# Why do people often represent distances as time **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 4, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938 "2015-08-04T00:54:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/41 "2015-08-05T13:26:31Z")
I realize that but referring distances as time still annoys me. My other big annoyance is when people using ton (a unit of mass) to represent a large number of items. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/42 "2015-08-05T13:48:05Z")
You sure have a ton of complaints. Are you a grumpy old man? šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/43 "2015-08-05T13:57:54Z")
The most direct route from my house to my motherā€™s is 103 miles. The fastest route (assuming no traffic) is 108 miles. The trip can take anywhere from two and a quarter hours to over 3 hours, depending on traffic. Neither she nor I live freeway-adjacent, and the shortest route is loaded with stop lights. The highway can be faster once I get there, or I can be sitting for ridiculously long times due to accidents or construction. Thatā€™s a lot to say when telling you how far I live from my momā€¦ šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/44 "2015-08-05T14:06:37Z")
In my college days we used to measure trips in joints consumable. ---
**Author:** ![ssgenius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@ssgenius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ssgenius)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/45 "2015-08-05T15:03:23Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You sure have a ton of complaints. Are you a grumpy old man? šŸ˜ƒ Never thought I was. However, that may be impression that I have given ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/46 "2015-08-07T00:43:29Z")
First time I used a gps, I found out my cabin door was 45 miles from the front door of my house. Until then I asssumed it was close to the 62 miles on my truckā€™s odometer. Usually though I just said it was a little over an hour away. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/47 "2015-08-07T01:47:43Z")
I always give distances in chord lengths because Iā€™m a pedantic jerk. How am I supposed to know that they arenā€™t planning on tunneling to their destination? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/48 "2015-08-07T01:54:17Z")
This is surprising to me as around here distances refer to miles. I think referring to time must an urban thing. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/49 "2015-08-07T02:24:04Z")
> [@ssgenius](#): > > (It probably all goes back to the original Star Wars where Han Solo claims to do the kessel run in 12 parsecs - similar mixup of time and distance)šŸ˜ƒ > > So it is all Harrison Fordā€™s fault:D I liked to think that he meant that since his warp drive was so good, it could warp spacetime so that the kessel system was only 12 parsecs away, instead however far it normally is. Although I seriously doubt that is what was meant when it was written. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/50 "2015-08-07T13:44:48Z")
> [@MareIt](#): > > Around here (DC Metro) you use time because it is a MUCH more accurate representation of the distance šŸ˜‰ If you use distance to describe how far something is, they will just respond with ā€œhow long does that takeā€ > > For example, I live 28 miles from the barn. It takes anywhere from 45-60 min. Tysonā€™s Corner is a major work area here, it is a mere 12 miles away, but also 45-60 minutes away during the week. I live 12 miles away from my job in Herndon. It is 20 minutes away, sometimes 30 This exactly. For me to drive 50km from my house could take anywhere from 30 mins to 3 hrs depending on direction and day/time. If someone is planning a trip thatā€™s all important info to have. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/51 "2015-08-07T16:47:39Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Last I checked, Spain wasnā€™t in North America, but maybe weā€™ve moved? Maybe you have because Barcelona is in the US. [Barcelona](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona,_Arkansas) ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/52 "2015-08-07T20:20:31Z")
I canā€™t believe that I am the first to mention that the meter (a unit of distance) is DEFINED by a unit of time and a speed. The meter is the length of the path traveled by light in vacuum during a time interval of 1/299792458 of a second. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2015, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938/53 "2015-08-07T21:45:21Z")
Iā€™m another near-Seattle person and time is absolutely the only meaningful measure of a trip around here. Iā€™m not even sure how far away I am from Seattle in miles. What I know that it takes 30 minutes with no traffic and up to 2 hours with traffic. I also know that Kingston is either a 3 hour drive around the sound or 2 hours by ferry. I honestly have no idea what the real distance is and itā€™s pretty much irrelevant until they come up with an amphibious car. > [@snfaulkner](#): > > I liked to think that he meant that since his warp drive was so good, it could warp spacetime so that the kessel system was only 12 parsecs away, instead however far it normally is. Although I seriously doubt that is what was meant when it was written. What was originally meant has been fan-wanked so many times, itā€™s like a bukkake scene out of a nightmare. šŸ™‚ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-often-represent-distances-as-time/726938.md?page=2)