Although units of length are normally most appropriate for measuring
distance, with
urban congestion taking over more and more of people's living space we often refer to distance in units of
time. In the
Los Angeles area, this has been true for years:
"How far is it from here to your grandmother's house?"
"About 40 minutes."
In
San Francisco, it takes me about 20 minutes to get between any two points. If they're close together, I walk. If they're far apart, I ride my motorcycle or take a taxi.