LA's city hall, the research demonstrated that the passive bus and subway riders have less of a grip on distance. Actively cognitive travelers, according to the results, were more likely to integrate street names in their directions, and also exhibited a sharper understanding of distances.
Yeah, but that's LA. Ask an Angeleno how far it is to his job and if he drives, he will tell you its 30 min by freeway. Angelenos never talk in miles because miles is a meaningless term in LA. Traveling 5 miles by freeway can take anywhere from 10 to 40 min........that's how congested the freeways are in LA..................so they come up with an average time. |
