Things that annoy you as a pedestrian
Discussion
Following on in a way from the flying thread. What annoys you about pedestrians when you are one yourself?
Saturday I had the occasion to be in London and needed to get from A-B reasonably swiftly - which would have been a nice walk of it wasn't for other pedestrians who seem completely and utterly unable to walk in a straight line at any consistent speed. Noses buried in phones ambling along, drifting left to right across the pavement. Or just walking normally one second then stopping flat dead in their tracks for no obvious reason.
I found myself picking 'overtaking' spots only to find when I get along side they drift in to me mid manoeuvre.
Mostly I found myself walking in the road as I fancied my chances of making the walk without being hit better with the traffic.
One last thing - pavement cafes. If you are going to choke your patrons on the kerb of a road in central London, do me a favour and don't walk directly in to my path and then stop dead while you look for the f
king table. Pedestrians on the pavement - people eating indoors please - or at least restaurant side of the pavement not kerb side.
Saturday I had the occasion to be in London and needed to get from A-B reasonably swiftly - which would have been a nice walk of it wasn't for other pedestrians who seem completely and utterly unable to walk in a straight line at any consistent speed. Noses buried in phones ambling along, drifting left to right across the pavement. Or just walking normally one second then stopping flat dead in their tracks for no obvious reason.
I found myself picking 'overtaking' spots only to find when I get along side they drift in to me mid manoeuvre.
Mostly I found myself walking in the road as I fancied my chances of making the walk without being hit better with the traffic.
One last thing - pavement cafes. If you are going to choke your patrons on the kerb of a road in central London, do me a favour and don't walk directly in to my path and then stop dead while you look for the f
king table. Pedestrians on the pavement - people eating indoors please - or at least restaurant side of the pavement not kerb side.opieoilman said:
After spending the weekend in London, those pull along cases almost drove me nuts. There seemed to be masses of them near any station, all with owners that seemed to be doing their best to get you to trip over their trailing case.
Good shout. Had this Saturday too, I did 'accidentally' manage to kick one when it's drive diverted left with no warning.Old biddies who exit a shop then stop dead in the doorway while they decide which way to go.
People trying to walk and text, who don't look where they are going.
Running the gauntlet of charity personnel along the length of any high street. Its not just throwing money in a bucket these days, they want you to stop. Donate by direct debit only, fill in a form or complete a survey. Go away!
Pedestrian precincts which seem to have more vehicles in than the normal streets. (Excluding disabled cars obviously).
People who have no regard for others that just barge their way through usually with sprogs in tow.
Pedestrian crossings that seem to have a dummy control button which means standing for ages on a busy street waiting for the lights to change of their own accord.
Smokers outside pubs who seem to take over the whole pavement meaning you have to interrupt their conversation to get by.
And yet all the above people disappear when you see a nutter coming towards you when you know he is wanting to talk to the first person he sees! Then it only seems to be you and him in the entire street.
People trying to walk and text, who don't look where they are going.
Running the gauntlet of charity personnel along the length of any high street. Its not just throwing money in a bucket these days, they want you to stop. Donate by direct debit only, fill in a form or complete a survey. Go away!
Pedestrian precincts which seem to have more vehicles in than the normal streets. (Excluding disabled cars obviously).
People who have no regard for others that just barge their way through usually with sprogs in tow.
Pedestrian crossings that seem to have a dummy control button which means standing for ages on a busy street waiting for the lights to change of their own accord.
Smokers outside pubs who seem to take over the whole pavement meaning you have to interrupt their conversation to get by.
And yet all the above people disappear when you see a nutter coming towards you when you know he is wanting to talk to the first person he sees! Then it only seems to be you and him in the entire street.
What does a Mallard wear to a posh dinner? A ducksedo! 
A perennial bugbear for me is when you walk past a bus stop just as said vehicle disgorges its passengers. Yes, I can anticipate people approaching but suddenly being swamped by 20 or so folk and going from minding my own business to flash mob in an instant is a pest. Seriously, does anyone look where they're going when getting off a bus or is it always a case of exit it like a burning building?
Some days I feel like I may as well have a rugby ball in my arms having just caught a "Gary Owen"
This, and people pulling out of driveways nearly mowing you down and/or blocking the pavement. Most times folk let you past, even reverse but there's one place I try and avoid on my walk to work and that's the entrance to a kids nursery (not too familiar with the terminology - wherever monied types dump their foul offspring for the day). Many is the time I've nearly been squashed by a school run Mum in a Chelsea tractor or sprogmobile. Curiously It's always been the unfairer sex, the blokes seem to have far greater road manners...
I had the temerity to wave a simple dismissive gesture - nothing rude, more Italian if anything - after nearly losing my toes in one instance and the hatchet faced harridan wound down the window and demanded to know what my problem was. My response wasn't as polite as the original wave.
A perennial bugbear for me is when you walk past a bus stop just as said vehicle disgorges its passengers. Yes, I can anticipate people approaching but suddenly being swamped by 20 or so folk and going from minding my own business to flash mob in an instant is a pest. Seriously, does anyone look where they're going when getting off a bus or is it always a case of exit it like a burning building?
Some days I feel like I may as well have a rugby ball in my arms having just caught a "Gary Owen"
This, and people pulling out of driveways nearly mowing you down and/or blocking the pavement. Most times folk let you past, even reverse but there's one place I try and avoid on my walk to work and that's the entrance to a kids nursery (not too familiar with the terminology - wherever monied types dump their foul offspring for the day). Many is the time I've nearly been squashed by a school run Mum in a Chelsea tractor or sprogmobile. Curiously It's always been the unfairer sex, the blokes seem to have far greater road manners...
I had the temerity to wave a simple dismissive gesture - nothing rude, more Italian if anything - after nearly losing my toes in one instance and the hatchet faced harridan wound down the window and demanded to know what my problem was. My response wasn't as polite as the original wave.
Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff