I'm curious if this is just a local 'thing,' or is more widespread.

It's a lockdown inheritance: people who used to happily walk past you on the pavement now appear to think it's absolutely impossible for one person to walk one way, and another the other, on the same wide pavement!

I see this multiple times every single day: someone will be walking along towards you, they'll see you, and then, if you don't step out into the road so that they have the whole pavement to themselves, they'll sigh and do it themselves.

Which ends up as a sort of ettiquette shaming: 'Oh, I see, you're too rude to move so I'll have to do it for you' - and there's loads of room for both on the path!!! I'm continually torn between thinking I'd better not look rude, and thinking to myself 'Why should I vacate a path when there's plenty of room for them to pass me?'

I know it doesn't happen in the big city streets, but ever since social distancing it's been really depressingly common phenomenon in my neck of the woods. People are really odd!

I hate it when you are expected to wait at the bottom of a staircase when someone is coming down the staircase when there is plenty of room for directional movement. When I go for a run, people will often stop whilst i run past them, even when this is completely unnecessary.

Yes I've noticed this too Rick. Also, people who stop and tuck themselves right to the side of a wide path that could walk three abreast, and then look at you as if you are the rudest person in the world when you don't say "thanks" as you stroll past them. All I can think is "weirdo".

It is definitely a post lockdown thing...

Since lockdown society has become very aggressive and selfish.

Even cyclists insist on using the pavement rather than roads and youths are E-scooters who look at you like you are an obstruction.

Rick wrote:
I'm curious if this is just a local 'thing,' or is more widespread.

It's a lockdown inheritance: people who used to happily walk past you on the pavement now appear to think it's absolutely impossible for one person to walk one way, and another the other, on the same wide pavement!

I see this multiple times every single day: someone will be walking along towards you, they'll see you, and then, if you don't step out into the road so that they have the whole pavement to themselves, they'll sigh and do it themselves.

Which ends up as a sort of ettiquette shaming: 'Oh, I see, you're too rude to move so I'll have to do it for you' - and there's loads of room for both on the path!!! I'm continually torn between thinking I'd better not look rude, and thinking to myself 'Why should I vacate a path when there's plenty of room for them to pass me?'

I know it doesn't happen in the big city streets, but ever since social distancing it's been really depressingly common phenomenon in my neck of the woods. People are really odd!

Are you fond of garlic, Rick?

In older London days it was keep to the left on the footpath similar to politely queuing for your turn for the bus.

I got sick to death of London streets though as the mass of humanity was just to much but then I went to New York which was a nightmare on the pavement.

In fact I was furious when walking up Fifth Avenue with a mass of humanity and the duo Sonny and Cher walked and barely got a glimpse of them.

When I ran a decor shop on Kings Road Gregory Peck walked in one day and when I asked if I could him he replied "just getting away from the crowds for a minute"

Wyot wrote:
Yes I've noticed this too Rick. Also, people who stop and tuck themselves right to the side of a wide path that could walk three abreast, and then look at you as if you are the rudest person in the world when you don't say "thanks" as you stroll past them. All I can think is "weirdo".

It is definitely a post lockdown thing...

I do hate it when people are walking up to your ass on the pavement, there is room for them to maneuver but I end up giving them the pavement.

If there is a lonewoman walking, I do cross over or sometimes stop or pretend to text or make a call. So it don't look I am following her.

Anyone notice how aggresive some commuters are on trains and buses? Some bus drivers do deal with some shit. What annoys if someone has booked and paid for a train seat and someone else is in the seat and refuse to move. So the guard has to find another seat for the disabled passenger but even then you might not be near your luggage, due to limited and cramp spaces on UK trains.

I can't see the UK re-introducing the bilevel trains anytime soon not even on HS2.

I have witnessed some twats who play the race card on trains when they have been caught travelling with a valid ticket.

Either find another seat that is not booked or pay for your ticket before you hop on the train.

You will find, GM, when you are ancient like me that bi-level trains are a pain - going up those stairs with baggage. In France I'm often on them and prefer top level for views but always book LOWER levels for legs and to be able to keep eye on baggage.

Well, it's reassuring to know this isn't my entirely private gripe! I really do care about being polite and respectful, so this kind of thing does my head in!

JK2006 wrote:
You will find, GM, when you are ancient like me that bi-level trains are a pain - going up those stairs with baggage. In France I'm often on them and prefer top level for views but always book LOWER levels for legs and to be able to keep eye on baggage.

When I travelled on the train to Brum earlier in the Spring of this year, people left their luggage in the gangway while they went through the carriages to find a seat or stood up a long way away where they dumped their shit whilst their cases were rolling around.

If I stand on a train, I will go to a corner near where the doors are lean against my case. I don't mind standing for a couple of hours.

Have the young , those with a single rucksack and able-bodied use the top deck of bilevel trains.

We can't really do bi-level (double decker) trains here in the UK though can we because of all those 19th century tunnels across the country that don't give much clearance even to regular trains and it's just not feasable to do anything to all these tunnels.

Wyot wrote:
Yes I've noticed this too Rick. Also, people who stop and tuck themselves right to the side of a wide path that could walk three abreast, and then look at you as if you are the rudest person in the world when you don't say "thanks" as you stroll past them. All I can think is "weirdo".

It is definitely a post lockdown thing...

Here Wyot, people tend to walk in the middle of the pavement, don't get me started on those with bikes who serve from side to side.

Green Man wrote:
Wyot wrote:
Yes I've noticed this too Rick. Also, people who stop and tuck themselves right to the side of a wide path that could walk three abreast, and then look at you as if you are the rudest person in the world when you don't say "thanks" as you stroll past them. All I can think is "weirdo".

It is definitely a post lockdown thing...

Here Wyot, people tend to walk in the middle of the pavement, don't get me started on those with bikes who serve from side to side.

Perhaps I am just scary looking GM....