What has just happened?

You all meet up at the coffee shop.
Your friends Andrew, Alyssa, Denis, Spencer, Carly, and Ian are all there waiting for you.
You talk for a few minutes and are deciding on what way you want to go.
There is a 15 minute walk but it is super risky due to security.
Then there is an hour walk with no problems because it is all backroads.
Which one do you take?