Of course but its more convenient when you choose when this time sink has to happen. Its why people go for a run in the morning instead of just jogging everywhere they go in life. Not to mention its a cost you pay more than once if you go down to the station multiple times a day. Take just three trips and your day just turned into a 22 and a half hour one only factoring the walk on the home side.

1. Any commute is a time sink we have little choice when to do it. I found walking as part of a commute with mass transit to be a better use of my time than sitting in a car. My walk was exercise. On transit I could read a book or answer work email/slack. In a car I was sedentary and focused on driving.

2. I don't know anyone that leaves their home for three separate trips on transit a day. Two tops, and usually it's just one. It's rare to leave the home three times in one day with a car if one of the trips is an eight hour workday. Usually people combine trips.

3. Again, walking is good. We should be walking. It's fantastic to have places to walk to. This isn't a bad thing or a chore.

In a car you can listen to podcasts or audiobooks at least. If it self drives for you then email and slack is fair game too. 3 separate trips wouldnt be hard to imagine. The commute is trip one. Picking up takeout is trip two. Running to target after dinner is trip three. That sort of thing is tough with transit though. Oftentimes your business is not in the same place, so you might be going all over town running errands or making appointments. The car is of course much faster to pivot between places than tranfers and waiting. Walking is good, but clearly people today have opted for the temporal convenience of driving over the physical benefits of walking, which might be faster to achieve with a more intense gym session. Its not like many rail stations see 100% car free living within their walksheds today. For some they have big lots because many of their riders prefer a few minutes driving to the station in a climate controlled vehicle over the alternative.

I also listen to podcasts and audiobooks... while walking and taking public transit to work. No difference.

I can listen to those while walking. And if that podcast or audiobook gets interesting, it is not interfering with my ability to pay attention. The amount of people who say they are taking their language lessons or other involved listening in car is absurd on HN. But, it explains some amount of causalities.

And no, going to gym is not easier. It costs money, it is time consuming and it does not have the same effect as normal walking.

>I don't know anyone that leaves their home for three separate trips on transit a day. Two tops, and usually it's just one.

Is not this the problem with transit? Your traveling is so cumbersome that you seem to be restricting yourself to the bare minimum. Of course, you can also claim "that's a good thing!" but can you talk from the both sides of your mouth and claim that transit is faster and more convenient while also limiting your travel options?

Walking and jogging are not comparable at all. Jogging is a full on sport, walking is mode of transport with an element of healthy movement. People who frequently walk somewhere dont necessary go for jogging, only determined minority of people jog.

> Take just three trips and your day just turned into a 22 and a half hour one only factoring the walk on the home side.

The exact same thing goes if you go to the same place with a car. But, first, you did not had that healthy factor of walking. Second, if you are tired, overworked, have troubles you need to think about or want to listen some educational tape, you are becoming hazard on road as a bonus.

Not Just Bikes preached this concept in "The Gym of Life": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPUlgSRn6e0