Why do so many people who live in walking distance to a metro still drive to work?

[Anonymous]

So if Metro is so terrible why pay a premium for living near it?

Equity protection. Even if you do not use the metro areas in close proximity to a metro tend to hold and increase their value faster than areas outside the metro area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So if Metro is so terrible why pay a premium for living near it?

Equity protection. Even if you do not use the metro areas in close proximity to a metro tend to hold and increase their value faster than areas outside the metro area.

+1 Duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My friend walks to get coffee every morning and then comes back to shower and get ready for work, so yes, basically walks to get coffee in Pjs. I find it bizarre.

Haha - I'm picturing this now. Amusing

I assume you live in the outer burbs, and walkability is not important to you at all? If not, how is a morning walk in Arlington or Bethesda any different than someone living on Capitol Hill or any other walkable neighborhood in DC?

We live in Arlington. I appreciate that others value a more urban environment however living in most of DC proper would not be for me. That said, I do like that I also can walk to a number of local things including a few restaurants, park, library and my kids' schools simply because it is nice to not be completely beholden to your car. Exercise and fresh air are nice!

It has nothing to do with dislike of exercise and fresh air, or living the outer burbs. It's bizarre to go get coffee in your pjs and then come back to the house to shower and get ready for work. In Paris or in Arlington. Some things should not see the light of day. Or night, come to think of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've seen so many people who live within 0.5-1 mile to a metro station still drive to work and I can't figure out why. Is it because of the heat? The crowds on the metro? The constant delays? We are planning to buy a house and try to gauge whether we would really actually use the metro, in case we decide to spend the extra hundreds of thousands of $ for the proximity to a metro station.

Thanks!

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I assume you live in the outer burbs, and walkability is not important to you at all? If not, how is a morning walk in Arlington or Bethesda any different than someone living on Capitol Hill or any other walkable neighborhood in DC?

We live in Arlington. I appreciate that others value a more urban environment however living in most of DC proper would not be for me. That said, I do like that I also can walk to a number of local things including a few restaurants, park, library and my kids' schools simply because it is nice to not be completely beholden to your car. Exercise and fresh air are nice!

It has nothing to do with dislike of exercise and fresh air, or living the outer burbs. It's bizarre to go get coffee in your pjs and then come back to the house to shower and get ready for work. In Paris or in Arlington. Some things should not see the light of day. Or night, come to think of it.

Ok, if she's actually in her pajamas then I'm in agreement. I assumed that was in jest, and the friend threw on a pair of sweats or shorts & a t-shirt for the walk to the coffeeshop.

[Anonymous]

I drive to the Metro. I used to walk it, but it's just shy of 2 miles and I have a 2 year old now. It's too far for DC to walk in a timely manner at this point and I refuse to bring a stroller on Metro with me. And, it's uphill the whole walk home, which would be asking a lot of DC at this age.

This is the first time I've lived in a city with public transit and not walked to/from the Metro/Subway/whatever station.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody I know in walkable neighborhoods walk anywhere. It's hot, it cold, it humid, it dangerous for the kids on the street, they have too much stuff to carry, etc.

They only walk to bars so they can walk home.

Right on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford a SFH within a mile of the Metro in NW DC, you're probably a partner in a law firm or other high powered job and get off work so late, it doesn't make sense to Metro.

That's not remotely true -- there are plenty of homes within a mile of Metro in NW DC but east of the park that non-lawyers could afford.

[Anonymous]

I just walked to metro today because of this post. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can afford a SFH within a mile of the Metro in NW DC, you're probably a partner in a law firm or other high powered job and get off work so late, it doesn't make sense to Metro.

That's not remotely true -- there are plenty of homes within a mile of Metro in NW DC but east of the park that non-lawyers could afford.

But -- GASP -- that is EOTP.