# Do British People Walk on The Right? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 15, 2012, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355 "2012-07-15T22:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/21 "2012-07-16T10:38:07Z")
Come on, no place has real rules on where to walk, but in the end most people walk on the right (in places that drive on the right). The fact that escalators are on the right and you drive on the left, just means y’all can’t make up your mind ;)… hence the confusion when there is no signs. ---
**Author:** ![Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8491ac/32.png) [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fake_Tales_of_San_Francisco)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/22 "2012-07-16T10:53:34Z")
I’m from the UK, and I walk on the side that faces incoming traffic. If traffic is going in the same direction as me, I’ll walk on the side furthest from the road. I don’t trust drivers and would rather others and myself to be able to see how close they are to the pavement. In hallways it depends which room I’m going to. It’s contextual really. I’ve never had any problems negotiating my way through a corridor or street. I guess there just isn’t enough people to demand an unwritten rule where I am. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/23 "2012-07-16T11:03:26Z")
Walking on improved tails people (US) tend to walk on the right, thus allowing cyclists to pass on the left. IME. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/24 "2012-07-16T11:23:13Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > I’m from the UK, and I walk on the side that faces incoming traffic. Well, if we are talking about walking on roads where there is no pavement (no _sidewalk_ for those of you who speak American) to separate pedestrians from vehicle traffic, then this is a rule that is explicitly taught in Britain. I would hope that it is taught elsewhere too, because it is eminently sensible and non-arbitrary: if you are walking on the roadway itself you should observe the opposite rule to vehicles, so that you are not struck from behind by a vehicle going in the same direction on the same side as you. However, I was under the impression that we were talking about situations that only involve pedestrians, on pavements/sidewalks, in hallways and corridors, etc. In those circumstances we British have found no good reasons to institute the sorts of arbitrary rules that vehicular traffic needs. Things work out fine by themselves. I really do not understand why anyone would think that any such rules are necessary, and frankly, I have grave doubts whether they are ever consistently observed anywhere. I can’t say that I ever noticed people doing so (not that I was looking out for it) in 20 years of living in the USA, and I certainly never consciously obeyed any such rule myself, though I was sometimes on some very crowded sidewalks. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/25 "2012-07-16T12:19:41Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Walking on improved tails people (US) tend to walk on the right, thus allowing cyclists to pass on the left. IME. Ah, you mean improved _trails_… I spent a good couple of minutes trying to work out what you meant. Spell-checker gone mad? Some kind of dig at American people having tails, that they use to walk on? ---
**Author:** ![psiekier](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psiekier/32/116_2.png) [@psiekier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psiekier)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/26 "2012-07-16T19:16:14Z")
> [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](#): > > From two weeks in London, I observed people walking like anyone else down a city sidewalk: generally yammering on the phone or slowly and four abreast with their friends, guarding their hexes against all comers in the fear that someone might try to break their line of defense. 😃 > > (People tended toward the left but walked any old where, really. It was looking to the left for traffic that kept throwing me.) I spent two weeks in the UK, but way back in 2002. I was quite surprised to find that despite driving on the left, most people there seemed to naturally walk on the right, same as they do here in the US. I made a mental note of it, as I found it truly baffling. Additionally, the McDonald’s near Waterloo Station sold Quarter Pounders rather than “Royale with Cheese.” ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/27 "2012-07-16T19:26:41Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > In those circumstances we British have found no good reasons to institute the sorts of arbitrary rules that vehicular traffic needs. As has been pointed out, in that you seem to be rather unusual. > [@](#): > > Things work out fine by themselves. I really do not understand why anyone would think that any such rules are necessary, and frankly, I have grave doubts whether they are ever consistently observed anywhere. You’re wrong on that. Based on my personal experience, they are in New York, Washington DC, Auckland, Wellington, and Panama City. (Frankly, I have grave doubts that pedestrian traffic in Britain is actually as completely random as you allege). > [@](#): > > I can’t say that I ever noticed people doing so (not that I was looking out for it) in 20 years of living in the USA, and I certainly never consciously obeyed any such rule myself, though I was sometimes on some very crowded sidewalks. If you didn’t find yourself bucking traffic on crowded sidewalks, I have to assume you adopted the local convention without being aware of it. If you attempted to walk on the left in downtown Manhattan in areas of heavy traffic, I promise you your headway would be significantly slower and you would likely get a lot of dirty looks. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/28 "2012-07-16T19:40:12Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > Additionally, the McDonald’s near Waterloo Station sold Quarter Pounders rather than “Royale with Cheese.” Did you go in a Burger King? Anyway, I’m another Brit who is not aware of, and doesn’t really see the need for, any convention as to which side people walk on. As \*\*Fake Tales of San Francisco \*\*said, considerations such as preferring the side furthest from the road make more sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/29 "2012-07-16T19:49:28Z")
All of you people saying it is “natural” to walk on the right obviously have never been where I live (I’m in the US, but would rather be vague about the exact area). I swear that even when I try to force people around here to walk on the right by walking to the right myself, those approaching me would rather walk into me than move to my left (their right). It is amazing that people here don’t understand the walk on the right “rule”. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/30 "2012-07-16T19:52:38Z")
I can assure Americans, despite their personal experiences over here, there is no rule and no habit of walking on any particular side of the pavement (or sidewalk) in the UK. Believe me, I’ve lived here for 60-odd years and it just ain’t so. ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/31 "2012-07-16T21:19:52Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I can assure Americans, despite their personal experiences over here, there is no rule and no habit of walking on any particular side of the pavement (or sidewalk) in the UK. Believe me, I’ve lived here for 60-odd years and it just ain’t so. I’ll go along with this. 40-odd years of living in the UK and as far as I can tell it’s always been a free-for-all. Well, oop north in Manchester it is at least. ---
**Author:** ![ArmenE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ArmenE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArmenE)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/32 "2012-07-16T23:35:27Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > In New York (where I’m from), people habitually walk on the right on sidewalks. If you try to walk on the left side of the sidewalk you will continually be dodging people. It’s not a law, but it certainly is an unwritten convention. > > [Pedestrians on Fifth Avenue](http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/1x6342779/pedestrians_on_fifth_avenue_new_york_city_3q0863.jpg) I’ve been looking at google images in london and new york 5th ave, New York: [http://goo.gl/maps/ZQrE](http://goo.gl/maps/ZQrE). Distinctly walk-on-the-right. Oxford st, London: [http://goo.gl/maps/xUOY](http://goo.gl/maps/xUOY). Surprisingly, also walk-on-right ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/33 "2012-07-17T00:18:51Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > Additionally, the McDonald’s near Waterloo Station sold Quarter Pounders rather than “Royale with Cheese.” Why would it sell “Royale with Cheese”? ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2acd7d/32.png) [@Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Tilt_Boogie)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/34 "2012-07-17T00:23:41Z")
There’s no set-in-stone ‘rule’ that we have to walk on the left - but our escalators have a convention of walking on the left (and standing on the right so that people on the left can pass you). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/35 "2012-07-17T00:52:38Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Anyway, I’m another Brit who is not aware of, and doesn’t really see the need for, any convention as to which side people walk on. I think this, and other posts like it, may be missing the point a little. I’m not saying that there is any formal convention, just that (at least in NY and some other places), people have a tendency to walk on one side out of habit. They may not even be aware of it; I suspect most New Yorkers wouldn’t if you first asked them. Regarding any “need,” having a convention as to two-way flow on crowded sidewalks would certainly tend to speed traffic flow, by minimizing the people walking against the flow and forcing others to avoid them. This is especially true in New York where people are notoriously fast walkers. The benefit is less on uncrowded streets or where foot traffic is more leisurely. > [@Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](#): > > There’s no set-in-stone ‘rule’ that we have to walk on the left - but our escalators have a convention of walking on the left (and standing on the right so that people on the left can pass you). The same rule exists on most escalators and moving walkways I have seen in the US. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/36 "2012-07-17T01:13:56Z")
I’d say walking on the right is a well established custom in the US. But once, I was walking on a railed sidewalk and a woman met me coming the other way. The custom under discussion was apparently not so established for her. She came straight at me, somewhat aggressively. I said, in a cheery voice, “Bear right.” And she said, “No, YOU bear right.” . . . ¿huh? ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/37 "2012-07-17T14:00:51Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Except in Osaka, where several people I’ve met are, for some reason, damn PROUD that they stand of the left there. I thought so too. But I took 4 busy (subway) escalators today in Osaka and in each case people stood on the right and walked on the left. Has Osaka changed or have we got it the wrong way around? ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/38 "2012-07-17T14:27:35Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > I’d say walking on the right is a well established custom in the US. But once, I was walking on a railed sidewalk and a woman met me coming the other way. The custom under discussion was apparently not so established for her. She came straight at me, somewhat aggressively. > > I said, in a cheery voice, “Bear right.” > > And she said, “No, YOU bear right.” > > . . . ¿huh? Do you live near me? As I said above, people here seem to rather walk into you than move to the “correct” side if you are on the “correct” side to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/39 "2012-07-17T15:10:43Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > Do you live near me? As I said above, people here seem to rather walk into you than move to the “correct” side if you are on the “correct” side to begin with. That’s exactly what they do here. They head into your path when they see you’re politely leaving theirs clear. What could the reason for that ever be? Of course the woman I spoke of above had some kind of spatial misunderstanding laid on top of that… I’m in New England. You? ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/40 "2012-07-17T15:32:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I’m not sure about Britain, but when I moved to New Zealand (where they also drive on the left) I found I was constantly bucking the flow of pedestrians on sidewalks because as an American I walked on the right. After awhile I adjusted and began walking on the left like everyone else. I had the same experience just moving from one part of the US to another. The original area followed the “Boy Scout Rule” of walk on the left / drive on the right. Then I moved to an area where the standard was to walk on the right. Of course even there there were enough people used to walking on the left that they had to post signs on the major walking paths to encourage people to walk on the right. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355.md?page=3)