Taking walking etiquette in your stride

Gaston de Rosayro

People in Sri Lanka no longer know how to walk suitably on the walkways. On the streets of Colombo and suburbia there are jaywalkers, baby walkers, dog walkers, cell-phone talker- walkers, slow walkers, fast walkers, group walkers and drunken walkers. Unfortunately, all of these walkers most of the time are walking into one another.

There was a time when any seasoned Colombo dweller had a built-in sonar in terms of walking down its streets. Yes every Colombo dumbo then could skilfully manoeuvre down the most crowded pavement without ever bumping into a fellow pedestrian.

In a crowded capital city that is forever rebuilding itself, sometimes it is impossible to be a graceful walker. And not all our pavements are equally paved. Pedestrian etiquette is the general courtesy expected from those walking among other pedestrians. It involves staying out of the way of fellow pedestrians and not hindering their ability to travel. Doing this prevents collisions that may potentially cause injury or damage to what you or the other person is carrying.

Still, strollers say that many problems could be avoided if some basic rules were followed. Bear in mind that walking rules are like driving rules. Yes, and always remember that in marked similarity to driving where selfish individuals at the wheel are referred to as 'road hogs,' walkers with no consideration for others are called 'pedestrian pigs.' Not a nice term at all but quite deserving when you forget your pavement manners.

Alright then, let me point out a typical pavement discourtesy which we all are guilty of at one time or another. When we are in a group we take up the entire pavement, forcing approaching pedestrians to step into the street.

Stay to the right is the golden Number One rule. But that is easier said than done from a practical point of view at times. I am talking about times such as when a bull-like walker approaches you from the opposite direction. So a dance step would come in handy unless you want to be flattened by the opposing jumbo-like juggernaut heading in your direction.

Pedestrian etiquette

Pedestrian etiquette is not all that complicated, so come on. Here are some basics: Do not walk in the middle of the pavement. Some pedestrian in an infernal hurry may want to pass you. And if he is aggressive he will do it in the shove-off bull-stampede sort of way.

If you happen to be strolling along with a group, instead of forming a giant wall, break into smaller formations to walk together. Do not take up the entire walkway. It is annoying. And watch where you're going. If you do have to text and walk at the same time, pay attention to everyone else so you are not an obstacle that everyone else has to avoid. Or better yet, stop on the side for a second to send your text and make everyone happier.

Certainly many people do not give much thought to walking, although it is such a simple, straightforward activity. Obviously there isn't much to it on the surface at least. But that's until you encounter people with poor walking etiquette.

They come in all shapes and forms. Most distinct are those who walk too fast or too slow for you to keep up. Somehow they are oblivious to the fact that different people may enjoy different speeds of walking. It is mostly the fast walkers who do this, if they looked to the side for a minute they would see you taking giant strides trying not to fall behind.

But even if they look, it is one of those disapproving looks which relays the unspoken message: "Could you pick up the pace a little bit you think?" The fast walkers are easily identifiable, they always have a purpose to their walking. These aren't the people who go window shopping. No they keep their eyes fixed on their destination.

No change of course being made here. Time to them obviously means money.

On the other side of the equation you have the slow walkers. And this isn't about physical ability or endurance, these people just refuse to speed up no matter what the situation is. It would seem as if going faster would be in conflict with their religious beliefs. And sometimes you need to pick it up a little, when you have to get somewhere on time.

These people never worry about getting anywhere on time. Whatever happens. 8 or 8.30 am, what is the difference anyway? And they are so attached to this notion of never doing anything quicker than they normally do at their casual pace that it is downright hard to shake them. Only a serious threat of missing out on something, or better yet facing a penalty for being late, will sway them from their comfortable path.

A heel stepper

Too fast or too slow, that is fairly obvious all things considered. But that's not all, there are certain variations of these trends. For instance, there are people who tell you they cannot keep up with you. But instead of stopping or slowing down, like any rational person would expect, they walk at the same speed you do, only some two or three steps behind you to prove their point. Not surprisingly, this does not work because if you can walk at my pace, walking behind me is just a question of displacement, not velocity.

More annoying yet are people who refuse to align with you for any reason at all. If you are walking for more than 30 minutes, inevitably at some point one person will stop for some reason. The excuses are many, tying shoelaces, looking at something you pass by the road among other sidetracking actions.

Allow other pedestrians as much space as you can and give corners of buildings a wide berth to avoid colliding with someone coming around the other side. Always apologise if you accidentally brush or bump against someone. Use common sense when jaywalking. Even if it is legal in your locality, it can still be dangerous.

And do not be a heel stepper. Nothing infuriates a sandal-wearer more than when a heel stepper clips the back of her sandal, knocking it off her foot and causing her to become a sudden stopper. They are almost as bad as the cellphone talker-walkers who appear oblivious to everything around them as they are in a connected universe of their own. But you had better keep an eye out for them because they can be typically misguided missiles.

While observations of pavement behaviour are not scientific research, they can certainly tell us a lot about cultural morals and values. And they can be used to help us question those same values and make more conscious choices about what's important and what's just plain selfish.

Unnatural obstacles can also spoil a stroller's rhythm. So it would be a good thing if every one of us follows this guide. That would mean taking public walking etiquette in our stride!

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