Is it just me, or does there appear to be a big gap in how people understand this works?

There is no magic here. Replace "car" with some nonsense word the LLM hasn't encountered before. It will completely ignore the small amount of nonsense you have provided, and confidently tell you to walk, while assuming you are talking about a car. I'm fairly confident the first time this was tried using "car", it told them to walk.

"I want to wash my flobbergammer. The flobbergammer wash place is only 50 meters away. should I drive or walk."

Reply:

If it’s only *50 meters away*, definitely *walk*.

That’s about a 30–45 second walk for most people. Driving would likely:

* Take longer (getting in, starting the car, parking) * Waste fuel * Add unnecessary wear to your car * Be objectively funny in a “why did I do this” kind of way

The only reasons to drive would be:

* The flobbergammer is extremely heavy * Severe weather * You have mobility limitations

Otherwise, enjoy the short stroll. Your future self will approve.

Via chatGPT free tier. Paid Claude Sonnet 4.5 Extended gives me:

For just 50 meters, you should definitely walk! That's an incredibly short distance - less than a minute on foot. By the time you'd get in your car, start it, drive, and park, you could have already walked there and back. Plus, you'd avoid the hassle of finding parking for such a short trip. Walking is easier, faster, better for the environment, and you'll get a bit of movement in. Save the car for longer distances!