The agony of pedestrian walking patterns

[Xray the Enforcer]

FFS man come down here and we will take you around to some FLAWLESS beer. We will make sure nobody gives you a beatdown for sidewalk infractions.

[Gertrude]

I don't live in a congested city, nor do I usually traverse sidewalks other than my neighborhood. Yeah, it's generally stick to the right, but it's not really an issue. The thing that gets me is the people who walk side by side talking and taking up the whole sidewalk. Don't let me bother you assholes, I'll just walk on the grass so as not to inconvenience you. That's just a common courtesy thing, though.

i hate crowds, so if I am on a sidewalk that is that congested, I am an excellent weaver. I try to stay to my lane, but I'm really good at finding openings and exploiting them.

[zelticgar]

1 hour ago, larrytheimp said:

I live only an hour 45 away, and the Hudson train station is 25 from my door, but I haven't been in the city since 2004.  Have been tempted to paddle my kayak down there and back though 

same rules on the trail Larry. Pass on the right even in the woods. Failure to comply gets you the stink eye! 

[Xray the Enforcer]

32 minutes ago, Gertrude said:

I don't live in a congested city, nor do I usually traverse sidewalks other than my neighborhood. Yeah, it's generally stick to the right, but it's not really an issue. The thing that gets me is the people who walk side by side talking and taking up the whole sidewalk. Don't let me bother you assholes, I'll just walk on the grass so as not to inconvenience you. That's just a common courtesy thing, though.

These people should be shot into the Sun.

[Stubby]

On some of our dual-use paths (pedestrians & cyclists) we have marked traffic lanes. 

[Mlle. Zabzie]

I live in a city where you learn to walk correctly or be mowed down by hyper aggressive commuters.  I'm one of those commuters.  I ENFORCE.  And the rules aren't written anywhere.  You learn, or you are doomed to circle Times Square in agony for eternity.

[MercurialCannibal]

I walk fast and determined...and on the right. 

if you are too slow I will slip around you. and if you suddenly stop to take a photo of the capital building and I careen into you I will curse you 'fucking tourist' and be again hastily on my way. 

stay to the right!

and if you are going to stand on the escalators please do so on the right to allow passing on the left!

[Starkess]

There is a sidewalk over the bridge here with very clearly marked bike/pedestrian lanes. People are pretty good about it usually, but last time I biked over it I was cruising down the downhill side of the hill very quickly and almost crashed into like 3 people who were just wandering obliviously about in the bike portion. I was livid.

[larrytheimp]

On 4/9/2017 at 6:51 PM, Xray the Enforcer said:

FFS man come down here and we will take you around to some FLAWLESS beer. We will make sure nobody gives you a beatdown for sidewalk infractions.

Challenge accepted!

[Iskaral Pust]

5 hours ago, Starkess said:

There is a sidewalk over the bridge here with very clearly marked bike/pedestrian lanes. People are pretty good about it usually, but last time I biked over it I was cruising down the downhill side of the hill very quickly and almost crashed into like 3 people who were just wandering obliviously about in the bike portion. I was livid.

You should see the Lake Shore trail here in Chicago.  Walking vs biking lanes are clearly marked but, especially on a day like today, there will be thousands of people using the trail and there will be plenty of morons and jerks walking in groups who block the cycling lane or step into it abruptly without looking.  There are blocked cyclists, near misses, and a few collisions too.  There's a longer term plan to add a physical divider since lane markings are apparently insufficient. 

[Starkess]

14 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said:

You should see the Lake Shore trail here in Chicago.  Walking vs biking lanes are clearly marked but, especially on a day like today, there will be thousands of people using the trail and there will be plenty of morons and jerks walking in groups who block the cycling lane or step into it abruptly without looking.  There are blocked cyclists, near misses, and a few collisions too.  There's a longer term plan to add a physical divider since lane markings are apparently insufficient. 

Almost hit someone today who stepped out directly in front of my bike (not in a crosswalk). It's like people think getting hit by a bike won't hurt or something??

[Astromech]

54 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said:

You should see the Lake Shore trail here in Chicago.  Walking vs biking lanes are clearly marked but, especially on a day like today, there will be thousands of people using the trail and there will be plenty of morons and jerks walking in groups who block the cycling lane or step into it abruptly without looking.  There are blocked cyclists, near misses, and a few collisions too.  There's a longer term plan to add a physical divider since lane markings are apparently insufficient. 

It's also that time of year in the Midwest where a sea of pasty white bodies from lack of sun can be quite blinding. Perhaps they were just disoriented

[Iskaral Pust]

12 minutes ago, Astromech said:

It's also that time of year in the Midwest where a sea of pasty white bodies from lack of sun can be quite blinding. Perhaps they were just disoriented

So much pale flesh on display today.  Listen, I'm paler than most people pretty much all year around, but I still find it unsightly. 

[larrytheimp]

On 4/9/2017 at 7:11 PM, zelticgar said:

same rules on the trail Larry. Pass on the right even in the woods. Failure to comply gets you the stink eye! 

Is this a thing?  Ive always passed on whatever side was opposite the path of least resistance. In other words, let the person I'm passing tread the easy path, while the passer takes the path over boulders or through the mud to get ahead.  However, I always give uphill hikers right of way unless they move over on their own

[Astromech]

4 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

So much pale flesh on display today.  Listen, I'm paler than most people pretty much all year around, but I still find it unsightly. 

Haha, the park was crowded with "glares" today. I probably blinded a few passersby myself.

On ‎4‎/‎9‎/‎2017 at 6:01 PM, Gertrude said:

I don't live in a congested city, nor do I usually traverse sidewalks other than my neighborhood. Yeah, it's generally stick to the right, but it's not really an issue. The thing that gets me is the people who walk side by side talking and taking up the whole sidewalk. Don't let me bother you assholes, I'll just walk on the grass so as not to inconvenience you. That's just a common courtesy thing, though.

i hate crowds, so if I am on a sidewalk that is that congested, I am an excellent weaver. I try to stay to my lane, but I'm really good at finding openings and exploiting them.

This always reminds of playing We'll Never Stop at recess as a child. The couples holding hands and refusing to break their bond.

[Dr. Pepper]

There aren't really sidewalks in my city so we don't have this problem, unfortunately.  On walking trails and hiking, I tend to stick to the right side, but if I need to pass someone then I just do it regardless of the side they are on.  nbd.  However, I've found that I really dislike cyclists on these trails.  They act like they have right of way and that everyone should immediately move for them.  I often wish they'd find some other place to ride.  Some other wider place so they aren't causing problems for all the walkers and runners.  

[Isis]

Sorry, what is the difference between a sidewalk and a street?

[larrytheimp]

4 hours ago, Isis said:

Sorry, what is the difference between a sidewalk and a street?

A sidewalk is the raised section of concrete (usually) that is for pedestrians only, and runs parallel to traffic on the edges of the street.  The street itself is for vehicular traffic.

[The BlackBear]

Edinburgh during the festival is a nightmare for walking anywhere. Everyone's walking interminably slowly, people veer from side to side for no discernible reason, families form dams from side to side, and then there are the people who will just stop dead. I usually cycle everywhere, but for some reason it's seen as acceptable to just step into the road, and expect me to have to veer around you.

[DunderMifflin]

On 4/8/2017 at 1:44 AM, Arkhangel said:

Wait, what? There are places where pedestrians are expected to move like traffic, and stick to a specific side of the footpath? I've genuinely never heard of this. Is it primarily, or only, an American thing?

Doesn't work that way with automobile traffic either though. In congested areas of big cities it seems no matter how bad the walking traffic is, it's still much faster than driving.
As NYC in most places you can walk a half mile in a couple of minutes where it will take you 5-10++++ minutes to drive that same half mile.