# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/41 "2012-07-17T15:32:58Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > Why would it sell “Royale with Cheese”? Yeah, the line in Pulp Fiction applies to Vincent’s experiences with a Parisian McDonald’s, not a British one. There shouldn’t be much of an issue for a UKer to understand what a quarter pound is, especially as they still use non-metric terms like “stone,” “pound,” “pint,” although informally. ---
**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, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/42 "2012-07-17T15:42:03Z")
> [@Pixel\_Dent](#): > > 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. The Boy Scout Rule is referring to when you’re walking on the unprotected side of a laned roadway. NOT the same as the convention “bear right” when pedestrians are essentially forming the lanes. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/43 "2012-07-17T16:36:50Z")
Lots of people are referring to which side of the escalator one walks or one stands, but wouldn’t the better clue as to whether pedestrians reflexively walk on the left or right be which way the escalators themselves run? In other words, in the U.S., where the up and down escalators run alongside each other, the departing escalator is almost always on the right and the arriving escalator on the left. In the UK, is the departing escalator on the left, or the right, or is there no pattern from one building to another? ---
**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 17, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/44 "2012-07-17T16:59:00Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 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. Hmm, no I do this on pavements too (and I do believe taught to do so by my parents). There are many scenarios that make this the most sensible procedure. Sometimes the pavement is narrow, meaning that two abreast may mean part of your body could be in the road, such as your arm, or if you’re wearing a backpack/bag. But for me personally it’s a peace of mind thing - I want to be able to see what the cars are doing. If someone loses control and they’re driving behind me, there’s nothing I can do about it if they accidentally run onto the pavement. If they’re driving towards me, I can react. I just feel like it’s safer to know what’s going on. An exception - People with wheelchairs or prams should always go furthest away from the road, since wheels and small children can be unpredictable. Again, it’s contextual. **John Bredin** , I’ve not observed any specific pattern. I just had a look at Google images at a local shopping centre, and it’s arriving on the right, departing on the left. Local airport I can see departing escalators on the right, and arriving on the left. Seems to be mixed! ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/45 "2012-07-17T17:00:18Z")
> [@ArmenE](#): > > I’ve been looking at google images in london and new york > … > Oxford st, London: [http://goo.gl/maps/xUOY](http://goo.gl/maps/xUOY). Surprisingly, also walk-on-right If you take a few different sections of the street, you see no such pattern. A few shots further up, it’s just as clear that everyone’s walking on the left. In my experience, in the UK when it gets really busy and ‘lanes’ form, there’s often more than two of them, and they just depend on common routes, not any standard convention. I think the US vistors over here run into trouble because they expect a convention, and there is none. I’d say we have a slight tendency to pass on the left, to stay further away from traffic coming up from behind, as has been mentioned, but where there is no traffic, or where there’s a lot of pedestrians even that doesn’t apply. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/46 "2012-07-17T17:24:11Z")
> [@psiekier](#): > > Additionally, the McDonald’s near Waterloo Station sold Quarter Pounders rather than “Royale with Cheese.” Why would you expect them to be using the _French_ name, near _Waterloo_ Station of all places? (The Eurostar train, between Paris and London via the channel tunnel, used to terminate at Waterloo Station. It seemed like a deliberate snub to the French, to me.) > [@Candyman74](#): > > Why would it sell “Royale with Cheese”? It is a _Pulp Fiction_ reference, but he got it wrong. The “Royale with Cheese” was, supposedly, the name of the Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris, not London. ---
**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, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/47 "2012-07-17T17:30:35Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Lots of people are referring to which side of the escalator one walks or one stands, but wouldn’t the better clue as to whether pedestrians reflexively walk on the left or right be which way the escalators themselves run? > > In other words, in the U.S., where the up and down escalators run alongside each other, the departing escalator is almost always on the right and the arriving escalator on the left. In the UK, is the departing escalator on the left, or the right, or is there no pattern from one building to another? That’s very observant, but wouldn’t up/down patterns of shoppers, students, whatever, on single stairs tell us? Does one bear right or left in such circumstances? This isn’t rocket surgery. 😛 ---
**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, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/48 "2012-07-17T17:59:23Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > I’m in New England. You? I was joking about you living near me. As I said, I’d rather be vague about my location. ---
**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, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/49 "2012-07-17T18:04:44Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > But for me personally it’s a peace of mind thing - I want to be able to see what the cars are doing. If someone loses control and they’re driving behind me, there’s nothing I can do about it if they accidentally run onto the pavement. If they’re driving towards me, I can react. I just feel like it’s safer to know what’s going on. Unless you also regularly walk on the other side of the street even when walking on the sidewalk, I hardly see what difference it would make. Walking 2 feet further to the left or right won’t make much of a difference. ---
**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, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/50 "2012-07-17T19:26:49Z")
Oh, I think it might. And the reasoning behind what is more precisely a “walk against traffic/ride with” guideline is exactly as The Fake Armisted gives. You could avoid serious injury or death if you’re able to dive when you see 'em veering toward you. The reason bikes don’t take advantage of the same reasoning is because they’re more likely to veer accidentally for the pedestrians, too. And the latter is the most vulnerable of all. ---
**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, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/51 "2012-07-17T19:45:47Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > Oh, I think it might. > > And the reasoning behind what is more precisely a “walk against traffic/ride with” guideline is exactly as The Fake Armisted gives. You could avoid serious injury or death if you’re able to dive when you see 'em veering toward you. The reason bikes don’t take advantage of the same reasoning is because they’re more likely to veer accidentally for the pedestrians, too. And the latter is the most vulnerable of all. I understand that. But it only works if you habitually walk on the side of the street against traffic whether there are sidewalks or not. Most people don’t cross a street to walk on a sidewalk just to walk against traffic because it is “safer”, especially if their destination is on the opposite side of the street. I’m assuming that the discussion in this thread is people sharing the same sidewalk/hallway/etc going opposite directions. In that case moving to the side 2 feet isn’t going to save you from a runaway auto. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/52 "2012-07-18T05:06:01Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > In other words, in the U.S., where the up and down escalators run alongside each other, the departing escalator is almost always on the right and the arriving escalator on the left. In my local mall, enter on the left, exit on the right. Narrow areas such as footpaths also a definite tendency to leftness. (I’m Australian, but in the SDMB world, it appears everything not-American is British - so close enough) ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/53 "2012-07-18T11:54:33Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > I understand that. But it only works if you habitually walk on the side of the street against traffic whether there are sidewalks or not. Most people don’t cross a street to walk on a sidewalk just to walk against traffic because it is “safer”, especially if their destination is on the opposite side of the street. I’m assuming that the discussion in this thread is people sharing the same sidewalk/hallway/etc going opposite directions. In that case moving to the side 2 feet isn’t going to save you from a runaway auto. Oh, I think it might. I’m puzzled that you don’t think 2 feet could make a difference. If you were on the berm, and someone in a car was trying to plug in their phone and veered to the side, which is more likely than a complete drive over the sidewalk, don’t you think jumping aside two feet could help? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/54 "2012-07-18T12:55:02Z")
One thing I’ve noticed in Oz and the UK is that people who [illegally] cycle on the pavement tend to strictly keep left. ---
**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 18, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/55 "2012-07-18T12:59:57Z")
> [@Cugel](#): > > In my local mall, enter on the left, exit on the right. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/56 "2012-07-18T14:02:28Z")
> [@tapu](#): > > don’t you think jumping aside two feet could help? Not enough to make me want to go against what is “normal” and screw with everyone else’s traffic flow. If that is why people aren’t moving over to the correct side, then perhaps they should stay inside. Worrying about such things will drive you insane. And it still doesn’t explain why they do it in aisles and hallways, **or sidewalks when they are on the “opposite” side of the road**. ---
**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 18, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/57 "2012-07-18T18:16:11Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > I understand that. But it only works if you habitually walk on the side of the street against traffic whether there are sidewalks or not. It’s just an extra precaution I make without even putting any extra thought into it. Maybe you don’t know how narrow some pavements can be, or how dangerously close to it some drivers drive, but hey, I’d rather be safe than sorry. I’ve had mirrors whizz right by my head before when I’ve been facing the wrong way. If that happens when I’m facing towards traffic I can dodge it. Well, I have better chance of dodging it at least. If the car is actually driving into the pavement and crashing there’s probably not much anybody can do. But you mean to say you’ve never had a lorry/truck drive right by you? Not exactly what I’d call fun if it happens from behind. 😃 I’m not worried and consciously choosing the side of the street that would mean I’m facing incoming traffic. I’m just keeping as far away from the road as I can when I can’t see what’s going on. I don’t know why this is controversial. It doesn’t effect ‘traffic flow’ of pedestrians. As for your latest post - in the UK there are no conventions that I’m aware of in corridors and such, so it’s not meant to explain that, because there are none. I was just offering the only piece of advice I’ve ever known anyone to give about which side of the pavement to walk near busy roads. ---
**Author:** ![tapu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@tapu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tapu)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/58 "2012-07-19T16:23:56Z")
Yes. Everything Fake Tales said. Also, the safety precaution of walking against the flow of traffic is entirely separate from the long-established tradition (US/other) of bearing right in two lanes of pedestrians. Jesus, who knew this was such a point of confusion?? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/59 "2012-07-19T17:01:30Z")
Fascinating discussion! At any rate, I recall one incident from the 1970’s film “Midnight Express”. In the movie, the American kid (William Hayes) gets caught trying to take drugs out of Turkey-he winds up in a mental hospital. In the hospital, the inmates spend their days walking around in circles…clockwise. Hayes starts walking counterclockwise…at which point the guards realize he is sane. So walking the wrong way has consequences:smack: ---
**Author:** ![barath\_s](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/90ced4/32.png) [@barath\_s](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barath_s)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355/60 "2012-07-19T17:48:47Z")
Hindus traditionally circumambulate [around](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parikrama)the temple/deity in a clockwise direction. India has a cultural bias for the right hand, the driving patterns of the english. The majority of pedestrians would tend to take the left side of the path in accord with this. and it did not seem remarkable to me A [few](http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-11/faith-and-ritual/29872516_1_shiva-temple-deity-vinayaka-temple) [cites](http://www.indiamike.com/india/yoga-spirituality-and-religion-in-india-f54/walking-clockwise-round-temple-t32313/). My (admittedly ad-hoc) recollection of a few escalators here has them going up on the left and down on the right. Muslims perform the [tawaf](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawaf) around the Kaaba in a counterclockwise direction. Saudi Arabia drives on the right. Buddhists also go around the buddhist temples - I found people in Thailand do this on the right (counterclockwise) the one time I visited (though Thailand drives on the left) . I posit that religious/cultural practices would be deeply embedded and reflect pedestrian / [driving practice](http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html#countrytable) (though of course, many places have pedestrians moving on the other side, in the middle or in no specific pattern, there does seem to me to be a greater tendency on the right). Any Christians brave enough to speculate on their approach down a central nave or line up for the eucharist and the direction they walk on ? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-british-people-walk-on-the-right/628355.md?page=4)