What's Wrong With This Picture?

Often, when I go to the gym, I'm shocked by the drivers waiting to get a space in the parking lot at high-demand times. It's shocking because they could easily get a space on the street just 100 or 200 feet away. That kind of distance could easily be walked in a minute or less, so they certainly aren't saving any time by parking closer. What make it more remarkable is the mentality behind it...they are going to the gym to exercise, but getting a little more exercise prior to their workout or class - not a chance! To me, the whole situation is bizarre.

I will say that I (who lives about 3/8 mile from my gym) often drive over, to get in a workout before work, or stop in on my way home. I try (and sometimes get lazy) to walk over when the workout is my only activity. The stroll over is a great warmup or cooldown. It can be done at an intensity level that doesn't make me break a sweat if I've showered and changed or it can be done with vigor to get me to the gym (or home) more quickly.

We've gotten into a mentality where exercise done out of a gym setting is often not recognized as exercise or valued for its calorie burning or other benefits. Many of the people who go to my gym live within a mile of it, now some don't have the ability to walk over readily, but most do (or at least should). Why don't they enhance their workout by adding the walk to and from the gym at least some of the time?