Do People in the UK Walk on the Left?

[Corey]

A simple question: Do people in the UK (and other countries where driving is done on the left side) tend to walk on the left side of halls, sidewalks, etc?

If not, why is the right side the natrual side to walk in shared passageways?

[Jazza]

don't know about the UK, but people in australia don't seem to prefer ond sid to the other

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
don't know about the UK, but people in australia don't seem to prefer ond sid to the other

[/ QUOTE ]

Doesn't this cause mass confusion on the streets? I mean, how do you know what side to move to if two people are walking right at each other?

Also, another example of this is the "stand to the right" phenomenon witnessed on escalators (and enforced by angry commuters on the DC Metro). If you stand on the escalator, move right. If you walk up/down, pass on the left.

[Jazza]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
don't know about the UK, but people in australia don't seem to prefer ond sid to the other

[/ QUOTE ]

Doesn't this cause mass confusion on the streets? I mean, how do you know what side to move to if two people are walking right at each other?

Also, another example of this is the "stand to the right" phenomenon witnessed on escalators (and enforced by angry commuters on the DC Metro). If you stand on the escalator, move right. If you walk up/down, pass on the left.

[/ QUOTE ]

on the streets people eventually form an ordered passing system, but wether it's pass on the left of pass on the right seems random

however on the escalators here people not walking up stand to the left so people walking up can walk up the right side

[splashpot]

In Hong Kong, you drive on the left. In general, you also walk on the left. If you go to a mall with escalators, you board the left escalator. This threw me off for a while when I first got here. I would always try to board the right one and bump into people who were getting off the escalator. The notion that you "stand on the right, pass on the left" concept on escalators and moving walkways still holds true though.

[OtisTheMarsupial]

I've been to the UK and to Australia. They seem to walk whatever side they want. But also, I was in touristy destinations, so many of those people were probably not locals.

Every subway I've ever been to has the same escalator rule - stand to the right, walk to the left. I've been on subways in NY, London, Paris...

[slickpoppa]

when i was in australia people tended to move to left, which caused me to walk into people at first

[stabn]

[ QUOTE ]

The notion that you "stand on the right, pass on the left" concept on escalators and moving walkways still holds true though.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wow that's odd. There's no passing on escalators in the NW. If the people in front of you are walking you get to walk, if they aren't, you get to wait behind them.

[smudgex68]

I don't walk on the left, but I do dress to the left

[apd138]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

The notion that you "stand on the right, pass on the left" concept on escalators and moving walkways still holds true though.


[/ QUOTE ] Try that on the east coast when somoene needs to make their train and see how far it gets you.

Wow that's odd. There's no passing on escalators in the NW. If the people in front of you are walking you get to walk, if they aren't, you get to wait behind them.

[/ QUOTE ]

[BK_]

yes

[dutchbrodymoss]

Well, if you're been to Europe you'd know.

[dutchbrodymoss]

You know, instead of trashing other people online. You're a real nobleman, you know that?

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
You know, instead of trashing other people online. You're a real nobleman, you know that?

[/ QUOTE ]

Touché

[GuyOnTilt]

This is actually an interesting question. I'd never thought about it.

GoT

[daveymck]

I suspect Americans dont walk on the right(and I didnt when over there) so its a stupid question.

Although at our school they enforced a keep to the left policy in corridors and stairs but I dont think it was related to our driving side.

[Corey]

[ QUOTE ]
I suspect Americans dont walk on the right

[/ QUOTE ]

I disagree. There is no enforced "walk on the right." That being said, in a hallway where the space requires the selection of a side, I would say the vast majority of Americans default to the right. My initial question was do people in the UK/Australia/Wherever else the drive on the left usually default to the left.

In areas used regularly by people getting from point A to point B, there is usually a de facto "walk on the right, you idiot" policy. Such examples I have recently encountered are corridors for public transportation and main walking "thoroughfares" between classes at while I was at college. These involve large number of people basically putting a walkway at capacity.

[GuyOnTilt]

[ QUOTE ]
I suspect Americans dont walk on the right(and I didnt when over there) so its a stupid question.

[/ QUOTE ]

From my experience, you suspect wrong. We definitely do tend to walk on the right and shift right to avoid others walking in the opposite direction. I had never thought about it relating to our driving laws because I've never been to a country that drove any differently, but that would make sense if it did.

[ QUOTE ]
Although at our school they enforced a keep to the left policy in corridors and stairs but I dont think it was related to our driving side.

[/ QUOTE ]

What makes you think that?

GoT