ekellyga

When my wife and I walk the city streets in Europe, and another group of walkers is coming toward us, we usually move to the right side of the sidewalk, and "stagger" ourselves a bit to provide more room for the oncoming traffic. We would think that the oncoming people would equally edge over to their right side of the sidewalk, but they almost never do. Once we have moved over, they will continue forward, even if they are walking 3 or 4 abreast. Has anyone else noticed this phenomena?

I have started to just "hold my ground" and purposely bump shoulders, if they have made no effort to move over. Petty, huh?

Holly_uncasdewar

Yeah, I'd say it's petty. Why not take a different approach. Try this:

Be happy that you CAN walk.

In Europe.

Patrick

I've noticed the same thing, but I've found it just as commonly in New York, Chicago, or any other major US city. It certainly isn't a European thing!

Scarlett

Phenomena-a rare or significant fact or event..

I really would not classify people walking slowly in front of you on a sidewalk as a phenomena.
I also agree with Holly, there are so many things to be happy about, why get involved with the petty stuff?

mcgeezer

I agree with Holly.
I've noticed that sometimes people do this here in the U.S. Apparently this is the only way that some people can feel good about themselves so I smile at them and let them go by so I can find my bliss in positive ways, happy that I don't have to prove myself to total strangers walking down the street. I hope you will find a way to let it go and not get caught up in their space.
Wasn't it Ghandi who said, "An eye for an eye and pretty soon the whole world is blind"?

Scarlett

Oh, Well said, McGeezer! Thank you

marktynernyc

I can understand where he's coming from - I've encountered this on NYC sidewalks - and sometimes it is really annoying. Living in an urban center you have to share - you have to work together. A street corner is an amazing scene of choreography - hundreds of people pass each other without bumping into each other. I agree that you shouldn't let it bother you - there are more important things to be angry about. But sometimes....

PBT

Well, I am a fast walker. I get pretty impatient these days with hordes of tourists who bring pedestrian traffic to a virtual standstill in Midtown Manhattan. I normally don't bump into people but I am not particularly gentlemanly either.

xxx123

The same thing happens on Cape Cod sidewalks in Main Street Hyannis, Commercial Street Provincetown every summer. This also happens in the grocery store/mall when people park there carts in the middle of the aisle and pay no mind to who or what around them.

I must admit, that I too, am a "ground holder" in this instance.

earl30

Well, xxx123 to paraphrase yourself on another thread when you were being rude to someone, 'if you don't know the difference between they're and their maybe you should stay home.'

xxx123

Well earl, if we are going to get nitpicky, at least I know that an exclamation point does not come after a question....

Message: This post is disgusting. Didn't anyone ever tell you it's not polite to pick your seat!!!

so there/their/they're!

marktynernyc

I read that people walking while on their cellphones send out "mixed body signals" regarding the direction they are going because they were more absorbed in their conversation than where they were. Of course what really cracks me up - the woman who can't walk in her high heels, has a cigarette in one hand, a cup of hot Starbucks in the other and is listening to her walkman all the while wearing dark sunglasses - talk about Ms. Oblivia

Clifton

Doesn't really bother me and I'll usually do the weaving. I'm not likely to get into a shouldering contest to avoid the stepstep. Every now and then though, on a lousy day and I'm tired of being accommodating, as long as someone isn't about to walk over me from behind, I'll just stop and let them figure out how to handle it. They always do.

travelinwifey

Definitely isn't a Europe thing. I've noticed this quite a bit in Las Vegas. Either everybody is concentrating on gambling or on their losses! I only get bugged when somebody plows into me hard and doesn't say excuse me. On the other hand hubby has been known to run over people's feet with his luggage.....

scubatv

In parts of Europe, we have found, that people don't seem to mind at all if you are stopped directly in the middle of the walkway blocking people, walking slowly or even repeated mild bumps. In our experience, these things are not given a second thought.

This is exactly what we have enjoyed so much about walking in Europe.

In the states, people are very concerned that you don't stop, stay in line, walk briskly and that you obey the ? walking rules -. If you don't, you will certainly get some type of response.

In Europe, people are much more tolerant of others. The best part is that nobody cares either way.

Walking freedom.

celticdreams

ekellyga

I know EXACTLY what you mean. And, I notice it more in Germany than anywhere else. After a full day of walking,and people walking AT me - I become a ground holder, too. It's kind of like a game of chicken. I'm usually the one that ends of ducking and dodging, though.

The only thing that freaks me out more than that, is the people that just stop. No warning, no pulling to the side. They just stop. This happens here just as often, though - especially in the malls - when they're already doing the mall crawl. You know that slow almost side to side walk you have to do when it's really crowded....

It also brings to mind a question I've been meaning to ask some of my 'other side of the road' friends. Here in the states, we drive on the right, and most of us would pull to the right side of the sidewalk (like you mentioned). If you were in London, would you pull to the left of the sidewalk?

ekellyga

Geez, didn't think I'd get so many responses. I especially love the ones correcting other people's grammer or choice of words. (petty...huh?)

I don't live in an area of the U.S. where people actually walk anywhere, so that is why I noticed it in Europe so much. It is not like I get into a shouldering contest and knock people silly. I'm a very laid back person, but when 4 people are walking toward us, and the two of us politely get into single file, and even have to almost squeeze up against the building...and the other party makes NO movement to open a bit more sidewalk..it is annoying.

My posting was just a curiosity to see if others noticed it. Isn't there another web site where people can be critical of grammer, and a different one to chide people for not smelling the roses???

flanneruk

Celticdreams:

There are no 'rules of the pavement' for pedestrians in London - or, as far as I'm aware, anywhere else in Europe.

But here's the thing: since this is the first time I've ever heard of such an idea, I've never followed any such rules in New York or Chicago.

And no-one's ever yelled at me for it - whereas New Yorkers and Chicogoans are rarely backward in expressing mild (!)displeasure at most other social gaffes.
Nor, in a reasonably lengthy life exposed to many American influences, and many accounts of aliens in New York, have I seen any reference to this phenomenon.

Do real American cities actually have such unwritten rules? If so, how are they kept so secret?

PS. ekelly and Scarlett: You're obviously not cursed with orthographomania. So you probably don't understand just how painful sufferers find it to read "phenomena" used as a singular. 'Phenomena', 'media' and 'criteria' are used only as plurals (Though the French do talk about 'les medias'. But understanding other languages has never been their strong suit, poor dears)

In the singular: phenomenon, criterion and medium.

guy

Also see: datum, singular; data, plural.

SAnParis

I never let this bother me too much either but once we were inundated w/this horde of young heathens who were literally running everyone off of the sidewalks. After about the third group I held my ground & dropped my shoulder. (If he hadn't been holding on to his buddies he would have been on the ground). There jovial mood & antics seemed to change a little as they continued down the street. This was in Germany I believe. Sometimes you have to make a stand, literally.