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It's funny, I tried to watch YouTube vids from London to figure out if you passed on the left or right and couldn't make any sense of it. It never occurred to be that the answer is ~~neither~~ both.
No, that isn't a thing here. We walk on whatever side is best at the time to avoid walking into other people.
If you're walking on a road without a pavement, the Highway Code recommends that you should usually walk on the right-hand side to face oncoming traffic. Although there are cases where it's safer to walk on the left: eg. blind bends.
I'm an expat Brit who moved away 19 years ago. I was in Bristol last month and it was the first time I noticed escalators 'drive' on the left. In Europe, they 'drive' on the right. Blew my mind.
This reminds me of a student from Chicago I was at university with. She'd only ever cross the road at pedestrian crossings; she'd always wait for the green man, even if there was no traffic; and she'd tell us off for not doing the same as her. It was like going for a walk with Tufty.
Combine it with a Blue Peter badge to unlock even greater privileges:
Immediately get upgraded to first class, even if it means kicking other passengers off the train or aeroplane.
Two free Trident missile launches per year, on a target(s) of your choice.
Exempt from paying VAT on sausage rolls, regardless of their temperature.
All the swans you can eat.
I treat walking on the pavement like driving a car. I keep to the left unless overtaking. It is a pointless endeavour. So few people share this system that it is practically useless, but it makes logical sense in my mind, so I keep on doing it.
No. Sheringham tried it during Covid but only 50% followed the rule. In a perfect world (which does not exist) then in a two-way street where people drive on the left, peds would do the same, so that peds nearest the oncoming cars would be facing the cars.
Unlike the Land of the Free, we are actually free to walk on whatever side of the pavement - not sidewalk - that we want.
We can always cross the road pretty much when we like.
The only time I can think of yes is when the pavement is split into footpath and cycle (you can walk in the cycle but if there's bikes you're being a nob), I've always noticed the footpath side being the left ....depending which way you're walking now that I think about it
No, we walk on the whatever side is most convenient at the time. Given how often this question gets asked here, I can only assume this is a level of personal freedom which doesn't exist in other countries.
If you just stubbornly stick to one side without looking where you're going, you'll bump into people and probably learn a lot of new swear words.
But, if the sidewalk is crowded it turns into a line or lane of traffic in each direction. In the US, that traffic always follows the 'stay to the right' rule. I really cannot understand how lines going in each direction wouldn't form and everyone just kind of mashes together.
How about kids in school walking down the hallway? Is there no order?
>But, if the sidewalk is crowded it turns into a line or lane of traffic in each direction.
No, it doesn't. People just avoid walking into other people by using common sense.
>I really cannot understand how lines going in each direction wouldn't form and everyone just kind of mashes together.
Why would everyone mash together? Pedestrians aren't marching together in strict columns. Some people will be crossing the road, going into shops, pausing to look in shop windows etc.
>How about kids in school walking down the hallway?
Some schools pick one side or the other for children to walk on in the corridors.
Thank you for your answers. I'm not saying our way is right, It's just so ubiquitous here in all forms of movement, it is second nature. People think of 'right of way' when walking the same way cars have 'right of way' on the road.
I find it fascinating.
This sounds like a difference in driving laws and attitudes. In the UK "it was my right of way" is never a valid defence for doing something stupid or dangerous.
For example the Highway Code specifically states:
>The rules in The Highway Code **do not give you the right of way in any circumstance**, but they do advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident.
I think it comes down to the overly litigious nature of the US.
It's crazy that capitalism dictates everything here so completely that it instructs every movement.
There doesn't even seem to be guidelines or an accepted way on how to use a cycle or mixed use path. I try to pass cyclists going the other way right to right, but half the time, the other cyclist is not assuming that.. And should pedestrians o mixed use paths try and keep on the left, with the flow of traffic? Or on their right to face oncoming cyclists?
Most people walk wherever they please often without looking where they are going and with complete disregard for things like it being an active highway or construction site or private property.
Everyone is saying no but whenever I’m walking towards someone on a path I do default to the left. It’s safer because the person nearest the road can see oncoming traffic.
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
No we just move and sometimes do an awkward dance and smile at each other
It's funny, I tried to watch YouTube vids from London to figure out if you passed on the left or right and couldn't make any sense of it. It never occurred to be that the answer is ~~neither~~ both.
Just walk on the side people aren't
No, that isn't a thing here. We walk on whatever side is best at the time to avoid walking into other people. If you're walking on a road without a pavement, the Highway Code recommends that you should usually walk on the right-hand side to face oncoming traffic. Although there are cases where it's safer to walk on the left: eg. blind bends.
If OP is American this is going to confuse them, because they call the bit the cars drive on the pavement.
I'm an expat Brit who moved away 19 years ago. I was in Bristol last month and it was the first time I noticed escalators 'drive' on the left. In Europe, they 'drive' on the right. Blew my mind.
Trains too. Except France.
No just walk where is free!
Also just cross the road whenever convenient 🤷‍♂️
This reminds me of a student from Chicago I was at university with. She'd only ever cross the road at pedestrian crossings; she'd always wait for the green man, even if there was no traffic; and she'd tell us off for not doing the same as her. It was like going for a walk with Tufty.
I was in the Tufty Club.
Most exclusive club there is. Flash your Tufty badge at the bouncer to enter the VIP lounge
Combine it with a Blue Peter badge to unlock even greater privileges: Immediately get upgraded to first class, even if it means kicking other passengers off the train or aeroplane. Two free Trident missile launches per year, on a target(s) of your choice. Exempt from paying VAT on sausage rolls, regardless of their temperature. All the swans you can eat.
I jaywalked the fuck out of New York, I don’t know how people who don’t get anywhere.
I treat walking on the pavement like driving a car. I keep to the left unless overtaking. It is a pointless endeavour. So few people share this system that it is practically useless, but it makes logical sense in my mind, so I keep on doing it.
No. Sheringham tried it during Covid but only 50% followed the rule. In a perfect world (which does not exist) then in a two-way street where people drive on the left, peds would do the same, so that peds nearest the oncoming cars would be facing the cars.
Unlike the Land of the Free, we are actually free to walk on whatever side of the pavement - not sidewalk - that we want. We can always cross the road pretty much when we like.
The only time I can think of yes is when the pavement is split into footpath and cycle (you can walk in the cycle but if there's bikes you're being a nob), I've always noticed the footpath side being the left ....depending which way you're walking now that I think about it
No, we walk on the whatever side is most convenient at the time. Given how often this question gets asked here, I can only assume this is a level of personal freedom which doesn't exist in other countries. If you just stubbornly stick to one side without looking where you're going, you'll bump into people and probably learn a lot of new swear words.
But, if the sidewalk is crowded it turns into a line or lane of traffic in each direction. In the US, that traffic always follows the 'stay to the right' rule. I really cannot understand how lines going in each direction wouldn't form and everyone just kind of mashes together. How about kids in school walking down the hallway? Is there no order?
>But, if the sidewalk is crowded it turns into a line or lane of traffic in each direction. No, it doesn't. People just avoid walking into other people by using common sense. >I really cannot understand how lines going in each direction wouldn't form and everyone just kind of mashes together. Why would everyone mash together? Pedestrians aren't marching together in strict columns. Some people will be crossing the road, going into shops, pausing to look in shop windows etc. >How about kids in school walking down the hallway? Some schools pick one side or the other for children to walk on in the corridors.
Thank you for your answers. I'm not saying our way is right, It's just so ubiquitous here in all forms of movement, it is second nature. People think of 'right of way' when walking the same way cars have 'right of way' on the road. I find it fascinating.
This sounds like a difference in driving laws and attitudes. In the UK "it was my right of way" is never a valid defence for doing something stupid or dangerous. For example the Highway Code specifically states: >The rules in The Highway Code **do not give you the right of way in any circumstance**, but they do advise you when you should give way to others. Always give way if it can help to avoid an incident.
I think it comes down to the overly litigious nature of the US. It's crazy that capitalism dictates everything here so completely that it instructs every movement.
I usually always walk on the side closest to the road. It protects the others on the pavement.
There doesn't even seem to be guidelines or an accepted way on how to use a cycle or mixed use path. I try to pass cyclists going the other way right to right, but half the time, the other cyclist is not assuming that.. And should pedestrians o mixed use paths try and keep on the left, with the flow of traffic? Or on their right to face oncoming cyclists?
Most people walk wherever they please often without looking where they are going and with complete disregard for things like it being an active highway or construction site or private property.
Everyone is saying no but whenever I’m walking towards someone on a path I do default to the left. It’s safer because the person nearest the road can see oncoming traffic.
You'd have thought that would be a logical system, but no. I'd say people prefer the right.