How long do you think it’ll be before the price of gas reaches five bucks a gallon? Just in time for Easter perhaps? Certainly, barring a dramatic reversal, gas will be at five bucks a gallon or higher by summertime, coinciding with a lot of Americans’ vacations.

So what do we do about it? If you’ve lived in Southern California for any length of time, as I have, then you know that mass transit is not what it should be. And I’m being polite about it. In San Diego we have the trolley, which is a limited alternative for many, and we have buses, but mostly what we have are freeways. That ignominy we share with our big brother, Los Angeles.

Rather than dreaming of a Utopian solution or just bitching about the problem, I have rediscovered the economy and the sample pleasure of walking. We live in San Diego, people. Get out of your cars and get out in the fresh air and the (occasional) sunshine!

To be fair, walking everywhere isn’t practical. We have schedules and commitments that don’t always allow us to take half an hour, or an hour or even longer to get somewhere. We have groceries or kids to tote. We have certain destinations that aren’t naturally accessible by foot.

But the advantages of walking to wherever far outweigh the disadvantages.

First of all, walking is good for you. It’s exercise. It’s free, and it’s as easy or vigorous as you want it to be.

Next there’s the people-watching. Whether you’re in your own neighborhood or in the heart of the city, you’ll encounter a fascinating parade of people. Have you noticed, too, that people seem friendlier when they’re walking? Especially in the morning. Folks who normally would never exchange words at all are willing to trade “Good mornings” without hesitation. Try it. It makes you wonder why people can be so nasty toward each other when they’re in their cars during the morning commute, yet so amiable at the same time of day when on foot.

It’s a cliché, but walking really does afford you the chance to “stop and smell the roses.” Unless you’re in a hurry to get somewhere, in which case you’re probably not on foot anyway, you can observe the world around you when you’re walking. Don’t be surprised if you notice things you never noticed before – the Calico cat that likes to sun itself in the window of the house down the street; the mural painted by kids on the wall of the school building; the ornamental lamp in the shop that reminds you of the one at your grandmother’s house.

Walking’s good for your mind as well as your body. You’ll think about the money you’re not spending on overpriced gasoline, and your conscience will be lightened when you consider what your gas-powered car’s not doing to the environment. It’s a win-win.

For all its sprawl and all its freeway infrastructure, San Diego is a walkable town. The oil companies don’t want you to know that. I do.