#Straight couples! You’re going to make me write a “walking on the sidewalk/pavement etiquette” thread, aren’t you?

#walkingintimesofcoronavirus

And I am noticing particularly poor manners from the men in these aforementioned straight couples.

There may be room for performative masculinity in your relationships but #walkingintimesofcoronavirus is NOT it!

Let’s start with walking abreast and taking up most of the pavement! Why?

By all means, hold hands but either pull up to the side to let people pass or more switch to single file when you see someone walking towards you so we can pass at appropriate distance.

This is a NO

And women! This is NOT a movie. Your best friends will not stop being friends if you do not walk all abreast!

Don’t do this

Straight men, simple walking with a woman rules:

1. YOU walk on the outside, closest to traffic
2. To pass a woman coming towards you, fall a step behind your companion so you are slightly behind her

(Also works if she’s ripped her gown)

3. If your masculinity is fragile, you’ll like this one: to pass a man coming towards you, again step aside to let him pass or move a step forward so you’re slightly in front of your companion.

You can even live out your own personal meme

I prefer pausing to let people who are slower, frailer, or with kids, or for whatever reason less comfortable walking pass.

It takes a moment but is kinder.

Greeting them is entirely voluntary.

At the end, be kind. Be thoughtful. Be considerate.

Etiquette changes. Manners are forever!

Even after this passes.

Top categories of people who definitely don’t know the basic etiquette for walking on the sidewalk/pavement:
1. Straight couples
2. Pairs of women (who knew Mean Girls did so much damage)
3. Lone parents with pre-teen and teen kids

As a good Londoner, I have tried the hard stare.

But to no avail

Instead I have now been forced to resort to drastic - and possibly cruel - steps.

Yes dear reader, I have taken to not so discreet, strategic coughing

So far it has been most effective although obviously not very nice.

Yet it could all be avoided if people just learned to use public spaces with a modicum of consideration

Aand now that people appear to be learning how not to walk abreast, we can notice another breach of pavement/sidewalk etiquette:

Standing in the middle of the sidewalk while texting/talking/reading

I have lost patience and today told a young woman (from behing my triple layered scarf) if she could move to the side rather than blocking the middle.

She did. But really?

We should know this already!!!!

And another etiquette issue emerges: people want to stop and chat but also maintain physical distancing. Fair enough.

But you DO know you don’t have to stand across the path from eachother?

Stand with appropriate distance between you ON THE SAME SIDE. That way others can pass