Walker Profiles: Wayne Myers-Taylor
Walk to Work Day is Friday, April 12. In the lead up to the big day, we talked with San Franciscans who already walk to their workplace or wherever they spend their day.
In our next installment of Walker Profiles, we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Myers-Taylor who walks to work in SOMA from Upper Haight each day.
How did you decide to start walking from work?
My cholesterol was high; I needed more exercise — and I got tired of running in place at the gym. So I got a pedometer, and decided that I was going to get to 10,000 steps a day, come hell or high water.
What is your favorite part about walking home from work?
Looking at the architecture and the amazing scenery! It’s great to spend some time at a slower pace. I actually prefer walking to biking because I get time to think, instead of rushing to where I need to go. Plus, as a new-ish resident, walking really helps me learn the city layout.
What challenges have you faced when walking to work? How do you overcome them?
No traffic lights! I come from New York City, and it’s traffic lights everywhere, and vehicles obey them (mostly). Here in SF, I’m constantly dueling with cars making “rolling stops,” or bicycles that don’t stop at all. So I find that I have to stay aware at all intersections.
Do you have regular stops on your walk? Regular people you interact with?
I do say “hello” to a regular crew of dogwalkers on Page Street, and a Sikh man that I encounter walking in the opposite direction. When I get bored, I switch routes — Page one day, Hayes another, and sometimes I cut through Duboce Park and take 16th all the way to SOMA.
What’s your favorite walk story/experience?
There’s a kid’s vendor stand on Noe, near Henry. It looks like the makeshift wooden counter from “Peanuts” where Lucy dished out advice for five cents. Anyway, I think there were kids selling lemonade from it once, but they left the stand behind, and every couple of days, someone writes a new item for sale across the top in chalk. First is was cookies for five cents, then bike repair, dream analysis, Lego building help, and so on.
It’s fun seeing random creativity in action.
Thanks Wayne for sharing your story with us! Are you already walking to work? Tell us about your experiences here.
Interested in walking to work on Friday, April 12? Learn about Walk to Work Day contests, drawing prizes and Hubs near you for FREE coffee and pre-loaded Clipper cards at walk2workday.org.