What side to walk on?

[ceetee]

Can we get airports and tourist areas to add signage or information to let visitors know which side to walk? In Australia we walk on the left, same as driving.

 

[Forg]

Can we get airports and tourist areas to add signage or information to let visitors know which side to walk? In Australia we walk on the left, same as driving.

So few Australians living in Australia follow that law, that I reckon you’ve got Buckleys of getting people from Wrong Hand Drive countries to do it correctly.
I mean half the population of Pomgolia lives in London where getting around by means of anything other than public transport is a solid pain, and their Underground escalators force people to walk on the wrong side for that country … so even getting people from some Right Hand Drive countries to follow the law is difficult.

The number of people you see walking down shared pedestrian/bike paths, blithely walking over the top of the bright yellow arrows painted on the ground indicating THEY’RE ON THE WRONG SIDE.

 

[Peter D]

Movement at places with many visitors is always a problem. Someone from overseas may not realise and polite reminders would be a good idea at airports etc. and as hosts it would be polite to remind them. It would make walking at airports easier.

Yes getting Australians to walk left is problem in itself. In cars we even overtake on the left.

I find it usually easier to walk on the left but there are too many who ignore the rule. I usually move far left if meeting offenders!!

The London underground tradition started with the peculiar designs of early escalators. But I find “stand right” is not inconsistent with and actually enforces the idea “walk left”.

The banks of escalators themselves of course tend to follow the keep left rule. The ones going our way are usually to the left.

 

[Forg]

Yes getting Australians to walk left is problem in itself. In cars we even overtake on the left.

Well … that’s a different issue … if it’s possible, it means the person who’s in the right lane getting in the way is the problem. I mean there are exceptions of course, but the norm is people too lazy to keep left because changing lanes is “too hard” (or they’ve decided they need to be Judge Dredd and enforce the speed limit themselves).
*grumpyface.gif*

Same with the need to overtake on the left while walking, because someone is walking (slowly) on the right … booo!

The banks of escalators themselves of course tend to follow the keep left rule. The ones going our way are usually to the left.

Some escalators get switched to running in the opposite direction because it evens-out the wear … that can be confuddling!

 

[anat0l]

Can we get airports and tourist areas to add signage or information to let visitors know which side to walk? In Australia we walk on the left, same as driving.

Can you give some examples where you think this signage would be very much needed, e.g. because currently there is an unacceptable safety risk?

 

[Forg]

Can you give some examples where you think this signage would be very much needed, e.g. because currently there is an unacceptable safety risk?

I don’t think safety is the issue here - for me at least it’s more about comfort, convenience and removal of stress (for all).

 

[ceetee]

Can you give some examples where you think this signage would be very much needed, e.g. because currently there is an unacceptable safety risk?

Mainly to make it smoother for all in CBDs and airports.

 

[Pushka]

Even in Japan in some cities you are supposed to walk on the left and others it's the right.

 

[serfty]

I observe what generally happens where I am and try to follow.

There are even nuances - for example in Hong Kong it is walk to the right. However, my rule is to move only a little to the right maybe 25cm - and no more. The person approaching generally would move a little to their right and you pass each other cleanly. Don't move more than a little as you then risk walking into someone else.

 

[Forg]

Even in Japan in some cities you are supposed to walk on the left and others it's the right.

This is probably the crux of it … there’s just no way to generalise in such a way as you know what the local rule is going to be! In Straya it always relates to the side we drive on (and yet adherence to the rule by locals is “patchy” at best) BUT in Japan it’s different from prefecture to prefecture. London it even differs between the Underground escalators and the shopping-centre escalators above them!

I think the best way to deal with it is to start local. Take the airline-branded machete, originally intended for dealing with the feet on the bulkheads (or worse) out with you when walking, and then when you see someone locally walking on the wrong side, politely remove their feet just like a pleasant & polite FA when feet are on the bulkhead.

 

[flyingfan]

I can usually easily step around people standing on the ‘wrong’ side if necessary so IMHO not such an irritant for me. Many other selfish or ignorant behaviours that bug me, like smoking and leaving a stinky trail behind.

 

[Pushka]

I can usually easily step around people standing on the ‘wrong’ side if necessary so IMHO not such an irritant for me. Many other selfish or ignorant behaviours that bug me, like smoking and leaving a stinky trail behind.

Just today on a narrowish walk we crossed paths with a family. Spread across the path. The numpty on the phone also collided with me (we were on the left but his family had taken all the space up). The last person of the family group was a teen on his bike. Although there was space for him to enter the path behind his family, he kindly waited until we'd exited it before proceeding. We both instantly thanked him. Goodness knows where he'd learnt his manners. Not from his brother clearly.

 

[elanshin]

I find typically it follows whatever the car driving is. For the most part I don't think people care as much on the sidewalk, its generally more obvious at escalators and which side is the stand and which side is the move sides.

Even in Japan in some cities you are supposed to walk on the left and others it's the right.

Its specifically Osaka and a couple of the surrounding areas that want to be different. Even Kyoto about half an hour away is the same as the rest of the country.

 

[jastel]

We should start with getting all the uber scooters and e bikes OFF the footpath first, there IS rules for these...before we start trying to police the pedestrians.

Pass on the left, (foot or vehicle) comes from being able to see the sword arm of the approaching person back in the old days, as the majority are right handed.

 

[justinbrett]

I think it’s almost always the same as driving with some notable exceptions, like London and Osaka.

It’s fun watching Brits getting annoyed in Singapore that people are standing on the wrong side of the escalators.

 

[Forg]

It’s fun watching Brits getting annoyed in Singapore that people are standing on the wrong side of the escalators.

It’s fun watching Brits get annoyed in London … I noticed a few escalators that weren’t Underground that were signed such that you stand to the correct side. No wonder they’re confuddled!

 

[Cessna 180]

Can we also get people to keep walking when on escalators? I am not talking about older people who may struggle.
Fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Drives me bonkers.

 

[Scarlett]

This is probably the crux of it … there’s just no way to generalise in such a way as you know what the local rule is going to be! In Straya it always relates to the side we drive on (and yet adherence to the rule by locals is “patchy” at best) BUT in Japan it’s different from prefecture to prefecture. London it even differs between the Underground escalators and the shopping-centre escalators above them!

I think the best way to deal with it is to start local. Take the airline-branded machete, originally intended for dealing with the feet on the bulkheads (or worse) out with you when walking, and then when you see someone locally walking on the wrong side, politely remove their feet just like a pleasant & polite FA when feet are on the bulkhead.

I advise not trying this in Victoria.

 

[Human]

Near where I live there are a whole lot of combined footpaths and cycle tracks. They're clearly marked with arrows showing pedestrians and cyclists are to walk/cycle on the left. While riding my bike, I can't count the number of times I've almost collided with someone who's walking on their right hand side of the path, with their head in their phones, headphones on, oblivious to the cyclists speeding towards them.

If I'm off AFF for a while, more likely than not it'll be because of a cycling accident!

 

[justinbrett]

Can we also get people to keep walking when on escalators? I am not talking about older people who may struggle.
Fit able bodied people just stop dead on the escalator. Drives me bonkers.

Travelators? Yes. Escalators? No. That’s the whole point of them. One side for standing, one for walking. Otherwise may as well have stairs.

However I think the boffins in London determined the escalators have a higher capacity when both sides are used for standing. I believe some tube stations now have signs asking people to stand on both sides.