Right way or Wrong way?

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:24 am

Here in the USA, people drive their cars on the "Right" side of the road. In the UK & other Countries they drive on the "Left" side of the road.

Consequently, so here's the question/observation.

I noticed in "our" Malls, Board Walks, & Buildings with long hallways, the flow of the majority of people walking, walk on the Right side, similar to driving. Then there are people that are walking "against the flow on the Right side.

Are these people walking against the tide, foriegners? Or do you also notice the same thing happen in the UK?

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:30 am

Same here Cars, funnily enough if anyone pulls out on me in the supermarket with their trolley (cart)

i automatically assume they dont drive! :driving:

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 1:33 am

You can always spot foreign tourists they tend to look to their left and then step out in front of you into oncoming traffic. It's particularly lethal on single track roads with passing places--we pull in to the left they go right so there are often minor shunts as a result, or long glaring pauses until they remember where they are. On the other hand I've got into the car and driven off on the left while on holiday in france, it's easily enough done.

OzBoy · Post by **OzBoy** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:46 am

cars wrote: Here in the USA, people drive their cars on the "Right" side of the road. In the UK & other Countries they drive on the "Left" side of the road.

Consequently, so here's the question/observation.

I noticed in "our" Malls, Board Walks, & Buildings with long hallways, the flow of the majority of people walking, walk on the Right side, similar to driving. Then there are people that are walking "against the flow on the Right side.

Are these people walking against the tide, foriegners? Or do you also notice the same thing happen in the UK?

One major observation myself and my fellow Aussie expats constantly gripe about here in the UK is the total lack of any direction that a lot of people have here, we've done serious social experiements whereby we walk in a straightline down a pavement and wait to see who will move - the answer practically no one :-5 they actually prefer to knock straight into you and keep walking, when boarding trains people actually try and get on a peak hour train BEFORE the people on it can get off, escalator signs that say stand to the left or right are well... completley ignored and in shopping malls people seem to spend more time stopping in the middle of the isle to congregate then actually walking anywhere so its amazing to think that the traffic here - in London especially actually flows better then the people traffic on the sidewalks - go figure????

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:02 am

I am disappointed Cars, from the title of this thread I thought it was going to be another juicy one about our sexual habits...oh well:wah:

Galbally · Post by **Galbally** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:12 am

Whenever I go to a right-hand drive country I am always freaked out for about 24 hours as everything seems wrong. Last time I was in Paris I got out of the Eurostar train at Gard Du Nord station, went out the front and almost immeadiatly got creamed by a mad french guy on a moped, totally my fault though. Oh well, what can you do.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 8:19 am

This is true, cars. We steer the students up and down the hallway going the same direction we drive. The way they act in the hallway though, I hope they drive better than that one day!:rolleyes:

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:40 am

Katy1 wrote: I am disappointed Cars, from the title of this thread I thought it was going to be another juicy one about our sexual habits...oh well:wah:

The title was supposed to catch your attention Kat, guess it did!

Now to your question, maybe a thread should be started to address "is there really a wrong way" especially if both parties are satisfied when it's over! Then, does that really make it right? :-2

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:15 pm

A man in Cape Town laughed when he ran into me on the street...he said, "I can always spot you YANKS! You walk on the same side as you drive."

Guilty!

Katy1 · Post by **Katy1** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:01 pm

Lulu2 wrote: A man in Cape Town laughed when he ran into me on the street...he said, "I can always spot you YANKS! You walk on the same side as you drive."

Guilty!

Yeah and the shorts, baseball caps and cameras..........:wah:

cars · Post by **cars** » Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:22 pm

Katy1 wrote: Yeah and the shorts, baseball caps and cameras..........:wah:

Hey, sounds like you're talking about me! :p

Lulu2 · Post by **Lulu2** » Sat Oct 21, 2006 1:30 pm

I resemble that remark! (Actually, I've always heard they recognize us by our SHOES.)

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:52 am

cars wrote: I noticed in "our" Malls, Board Walks, & Buildings with long hallways, the flow of the majority of people walking, walk on the Right side, similar to driving. Then there are people that are walking "against the flow on the Right side.

Are these people walking against the tide, foriegners? Or do you also notice the same thing happen in the UK?thinking:

The convention in the UK is to walk on the left. This is often ignored, I observe,

by people walking along with their mouths hanging open, and eyes staring

blankly ahead. Oh, BTW, when walking on the road, one should usuallf face

oncoming traffic. HTH.

Bill Sikes · Post by **Bill Sikes** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:53 am

Hamster wrote: when I worked in London..going up and down the escalators we are told to stand in one place

Oh, no! You stand still on the escalator, rather than walking??

koan · Post by **koan** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:55 am

gmc wrote: You can always spot foreign tourists they tend to look to their left and then step out in front of you into oncoming traffic. It's particularly lethal on single track roads with passing places--we pull in to the left they go right so there are often minor shunts as a result, or long glaring pauses until they remember where they are. On the other hand I've got into the car and driven off on the left while on holiday in france, it's easily enough done.
I noted this as my primary area of danger since I've arrived. Driving was safer because I was staying focused on traffic directions. When walking, I daydream and my habit is to look the wrong direction when I go to cross. For now I've decided to only cross at marked crossings and to turn straight towards the road before I start. I also noticed that sidewalk directions match the road system and try to keep to "my" side.

I've found UK people to be far more tolerant of minor misdemeanors in traffic rules than people in N America...though one bloke drove past the house with his horn blaring at someone for a full minute.