Foot rage can be as bad as road rage for pedestrians in cramped arenas, but usually is more suppressed due to the fact that one is not protected by a metal box.
It seems crazy in certain areas with people coming in all directions at varying speeds and in varying amounts of hurry, size, and gait style, to not have a set of ground rules to follow.
I’ll start with 1 and hope for many ideas to complete the list.
When using an escalator, if you choose to stand, leave room if possible for someone to pass you on the left, if they wish to walk the escalator.
(reason: escalators can provide 1 of 2 services: if you walk them, they can make you get somewhere faster. If you stand without moving, they serve to provide a break from walking. Why should walkers have to be blocked by standers, when they could just as easily move over?)
Your umbrella is solely your responsibility. It’s your job to avoid blinding people with the spokes, or jabbing people when you carry it rolled up under your arm. In narrow passageways, you lift the umbrella higher than the head of anyone coming toward you. If someone coming toward you also has an umbrella, the larger umbrella/taller person lifts higher to clear the smaller one.
You should have sight of, and attention paid to your vector.
Your smartphone, the charming conversation with your beautiful companion, shiny objects in shop windows, or any other distraction, is secondary to looking where you are going.
(I once saw two head-down compulsive text-while-walking idiots collide head-on. It was very funny - neither of them could seem to comprehend what just happened to them and they both reacted as if they were being attacked.)
I’ll take a break now and let some others contribute…
If you’re walking on a sidewalk toward someone, move to the side so y’all can pass each other. You may have to look up from texting to do this. :rolleyes:
If you’re walking with one or more friends and you approach a populated area (mall, outdoor event, park, etc.), for Pete’s sake, double up, instead of plowing into the crowd elbow to elbow and occupying all available horizontal space like a phalanx* of warriors.
Like all rules of etiquette, it boils down to BE AWARE OF AND CONSIDERATE OF OTHERS.
When you get off the metro bus, don’t just immediately walk across the street, it’s not a fucking school bus!
Speaking of which, when crossing the street, walk with some sense of urgency. If it’s 3 in the morning and there are no cars in sight, do whatever you want, but if it’s mid-afternoon and cars are approaching, you need to make a visible effort to get out of the fucking way.
For the love of god: if you’re walking with a friend, go single-file when people approach you, so they can get by without having to step off the sidewalk or bump into your stupid ass.
a) If you’re walking across the flow of traffic in a parking lot, take the most direct route to get out of the way of cars. You’ll (usually) get to the store just as quickly by walking perpendicular to the traffic flow, and cars won’t have to wait while you meander across at an angle.
Hmmm… so you’re suggesting that pedestrians walking in a parking lot actually acknowledge that there are CARS there? And not wander slowly, diagonally, three abreast while cars wait? Interesting concept. Nah… will never catch on.
When walking down the street, women, children, and the elderly get a pass. Otherwise, it is all gross tonnage. If you want me to move over for you, you had better be one intimidating person or you’re going to be floored.
If you are being approached by a sidewalk-hogging flock, and you know you’ll be forced off the sidewalk by group rage, stop and make as if observing a street sign. This will force the group to break up around you. Continue along.
This one is especially good for grocery shopping with a kart. If someone is approaching you on the wrong side (left when they should be right) turn and talk to your partner, friend, phone…let SOMETHING “distract” you. The other person will either notice your distraction and realize they have to move or collide with you, or they are truly that oblivious and you will be braced for impact while they aren’t.
If you are visiting a city that’s a huge tourist destination, remember that the people who live there are not tourists. They have to get to work, doctors’ appointments, pick up kids, etc. They can’t just stroll around looking at all the sights. If you’re gonna stand there and look up at all the tall buildings, at least don’t do it in the middle of the sidewalk. Same thing for looking at a map. Same thing for walking 4-abreast. Before you accuse all natives of being “rude,” ask yourself if you may have asked for it.
If I am standing on the sidewalk waiting to cross the street DO NOT stop your car and wave me across. I purposely act like I’m not paying attention to drivers that do this. I can’t count how many times I’ve had people do this not realizing that there’s still traffic coming from the other direction. I would be killed if I stepped off the curb when you told me to. If you are the pedestrian who was waved across by a driver, then move your ass crossing! ( I find myself getting slightly pissed just reading /writing this).
Also, get out of the pedestrian flow before unfolding your map - this is for your own safety and security, as much as for the convenience of the locals. If you stand there in the middle of a moving crowd, with your attention focused on your map, you’re a target for bag snatchers and pickpockets.
Having the right of way as a pedestrian does not make it a good idea to abandon all caution. If you are crossing in front of a car that’s trying to pull out of a parking lot, or making a right turn on red or some similar circumstance where they are more likely to have their attention on automobile traffic, it is wise to make eye contact with the driver to make sure they’ve seen you. If you’re not sure, cross behind them. Yes, you have the right of way, but you won’t be able to tell anybody that while the paramedics are intubating you after you’ve been run over.
And also, you know, it takes 4-5 seconds for you to walk across a driveway to a parking lot. It takes a car 0.5 seconds to pull out into the gap in traffic, or they might have to wait another minute for another one if they miss this one because you just had to go in front of them at that exact time. As a driver in this situation, I will wait for the pedestrian but get pissed. As a pedestrian, I usually just wave the car out in front of me, because why make them wait?