Can we agree to walk on the right?

OK, this one is really for the New Yorkers among us. We really need people to start obeying the rules of the road (and by road I mean sidewalk) – walk on the right, please.

A Harvard study showed that if everyone in NYC walked on the right hand side of the sidewalk, pedestrian traffic would run so smoothly that the average New Yorker’s daily commuting time would be reduced by 20%. OK, I made that up, but it would definitely reduce my frustration by about 20% and that’s worth it.

Please help the cause by giving offenders a card that says “Can we agree to walk on the right?”

Apparently, when you’re in New Zealand, you walk on the left, but in New York – walk on the right.

Mr. Manners did a podcast on Sidewalk Manners. It’s pretty good. Here are some highlights:

• Make sure others are not right behind you before stopping suddenly, and move off to the side on busy streets if you’re going to stop walking and engage in conversation.
• people tend to walk in one direction on the right, and in the other direction towards the left
• If you see someone on the street drop something, … be a Good Samaritan. … “Pardon me, sir, but I think you dropped something.” [see our take on that if that something is litter]

I’m taking back my personal space

This lovely holiday season in New York has reminded us that there is sometimes no such thing as personal space. Our subway ride to work today was no exception. Being face to face — or face to armpit — with people can, under some circumstances, be nice (can’t it?). But on the E train at rush hour is not one of those circumstances. That’s why we decided to make the newest card in a long time. It simply says “I’m taking back my personal space.”

You can give it to someone or just keep it for yourself as a reminder that you want back what is rightfully yours – a little breathing room. You shouldn’t be subjected to a dry hump by a complete stranger on the subway in the morning just because you want to get to work on time.