General Etiquette > Life...in general
Pedestrian Frustrations
Please and Thank You:
I walk about 4 or 5 miles a day, usually by myself. It is not uncommon for me to come across a group of people (all sorts of people from all age groups) walking toward me two or three across on the sidewalk. I don't know if they're not paying attention or they don't notice or care, but often they keep proceeding walking side by side and preventing the passing of oncoming pedestrians.
All it takes is a moment of walking single file to allow for an easy passing, and yet, sadly, this often doesn't happen.
It really frustrates me and I don't know of a good way to handle it.
Also, I realize due to the fleeting nature of the passing, even if I had a wonderful phrase at the ready, it might not work in this case.
Has anyone come across a similar situation? And how do I handle this gracefully?
WillyNilly:
Stand your ground.
If you don't move off the sidewalk, they will have no choice but to walk directly into you or to adjust so they are single file or whatever.
Now of course this assumes you yourself are moving to the side a bit - not off the sidewalk into the gutter or onto a lawn, but not centered out either. Then just make sure your shoulders are squared, your head head high (confident body language) and stand your ground and keep on walking.
SleepyKitty:
POD WillyNilly. This happens at my university all the time - I don't know if people are simply not paying attention, or don't care, but you get groups of 3-4 people walking shoulder to shoulder and entirely blocking a hallway or sidewalk.
Just keep walking at a consistent pace slightly off center, keep your head up, and a neutral (or friendly-ish) expression on your face. If a collision is imminent, just stop walking and stand where you are. They either have the choice of parting or walking directly into you. I've personally never had someone choose to walk into me. ;)
Of course, this only works for face-to-face encounters. It's a little more problematic if you're walking up behind a group that's blocking access, since you can't send all those non-verbal signals that they need to move. In which case, I keep walking until I'm close but not quite breathing down someone's neck or invading personal space, and just say "Excuse me!" in a loud, confident voice. If they don't move, I just keep repeating it in the same tone of voice as many times as necessary.
Shoo:
--- Quote from: WillyNilly on July 09, 2012, 04:22:27 PM ---Stand your ground.
If you don't move off the sidewalk, they will have no choice but to walk directly into you or to adjust so they are single file or whatever.
Now of course this assumes you yourself are moving to the side a bit - not off the sidewalk into the gutter or onto a lawn, but not centered out either. Then just make sure your shoulders are squared, your head head high (confident body language) and stand your ground and keep on walking.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: WillyNilly on July 09, 2012, 04:22:27 PM ---Stand your ground.
If you don't move off the sidewalk, they will have no choice but to walk directly into you or to adjust so they are single file or whatever.
Now of course this assumes you yourself are moving to the side a bit - not off the sidewalk into the gutter or onto a lawn, but not centered out either. Then just make sure your shoulders are squared, your head head high (confident body language) and stand your ground and keep on walking.
--- End quote ---
I completely agree. Stop where you are and force them to walk around you. No way should you have to leave the sidewalk or dodge them.
There's nothing I can think of that you could say that will make them more considerate. All you can do is not let yourself be pushed off the sidewalk by them.
Outdoor Girl:
I agree. The only two times I've stepped off the sidewalk is (1) when the mother pushing a stroller towards me made no move to stick to her own side of the sidewalk and I didn't feel like getting run over and (2) the developmentally challenged gentleman riding his three wheel bike on the sidewalk dinged his bell and hollered 'excuse me' when he came up behind me.
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