Pavement Rage

Fine the Slow or Cool Your Heels?

Do slow walkers make you mad? It is such a problem on London's Oxford Street that merchants called for a fast lane for pedestrians and fines for those who walk too slow. The proposal was submitted to the Westminster City Council at the beginning of Pavement Rage Awareness Week in 2000. The proposed Operation Tugboat would have divided the street into two lanes, one with a minimum speed of 3 miles per hour. The average pedestrian speed along the street is 1 mph.

A poll of workers in the area showed that 89% had experienced "pavement rage" over having their paths blocked by the throngs of slow-moving shoppers. Not only did they get mad, 2/3 said they had been victims of aggression and 1/3 admitted they were the ones who committed an aggressive act out of pedestrian rage.

Slow walkers using the fast lane would be ticketed by marshals or caught by speed cameras, with fines of £10.

Nine million tourists a year visit Oxford Street, getting in the way of the 60,000 residents and workers in the area.

Those proposing the scheme hope that, just by having the rule, shoppers will police themselves and yield the speed lane to those walking faster.

Curbing Pavement Rage

Have you experienced pavement rage? As a fitness walker, I often am frustrated in getting caught behind slow moving people on sidewalks and in stores. I avoid stores during the holiday season and on weekends year-round to keep my frustration in check. Upon hearing of this story, I called a local talk show and expressed my desire to have a personal cattle prod at times to help clear the path, but that was simply the pavement rage speaking.

Pavement Etiquette - Can't We All Just Get Along?

1. Walk single file where there is not room for others to pass you when walking abreast.

2. Stay aware of others overtaking you and move aside to let them pass. A cheery hello helps defuse pavement rage.

3. When you overtake other walkers, wish them a nice hello as well - it improves your attitude and theirs.

4. Be careful not to bump or jostle people when overtaking them.

5. If those ahead of you seem unaware you wish to pass, a cheery "Excuse me!" will usually suffice, although I am partial to a Roadrunner, "meep meep!" This serves the same function as a bicycle bell used when bicycles overtake walkers. Keep your utterances pleasant - a "Get out of my way," simply makes tensions worse.

6. Stay cheery - the people you pass may be right behind you as you wait at the next traffic signal - no use starting a pavement rage feud.

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