How far people walk during lunchtime: Comparing actual and perceived walking distances in the Central Business District of Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Walking has long been considered a significant factor in wellness. Previous studies have indicated 400-500 meters as a standard of the “acceptable walking distance” as compared to driving or other forms of transportation. However, “acceptable walking distance” and a “distance that one chooses to walk” are two different matters. More importantly, the distance people perceive for a trip can be one of the deciding factors in determining whether they are willing to walk, decide not to walk, or shift to other transportation modes. This research aims to define the optimal walking distances of office workers by measuring the discrepancy between their estimated and actual walking distances in the Central Business District of Bangkok during lunchtime, their most extended break during the day. The descriptive statistic shows that the average walking distance is 302.39 meters, but most workers walked shorter distances since the median distance is 211.66 meters. Nevertheless, these office workers, on the whole, significantly miscalculated their walking distances, with an average over-estimation of 191.45 meters. Regression analysis shows that, when walking for distances up to 380 meters, most workers overestimated the distance they walked, but that, when walking beyond that distance (that is, 380 meters), they estimated correctly, which indicates the maximum actual length they choose to walk.