The Rules Of The Road Also Apply To Pedestrians

It's happened to all of us. Someone was walking towards you, and you were walking towards them, and you came to this point where you stopped straight in front of each other and had to do this weird little shuffle dance to try to figure out how to get around each other.

It's awkward, it's unnecessary, and it can even be slightly humiliating. But, it doesn't have to be that complicated.

Here in America, we have a law and a generally accepted view of which side of the road a car should be driving: the right side. Why should walking be any different?

To be fair, most people I've run into do adhere to this generally accepted rule, and that's a good thing...but for those of you who don't, this is a wake-up call.

All hallways, sidewalks, and other walking areas should operate similarly to roads, meaning that, no matter which direction you're going, you should generally stay on the right side.

Of course, walking is different from driving, so there are exceptions, such as in the case of roads without sidewalks, blind curves, and open areas without paths...but in general, it would help everyone if you stayed on the right side of the walkway.

"People-traffic" is a real thing, and I do believe there is such a thing as "reckless walking," which can include random stops in the middle of the hallway without warning, zig-zags across the sidewalk, people who walk in groups and take up the whole entire walkway, (leaving no room for anyone to pass, or anyone to walk in the other direction), and the infamous "texting while walking" trend.

Of course, the damage from a collision while walking will generally not be as severe as the damage from a car accident...but it definitely isn't pleasant!

On that note, pedestrians also pay attention to car turn signals. If there is no other car on the road, and a car wants to turn, many cars will not put their blinker on...but if there's a pedestrian, they definitely should!

Walkers need to see which way you're turning, too, so they can see if it's safe to walk. Don't leave walkers in the dark.

"Look both ways before you cross the street" isn't the only rule pedestrians should follow. Stay safe, be sensible, and make it easier for yourself and everyone else.