Pavement Etiquette
Author
Discussion

Tsippy

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

200 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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Whilst walking around towns in the UK, I've noticed that certain groups within the community (students) insist on taking up the whole width of the pavement by walking side by side, even when someone walks towards them confused

Are they dim or just inconsiderate? Or a mix of both?

thetapeworm

13,888 posts

270 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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Both, just stop in front of them.

Glassman

25,066 posts

246 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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Next time it happens, just stand in the middle of the pavement and look up to the sky with your arms out wide

anonymous-user

85 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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I think the group you are describing are cocks rather than students!

Tsippy

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

200 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
quotequote all
Oh usually I either walk through them or "answer my phone" which results in my elbow protruding somewhat, but they seem shocked that I did not move out of their way laugh

I just thought it'd be common sense to perhaps form a single line when other pedestrians are walking towards you? What the hell do two lines of students walking towards eachother do? Commence an epic Greek hoplite battle where they shove eachother backwards and forwards until one side dies from exhaustion?

ShadownINja

80,149 posts

313 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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MonkeyMatt said:
I think the group you are describing are cocks rather than students!
Pretty much. That said, it's the general mentality of the UK public. "I'm alright, Jack."

Mr AJ

1,247 posts

202 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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Tsippy said:
What the hell do two lines of students walking towards eachother do?
I've completed Extensive Research on the problem and come to the only possible conclusion.


DANCE OFF.

captainzep

13,306 posts

223 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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If you walk along with can of Special Brew, having a heated argument with yourself, this problem often doesn't arise.

Pigeon

18,535 posts

277 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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It's not just students, it's bleeding everyone. It still happens in areas where there aren't any students. Even people walking on their own seem to somehow manage to expand themselves sideways so as to occupy the entire width of the path. It's bloody annoying. There seems to be some kind of Parkinson's law of pedestrian tttism: pedestrians expand to meet available path width. Makes me want to carry some sort of gun that fires vertical strings of condensed matter to gravitationally shrink them down to a less obstructive width.

Tsippy

Original Poster:

15,078 posts

200 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
quotequote all
captainzep said:
If you walk along with can of Special Brew, having a heated argument with yourself, this problem often doesn't arise.
That's actually quite true, there was a strange chap walking through Winchester saying

"I have had it studying these humans, they are just so inferior, please take me back"

but he was on his own......

perhaps he wanted free roam on the pavement too laugh

Cas_P

1,497 posts

214 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
quotequote all
I'm a student and because of this I do, obviously, walk on a pavement in a sumo suit with my arms spread out and jump on anyone who may try to pass me on MY pavement. I'll stop doing this when I graduate wink ps: where are you finding these students? We're all bumming at home watching comedy roadshow waiting for Uni to commence in October tongue out

anonymous-user

85 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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thetapeworm said:
just stop in front of them.
That's what I do, then the ball is in their court.

captainzep said:
If you walk along with can of Special Brew, having a heated argument with yourself, this problem often doesn't arise.
I used to be a student in Southampton, went back there last month and I'd forgotton what a dump it is until I witnessed a tramp pick up a half-full can of Special Brew from behind a bin where he'd been "Saving it"

carreauchompeur

18,331 posts

235 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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This does my head in. In my corner of Bristol there are more than a few "Daddy bought me..." arrogant students. It's just bad manners and, as a previous poster said, all a part of the "me me me" attitude of modern Britain.

I will happily move to the road side of the pavement but will not step into the road, that's the boundary. If that causes them to collide with my elbow and/or the rest of me it's tough.

Likewise with bikes riding on the pavement, I won't make room. A chav took exception to this recently, however rapidly backed off when I replied quite precisely to the aggressive challenge of "Wot are you going to do about it?" including some reference to arrest, and the withdrawal of my baton from the shoulder holster under my suit.

Yes, chav. Some argumentative pedestrians are on duty detectives!

Andyr86

209 posts

230 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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It was my impression that any form of etiquette is dead in the UK.

Triumph Man

9,630 posts

199 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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I find that if there is a lady, either pregnant, old, with pushchair etc, I will walk on the outside of the pavement, almost as if I am protecting her from the potential dangers of the road. If the pavement is too small for two, and again its a lady coming towards me, I will always step off.

I'm really quite the gentleman, unusual considering I'm 18.

Then again I have been known to hoon a car whilst wearing a tweed jacket.

hooperpride

689 posts

209 months

Saturday 17th July 2010
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The people who piss me off are those who just stop dead in the street, they obviously have no clue as to whats going on around them, doubly annoying when it's a group of them.

Buzz word

2,028 posts

240 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
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I have noticed this too. I find it quite irksome when they are 3-4 wide and cant seem to realize that they have literally left you nowhere to be. If I'm feeling polite I will look for a gap to fit into. If not the only way to progress is the london tactic of just barelling through whilst looking through them. I sometimes wonder about pedestrians in general the dawdelers, sudden stoppers, random turners etc. I wonder what goes on in their head and why they cant seem to realize their actions lead to the problems they encounter. I'm not sure if it is selfishness or a general malaize and stupidity that they have no idea about their environment.

As a fix for now I may start running evertwhere yelling. I have a good feeling that will yield clear passage.

Flintstone

8,644 posts

278 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
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As has already been suggested just stop dead in front of them and make eye contact. On the rare occasion I've been challenged I've pointed out that they are walking three abreast (or more) so I've nowhere to go.

Inconsiderate tts.

ShiggyBiggs

713 posts

205 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
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I thought the rules were just give way to anyone bigger than you, or anyone that you shouldnt get in the way of. Such as old people and the like?

Famous Graham

26,553 posts

256 months

Sunday 18th July 2010
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No. The rule (singular) is "treat others the way you should be treated".

Covers all the bases. Good and bad.