# Pedestrian Etiquette **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 24, 2013, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074 "2013-12-24T10:39:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/41 "2013-12-26T12:49:40Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Walk on the right, pass on the left. > [@Rachellelogram](#): > > 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. Repeating for emphasis these two rules for highly successful pedestrianizing. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/42 "2013-12-27T05:13:07Z")
I’m just back from the post-Christmas sales. I didn’t want to go today but my MBA had a tantrum after the last update and today was the only time I could get in and see an Apple person. Those shoppers are crazy. I think they must be a whole nother bunch of people from the ones who were shopping pre-Christmas. This lot were rude, obnoxious and either dawdled all over the place (not keeping to the left, which is the correct thing to do in a drive-on-the-left country) or wandered around aimlessly, so that others would have no idea where they were going. I was about ready to stab more than one of the worst offenders. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/43 "2013-12-27T05:20:55Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I was about ready to stab more than one of the worst offenders. You should do that and decrease the surplus population. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/44 "2013-12-27T09:33:44Z")
When someone holds a door open for a group of people behind him, it doesn’t mean he’s a doorman. The first person in the group should take the door so the holder can go on his way. Don’t force the holder to keep the door open until the last person goes through. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/45 "2013-12-27T10:27:29Z")
… and thank the person who held it. ---
**Author:** ![Spaghettifrier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@Spaghettifrier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spaghettifrier)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/46 "2013-12-27T10:42:37Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > … and thank the person who held it. It’s always good to acknowledge others when they do you, sometimes with a “thank you,” but also with a smile/nod, a wink, or a tip of the hat ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/47 "2013-12-27T13:07:13Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In America, we drive/walk on the right. > [@panache45](#): > > If you are visiting a city that’s a huge tourist destination, remember that the people who live there are not tourists. … And when you are visiting a country that drives on the other side of the road than what you are accustomed to then be sure you actually look the correct direction for oncoming traffic! Cars drive on right = Pedestrians should look left for oncoming traffic. Cars drive on left = Pedestrians should look right for oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/48 "2013-12-27T13:36:17Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > And when you are visiting a country that drives on the other side of the road than what you are accustomed to then be sure you actually look the correct direction for oncoming traffic! > > Cars drive on right = Pedestrians should look left for oncoming traffic. > > Cars drive on left = Pedestrians should look right for oncoming traffic. Um…when crossing a two-way street, it’s a good idea to look both ways. Here in the US, that would be left-right-left. Especially if the traffic is fast. I’m seriously right-left challenged, so I usually look each way twice. Or more. In England, I’d have to ask kind strangers to get me across the street. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/49 "2013-12-27T16:53:57Z")
> [@Spaghettifrier](#): > > It’s always good to acknowledge others when they do you, sometimes with a “thank you,” but also with a smile/nod, a wink, or a tip of the hat …or a flash of the boobs. I know women appreciate it when I acknowledge them in such a manner.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074/50 "2013-12-27T19:11:05Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Um…when crossing a two-way street, it’s a good idea to look both ways. Here in the US, that would be left-right-left. Especially if the traffic is fast. > > I’m seriously right-left challenged, so I usually look each way twice. Or more. In England, I’d have to ask kind strangers to get me across the street. I look both ways before crossing, even if the street is supposed to be a one-way street - you never know when a cyclist is going to be coming the wrong way up a street. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pedestrian-etiquette/677074.md?page=2)