Senior English major
At a university with some 37,000 students, walking around between classes can be a crowded hassle. What’s worse is that many people seem to have some glaring holes in their understanding of the rules of the sidewalk. So just as a reminder, here are the five commandments of college sidewalk etiquette.
I. Thou shalt walk on the right side of the sidewalk.
Come on guys, this isn’t England. We drive on the right side of the road, so we should walk on the right side of the sidewalk. If everybody could keep to this rule, the pedestrian flow would be much smoother. This would eliminate those awkward moments when you and the guy walking toward you can’t seem to decide who should move over, ultimately resulting in both of you moving the same way and having to repeat the process. So remember, if you love America, right is right.
II. Thou shalt stay aware while texting and walking.
I understand that texting is a huge part of communication for college-aged adults, but if you are going to text while you walk, pay attention to those around you. We have all been stuck behind that girl who is walking too slowly because she is texting and doesn’t realize she has people behind her — or else played sidewalk chicken with that guy who has his eyes on his phone and doesn’t see you right in front of him. These texters obstruct the entire area’s foot traffic. If you choose to text and walk: Keep the pace, look out for who is coming toward you and don’t become a walking roadblock.
III. Thou shalt not ride a Razor scooter.
This isn’t really sidewalk etiquette; it’s more like life advice.
IV. Thou shalt not walk three abreast.
Nobody wants to be the third wheel who has to walk behind his or her two friends, but on a narrow sidewalk, walking three abreast is just rude. In many situations, the sidewalk can’t accommodate more than three people walking side by side. Because of groups walking three wide, pedestrians coming from the opposite direction are forced to walk on the grass or dirt. While this may seem like a bit of a first-world problem, anybody who has been forced to step off the sidewalks on a soggy McKeldin Mall mall during or after rain knows why this is an issue.
V. Thou shalt not bike on the sidewalk.
This should be obvious. It’s called a sidewalk — not a sidebike. Rarely in life are we given such clear instructions on how to act in a social situation. If you choose to ride a bike on campus, keep it to the street. The “sharrows” painted on campus roads are there to remind drivers to share the roads with bicyclists. So bikers, take advantage of this new signage and pedal to your hearts’ content (just not on the sidewalk).
If everyone could keep to these commandments, our campus commutes would be safe and orderly rather than chaotic.
Dave Stroh is a senior English major. He can be reached at dstrohdbk@gmail.com.
