Comments on: The Massively Important Issue of Sidewalk Etiquette http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/ Efficiency is the straightest path to hell.* Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:50:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: dan bertolet http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-14418 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:20:24 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-14418 The obvious conclusion here is that living at low density makes people dumb, and I'm only half kidding. Same applies to cars: when people get used to driving without many other cars around they get lazy and stop paying attention. A little chaos keeps us on our toes, and is good for the body and soul. The obvious conclusion here is that living at low density makes people dumb, and I’m only half kidding. Same applies to cars: when people get used to driving without many other cars around they get lazy and stop paying attention. A little chaos keeps us on our toes, and is good for the body and soul.

]]> by: adam http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-14278 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:50:06 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-14278 having grown up outside NYC, seattle really gets to me, for a few reasons. the lack of adherence to right-side sidewalk etiquette is nuts. also, the two-wide shuffle - two-wide in open stride - come on seattle. no sidewalk anywhere is designed for four people to obviously walk side-by-side. (this surely includes tourists, though.) however, its not my personal pedestrian hell-- that honor belongs to paris, with its hordes of nonchalant walking sloths. seattle isn't great about it either, but is still miles ahead of les parisiennes. having grown up outside NYC, seattle really gets to me, for a few reasons. the lack of adherence to right-side sidewalk etiquette is nuts. also, the two-wide shuffle - two-wide in open stride - come on seattle. no sidewalk anywhere is designed for four people to obviously walk side-by-side. (this surely includes tourists, though.) however, its not my personal pedestrian hell– that honor belongs to paris, with its hordes of nonchalant walking sloths. seattle isn’t great about it either, but is still miles ahead of les parisiennes.

]]> by: wes http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11071 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:54:18 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11071 Mexico City: worst ever. try crossing at a green light, with a ped signal, and continuous turning traffic that couldn't care less that people are crossing the street. Had someone come within inches of my toes once and when i smacked his car he stopped and was yelling, though didn't get out of his car, probably b/c he had never had a pedestrian do something like that before. Vancouver is awesome for walking (downtown). Don't get mad, I know everyone says Vancouver is awesome. I can't help it, it is. Much of Holland is good (except Amsterdam). Mexico City: worst ever. try crossing at a green light, with a ped signal, and continuous turning traffic that couldn’t care less that people are crossing the street. Had someone come within inches of my toes once and when i smacked his car he stopped and was yelling, though didn’t get out of his car, probably b/c he had never had a pedestrian do something like that before.

Vancouver is awesome for walking (downtown). Don’t get mad, I know everyone says Vancouver is awesome. I can’t help it, it is.

Much of Holland is good (except Amsterdam).

]]> by: Matt the Engineer http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11053 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:23:30 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11053 Dubrovnik, Venice, Ljubliana, Istanbul, parts of Shanghai. All have car-free areas (well, for Venice it's all car-free) with dense populations that make life very enjoyable. I'll add New York to my list. Traffic noise is painful, but the subway makes getting around so nice that it's worth it. If Seattle had some nice way to connect all of the neighborhoods, it would make my list. Add car-free areas and it might top it. Least favorite? Rome. Walking was a bad option, but traffic makes cars useless as well. Datong. A terrible, polluted, car-based city in China that I recommend never going near. Any city in India except Delhi. Delhi is a gridlocked mess as well, but the heavy rail system saves it. Dubrovnik, Venice, Ljubliana, Istanbul, parts of Shanghai. All have car-free areas (well, for Venice it’s all car-free) with dense populations that make life very enjoyable. I’ll add New York to my list. Traffic noise is painful, but the subway makes getting around so nice that it’s worth it.

If Seattle had some nice way to connect all of the neighborhoods, it would make my list. Add car-free areas and it might top it.

Least favorite? Rome. Walking was a bad option, but traffic makes cars useless as well. Datong. A terrible, polluted, car-based city in China that I recommend never going near. Any city in India except Delhi. Delhi is a gridlocked mess as well, but the heavy rail system saves it.

]]> by: rb http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11045 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:06:43 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-11045 @Kent, I'm a fast walker who zips down the sidewalk, so chances are you won't have cause to taze me. I, in turn, promise not to taze you at Seattle Center. Anyone else is fair game. :) On a side note it would be interesting to hear people's favorite/least favorite ped cities. Mine are Paris and San Francisco, for the density, interesting streetscapes, and central districts that are not totally overrun with traffic. Portland is a nice walking city. I love NYC, but the traffic noise is grating after a while. Buenos Aires and Rome have some great walking areas and are incredible cities, but for the most part if you're not paying attention, you're going to die. Not terribly relaxing or easy from a ped point of view. Los Angeles, to me, is hell. @Kent, I’m a fast walker who zips down the sidewalk, so chances are you won’t have cause to taze me. I, in turn, promise not to taze you at Seattle Center. Anyone else is fair game. :)

On a side note it would be interesting to hear people’s favorite/least favorite ped cities. Mine are Paris and San Francisco, for the density, interesting streetscapes, and central districts that are not totally overrun with traffic. Portland is a nice walking city. I love NYC, but the traffic noise is grating after a while. Buenos Aires and Rome have some great walking areas and are incredible cities, but for the most part if you’re not paying attention, you’re going to die. Not terribly relaxing or easy from a ped point of view.

Los Angeles, to me, is hell.

]]> by: eM http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10946 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:00:57 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10946 walking with a pitbull seems to get ppl to move out of the way - altho if they didn't , she'd love them to death walking with a pitbull seems to get ppl to move out of the way - altho if they didn’t , she’d love them to death

]]> by: keith http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10651 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:19:32 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10651 This discussion is excellent and I'm particularly taken by the escalator discussion. I often enter my building (Rainier Tower) through the Convention Center and take the byzantine underground path through One and Town Union; this involves up to four escalator rides and the majority are always clogged by standers. What about reading while walking? I'm guilty but use discretion. Do I deserve to be robbed by transients (as my small-town Texas father suggests) or hit by an errant truck/bike/motorcycle/taxi (as my wife fears)? This discussion is excellent and I’m particularly taken by the escalator discussion. I often enter my building (Rainier Tower) through the Convention Center and take the byzantine underground path through One and Town Union; this involves up to four escalator rides and the majority are always clogged by standers.

What about reading while walking? I’m guilty but use discretion. Do I deserve to be robbed by transients (as my small-town Texas father suggests) or hit by an errant truck/bike/motorcycle/taxi (as my wife fears)?

]]> by: kent http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10417 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:36:01 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10417 old timer - You got it. One of the most amazing pedestrian experiences I've had was in Manhattan. The coordination and flow of pedestrians, jaywalkers and car / cab traffic was like a perfect symphony. It took some practice and a lot of trust, but it worked well. Except for the tourists of course. They interrupted the flow. Julie - I like your idea, I think I will try that "not looking them in the eye" thing. I just hope my first attempt isn't with a comatose walker and we have a collision. How about walking up on the "wide group blockade" from behind, any tips there? Maybe we taze them, just kidding rb! rb - Good points, I agree it isn't a big problem, just a minor annoyance. I agree with the judge in NY, this is not disorderly conduct, just bad form, caused by not being aware of the world around you. I promise not to taze you, even if you are wide walking, if you leave me and my family alone while we are at Seattle Center events. Deal? Peace out! old timer - You got it. One of the most amazing pedestrian experiences I’ve had was in Manhattan. The coordination and flow of pedestrians, jaywalkers and car / cab traffic was like a perfect symphony. It took some practice and a lot of trust, but it worked well. Except for the tourists of course. They interrupted the flow.

Julie - I like your idea, I think I will try that “not looking them in the eye” thing. I just hope my first attempt isn’t with a comatose walker and we have a collision. How about walking up on the “wide group blockade” from behind, any tips there? Maybe we taze them, just kidding rb!

rb - Good points, I agree it isn’t a big problem, just a minor annoyance. I agree with the judge in NY, this is not disorderly conduct, just bad form, caused by not being aware of the world around you. I promise not to taze you, even if you are wide walking, if you leave me and my family alone while we are at Seattle Center events. Deal?

Peace out!

]]> by: Futzbuttom http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10264 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:17:20 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10264 @ sk8tr dude - maybe it's because doing a 50-50 grind is the lamest, easiest skateboard move ever. Maybe if you tried doing a reverse 50-50 grind or a front foot impossible, people would give you more respect and move off the bench. @ sk8tr dude - maybe it’s because doing a 50-50 grind is the lamest, easiest skateboard move ever. Maybe if you tried doing a reverse 50-50 grind or a front foot impossible, people would give you more respect and move off the bench.

]]> by: sk8tr dude http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10254 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:00:38 +0000 http://noisetank.com/hugeasscity/2008/08/12/the-massively-important-issue-of-sidewalk-etiquette/#comment-10254 i hate it when i'm riding and just trying to pull a 50-50 grind on a bench and people don't get up for me. what gives? i hate it when i’m riding and just trying to pull a 50-50 grind on a bench and people don’t get up for me. what gives?

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