I grew up in the country, my family had horses and quite a lot of acreage, and space has never really been a stranger to me. Some people would call me a country boy I, however would not. I was a round peg in a square hole. The slow pace is nice, but it’s not for me. I will say though, that people in country towns are nice, polite, and they also understand the mechanics of sidewalk etiquette. The irony being that space is all around them, yet the know how to do the footpath Waltz.
I moved to the city when I was 17 – talk about small fish in a big pond! Locating space was like trying to find the Golden Fleece. Don’t get me wrong the city is huge in scale, much bigger than the small country town that had one main road, but the largest difference, was that it was full of people, everywhere.
What surprised me in contrast to the county, was that despite the lack of footpath space, people seemed to be walking wherever the hell they liked. I just thought they were busy and needed to get to where they were going. This, my friends is naivety. The general rule when walking on the footpath is much like a road. You keep left, unless you need to go faster, then you overtake but you ultimately return to the left. If you are exiting a shop, lane or passageway, you check before walking out so you don’t get collected and end up a crumpled mess on the ground, much like a side street that has no traffic light. You would never just drive out without checking, why not do the same when walking?!
I have now lived in the city for 13 years and the realisation is that people just don’t care. They are either self-important wannabes, trying to strut their stuff or they are in their own world and not paying attention. I seem to be part of a small percentage of people in Sydney still actively trying to maintain the “keep Left’ mentality.
I am 6’2 and I am 95kg, but the amount of times people have run into me is astounding. I am not a small man…how could you miss me? If everyone walked properly and effectively, they would get where they need to go promptly and with less aggravation. Sydney peak hour is like congestion on steroids…it’s time consuming. I do it everyday and I think setting my crotch on fire would be less painful.
I recently went to New York City with my partner, now that was an eye-opener. They say there are 8.4 million people in this amazing city. Now you would think with so many people, there would just be pandemonium on the street right? Wrong! They have their sidewalk etiquette so finely tuned it is almost like clockwork. Unlike us, they keep to the right over there, but they stick to it and you are looked at oddly if you aren’t keeping right. It was heartwarming.
I experienced the same thing in Canada. It seems the more people in the city, the more effective the foot traffic protocol is. Amazing!
I simply can’t understand Sydneysiders inability to walk like articulated human beings. Get off your iPhone and watch where you are going. Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t walk down the wrong side and make people move out of your way because you are walking. I could go on forever.
Now if you are reading this and thinking what can I do? Let me tell you – it’s not too late. Next time you are walking, simply keep left unless overtaking.
Ranter & Banter 