In discussing our plans to go to lunch today, I and a fellow teacher were trying to decide whether or not to go on foot. The distance to the restaurant is quite walkable, but just far enough so that the limited time we get for lunch grows short. She said, "so it's closer by car then?" I readily agreed.
At that moment I recalled that I've heard that expression a great deal in my time here. It's closer by car. The fact of the matter is, of course the restaurant gets no closer if we go by car; it's not like us taking a car prompts the destination to spontaneously move closer to the starting point.
Of course in English we say "it's faster to get there by car." In Japanese, many people say "it's closer."
Nothing special, just a smile-inducing observation. I'll admit the idea of the restaurant growing a pair of enormous bird legs was appealing.