Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Automobiles are not addictive in the medical sense, but consider that, all else being equal, heavy car users will, much faster than others, lose the capacity to walk long distances.


This, so much.

I take transit and cycle everywhere. Even with the bike and bus there's lots of walking to and from bus stops.

When I am out with colleagues and we want to go somewhere even a half a mile away people are all "that's soooo far..."

No wonder e-scooters are so popular. (And I suspect lots of their user base are smokers.)


I suspect (I'm a non-obese non-smoker) that far more obese non-smokers get winded by walking such a distance than non-obese smokers, at least until they're fairly old. Also, in walkable cities, I see quite a few smokers but much fewer obese people. If we're talking about hiking hills, it balances out a bit more, although I think the obese would still be at a disadvantage. Losing some of your lung capacity doesn't matter too much until you do intense exercise, but obese people always have to expend extra effort to carry their weight around.




Consider applying for YC's Summer 2026 batch! Applications are open till May 4

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: