"Phil Clark" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 22:56:53 GMT, "mookie89"
wrote:

As a frequent tourist in your great country, I practice the exact same
philosophy I use in any country I visit - I adapt to the local custom.

As someone who's lived here all his life I can confidently say that
there are, as far as I know, no rules for walking on the pavement.

Quick update. Because of this thread, I paid particular attention to this
issue on my visit to London last week. Interesting. In some LU stations
there were signs keeping pedestrians to the left. In others, the signs kept
everyone to the right. And the LU escalators were open season (I assume
they change direction on the escalators periodically for even wear and
tear). On the pavement, there appeared to be no conformity at all. People
simply walked where there was an opening.

Rich

"mookie89" wrote in message
m...

Quick update. Because of this thread, I paid particular attention to this
issue on my visit to London last week. Interesting. In some LU stations
there were signs keeping pedestrians to the left. In others, the signs
kept
everyone to the right. And the LU escalators were open season (I assume
they change direction on the escalators periodically for even wear and
tear). On the pavement, there appeared to be no conformity at all.
People
simply walked where there was an opening.

That's basically because over the last thirty years there have been no
indications or instruction as to what is/used to be common practise. As you
say, LUL confuse the issue by having no standards whatsoever, one station is
one way, one is another and some change in the middle! The greater number of
visitors from countries where it is customary to keep right adds to the
confusion. The increase in the number of one way streets makes the safety
reasoning less strong.

Nevertheless it *was* always customary to keep left, even on the footpath.
It was taught to me by parents, grandparents and at school as being the
'polite' way to pass and for the reasons previously stated: that the
closest person to the traffic walks facing towards the traffic flow because
they are the one who can see approaching vehicles that may be fouling the
footpath and can then take appropriate avoiding action, rather than simply
being decked from behind!

On Tue, 6 Apr 2004 17:27:11 +0100, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:



Nevertheless it *was* always customary to keep left, even on the footpath.
It was taught to me by parents, grandparents and at school as being the
'polite' way to pass and for the reasons previously stated: that the
closest person to the traffic walks facing towards the traffic flow because
they are the one who can see approaching vehicles that may be fouling the
footpath and can then take appropriate avoiding action, rather than simply
being decked from behind!

And I repeat that where I came from (London) the very idea that there
was a 'right' side to walk would have been laughed out of court. I
NEVER heard such a thing, from parents, grandparents or school. It's
not that we were impolite - it never, ever, arose. I still think
you're imagining it!

On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 09:24:30 +0100, Ken Wheatley
wrote:



And I repeat that where I came from (London) the very idea that there
was a 'right' side to walk would have been laughed out of court. I
NEVER heard such a thing, from parents, grandparents or school. It's
not that we were impolite - it never, ever, arose. I still think
you're imagining it!


Although I've lived in London for most of my life, I originally came
from the north east, and I, too, had nexer heard of such a thing until
a few weeks ago on this thread! maybe it was just a local "rule"?

"Ken Wheatley" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 6 Apr 2004 17:27:11 +0100, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:



Nevertheless it *was* always customary to keep left, even on the
footpath.
It was taught to me by parents, grandparents and at school as being the
'polite' way to pass and for the reasons previously stated: that the
closest person to the traffic walks facing towards the traffic flow
because
they are the one who can see approaching vehicles that may be fouling the
footpath and can then take appropriate avoiding action, rather than
simply
being decked from behind!

And I repeat that where I came from (London) the very idea that there
was a 'right' side to walk would have been laughed out of court. I
NEVER heard such a thing, from parents, grandparents or school. It's
not that we were impolite - it never, ever, arose. I still think
you're imagining it!

People from London are impolite , and anyone who moves here (including me)
ends up cathching the disease and we have to behave like the masses just to
survive.

You know who wrote:
"Ken Wheatley" wrote in message
...

On Tue, 6 Apr 2004 17:27:11 +0100, "Jack Taylor"
wrote:



Nevertheless it *was* always customary to keep left, even on the

footpath.

It was taught to me by parents, grandparents and at school as being the
'polite' way to pass and for the reasons previously stated: that the
closest person to the traffic walks facing towards the traffic flow

because

they are the one who can see approaching vehicles that may be fouling the
footpath and can then take appropriate avoiding action, rather than

simply

being decked from behind!


And I repeat that where I came from (London) the very idea that there
was a 'right' side to walk would have been laughed out of court. I
NEVER heard such a thing, from parents, grandparents or school. It's
not that we were impolite - it never, ever, arose. I still think
you're imagining it!


People from London are impolite , and anyone who moves here (including me)
ends up cathching the disease and we have to behave like the masses just to
survive.

I disagree... I find people in London generally polite, even on the
tube. Oh, the exception being customers in Waitrose on Gloucester Road.


--
Dave Arquati
Imperial College, SW7
www.alwaystouchout.com - Transport projects in London