I Got a New Way to Walk

"Urambo Tauro" (urambotauro) 05/05/2016 at 18:00 • Filed to: i'm always driving in my mind, overthinking it, psychology, driving, walking, pedestrians, shopping, discussion

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...walk, walk.
This new !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! imagines what it would be like if a bad driver applied the same lack of care and consideration to walking. And it only scratches the surface.

It’s been !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! before how our cars seem to provide a shroud of anonymity and safety, under which people hold themselves to lesser standards. But what if we acted just as awful without such protection?

Would you cut in line? Would you breathe down other people’s necks? Would you run past others, only to resume walking speed directly in front of them?

A while back, I started to experiment with taking what I knew about road driving and applying it to shopping carts in the store. It suddenly made a huge difference in reducing awkwardness when maneuvering my cart among other shoppers. I started to imagine a yellow line down the middle of every aisle, and a yield sign at the end where it met the main aisle. Nerdy, I know. But in most cases, it works, instantly providing an “if x , then y ” way of negotiating my way through this otherwise unregulated form of traffic. If I see an oncoming cart in the center of the aisle, I can take the initiative of using the right side of the aisle so that as we get closer, they will aim for their own “lane”.

However, shopping is not a continuous flow. There is a lot of overtaking stopped traffic and moving to the “shoulder” so as not to block others. Unfortunately, that shoulder is sometimes occupied by a mini-display, and aisle widths come into play as well. Sometimes it’s like crossing some backroad one-lane bridge. Nevertheless, the basics still apply, and it feels natural when you have a four-wheeled cart in your hands. It’s a LOT like driving.

And let’s not forget toll-booth HOV lane check-out etiquette:

If only stores actually posted a real sign that looked like this.

Lines, or queues, are something we encounter on an almost daily basis. We see them on the road, in the store, at the movies, and even for bathrooms. The concept is simple: first come, first served. In such situations, none of us are entitled to some imaginary maximum wait time. Sometimes the queue is long; deal with it or come back some other time.

But not everything’s a queue. Just like those store aisles, the sidewalk has no speed limit and we are free to pass anyone moving at a slower pace. And good driving practices can be applied here as well. Now, it would be ridiculous for sidewalks to be one-way streets. Crossing the road just for the purpose of going in the other direction is silly. So either side of the street has its own two-way sidewalk.

This is all voluntary stuff. I don’t mean to imply that sidewalks and stores ought to have regulated traffic control. Rather, we should all be aware of our own maneuvers, and thoughtful to other traffic. We don’t need !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! any more than we need distracted driving.

My new walk suits me fine, but what about you? Do your driving habits influence your walking? Do your walking habits influence your driving?

Biggus Dickus (RevsBro) > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 12:11

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First thought:

Rainbow > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 12:12

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Years ago, in high school, there was one spot in the hallway where a bunch of douchey kids would just stand and talk, forcing everyone to squeeze by on either side and causing congestion and stuff.

I just crossed my arms to form a sort of bumper and walked right through them, pushing them out of the way. This went on for a week until they finally disappeared.

Then again, that was in a specific situation where we were all under the same time constraints and there was no way they didn’t know I had somewhere to be. Try that in public and you’ll probably get a fist to the mouth.

Chariotoflove > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 12:15

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The video forgot to demonstrate brake-checking. That would have been interesting. Although, I think the guy was taking his life into his own hands cutting in the checkout line.

scoob > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 12:20

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The way I walk is completely different from the way I drive.

When driving, I am as aware and courteous as can be. I follow all the rules, I don’t drive like an ass.

When walking, everybody needs to get the fuck out of my way. If you’re walking while on your phone, I will actually cut you (off). If you’re (seemingly) able bodied (not elderly or a child or obese or disabled, etc) and walking slow, most likely with a phone, I will cut you (off).

When I’m walking, I have no time for slow people. Especially in the train station. Don’t even get me started with tourists.

/NY’er

StudyStudyStudy > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 19:27

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“if x, then y”

This is so on point, if only driving courses were taught like that, and if only you had to explain yourself in that manner.

If there is a line of traffic and you do not have room to get in, then freaking get off at the next exit.

Well you see, I did not want to wait 2 minutes in a line, so I decided that I would stop an ENTIRE FREEWAY lane so I could force my way in last minute. So...if I don’t want to wait like all the other motorist, then I put an entire freeway lane and slow an entire group of commuters down to 0mph.

End rant....

I get really annoyed when people don’t follow simple etiquette in stores. Pulling up to your neighbor for a chat while blocking an entire isle because you have two carts side by side is pretty daft. Stopping your cart in the middle of the isle so you can respond to a text message, also daft. Walking in a slow line with a group of people taking up the entire sidewalk, also daft.

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > Urambo Tauro 05/05/2016 at 21:47

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I tend to walk the way I drive: Briskly, defensively, because I have somewhere to be, and someone else probably does too. Opposing foot traffic on a sidewalk each gets half the usable width of the sidewalk. I don’t care if you’re chatting with a friend. Move the f—- over so people can pass (from behind, or oncoming). If I’m walking around a blind corner to the left, I will keep right in case someone else is coming around the other side. If I’m walking around a blind corner to the right, I will keep to the inside. If someone else is coming the other way, also keeping to the inside, I’ll just stop and stand there until she goes around. If someone’s coming at me with his face buried in his phone, I’ll just stop and stand there (possibly saying something) until he hits me or goes around.

StingrayJake > Rainbow 05/11/2016 at 13:56

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I guess I just try too hard not to invoncience other people, but it really bugs me when people take up space in a hallway and act like it’s my fault that I need to get past them. Sorry to interrupt your conversation directly in front of the bathroom door. I’ll pee on you if you want me to wait.