Walking Etiquette
By: Ashleigh Ray
As the ignorant tourist I’m sure you are, there are a lot of important things to note before embarking on your first excursion down to Trafalgar Square. In London you must walk with purpose and determination, eyes set dead ahead on the approaching foot traffic. This may mean that you step on the occasional pigeon or two, but Londoners will thank you for helping them decrease the pest population. If you’re prone to stopping and taking pictures, all of London will groan in your general direction. The same goes for not understanding the crosswalks (zebra pattern means you have the right-of-way) and talking loudly with your American accent. If you have the power, walk fast. When you slow down, you fall behind and end up losing whomever you’re walking with.
NOTE: No one really wants to stop and give you directions even though they may be willing to; most Londoners have better things to do, like attend one of the hundreds of plays and musicals being performed every week.
Instead of asking for directions, carry a map with you and step out of foot traffic if you’re going to stop to examine it. This would also be a good time to take pictures as you’re finally out of everyone’s way and won’t cause too much of a disturbance. When you do start walking again, do your best to remain on one side of the sidewalk without even the slightest alteration in your course. If you put even one toe out of line, you run the risk of manslamming.
Manslamming is a strictly London phenomenon that involves slamming one’s shoulder into the shoulder of another either out of sheer ignorance or lack of concern while trying to pass on the sidewalk. There are those who manslam with purpose, but they are practiced in the art of manslamming and use it as a way to greet one another on the street. Do not attempt an intentional manslam. It will only end in disaster and tragedy for both parties involved. The average Londoner will not hesitate to manslam you into the next decade without even glancing in your direction or a muttering a “sorry” under his breath. However, you shouldn’t take this personally.
By: Ashleigh Ray
As the ignorant tourist I’m sure you are, there are a lot of important things to note before embarking on your first excursion down to Trafalgar Square. In London you must walk with purpose and determination, eyes set dead ahead on the approaching foot traffic. This may mean that you step on the occasional pigeon or two, but Londoners will thank you for helping them decrease the pest population. If you’re prone to stopping and taking pictures, all of London will groan in your general direction. The same goes for not understanding the crosswalks (zebra pattern means you have the right-of-way) and talking loudly with your American accent. If you have the power, walk fast. When you slow down, you fall behind and end up losing whomever you’re walking with.
NOTE: No one really wants to stop and give you directions even though they may be willing to; most Londoners have better things to do, like attend one of the hundreds of plays and musicals being performed every week.
Instead of asking for directions, carry a map with you and step out of foot traffic if you’re going to stop to examine it. This would also be a good time to take pictures as you’re finally out of everyone’s way and won’t cause too much of a disturbance. When you do start walking again, do your best to remain on one side of the sidewalk without even the slightest alteration in your course. If you put even one toe out of line, you run the risk of manslamming.
Manslamming is a strictly London phenomenon that involves slamming one’s shoulder into the shoulder of another either out of sheer ignorance or lack of concern while trying to pass on the sidewalk. There are those who manslam with purpose, but they are practiced in the art of manslamming and use it as a way to greet one another on the street. Do not attempt an intentional manslam. It will only end in disaster and tragedy for both parties involved. The average Londoner will not hesitate to manslam you into the next decade without even glancing in your direction or a muttering a “sorry” under his breath. However, you shouldn’t take this personally.