Silly human behavior question

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:40 pm

I have a silly question for you folks in Britain and other countries that drive on the left side of the road.

Here in the US, I have noticed then when two people pass each other in a hallway they make sure the oncoming person is on their left, just as if they were driving out on the road.

Now, in â??left side of the roadâ?

Warlock · Post by **Warlock** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:06 pm

watch people when they stoping they allways look right then left, when they should be looking left 1st cause thats the closes traffic to them

Flabby Chick · Post by **Flabby Chick** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:09 pm

Lol...After coming from the UK ages ago to a country that drives on the right i'm still facking corridor meetings up.

Grendel · Post by **Grendel** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:55 pm

Warlock wrote:watch people when they stoping they allways look right then left, when they should be looking left 1st cause thats the closes traffic to them

On a right hand based system ppl coming from the right usually have the right of way -- that's why a lot driver instructors teach to look there 1st..

Battlebot · Post by **Battlebot** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 5:00 pm

thats a good observation ded.... never noiced it.

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:30 pm

What's weird about America (the East Coast particularly) is the Escalator Rule: when getting on a 2-person-wide escalator, if you wish to stand still, do so on the right; if like everybody else you need to get where you're going, you walk up or down the escalator on the left side. This isn't as much of an issue in Eurpoe because escalators move 3 or 4 times faster than they do here (no joke) but it bugs me when some fatass tourist parks herself in the middle of the escalator, just so that I miss my train.

Flabby Chick · Post by **Flabby Chick** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:59 pm

LOL@ "Fatass tourist"

Are tourists overweight regardless of their country of origin? I saw a bussload of Americans enter a restaurant the other day and they were simply enormous....maybe it was a religious slimmers convention coming to see de promised land.

Phoenix Red · Post by **Phoenix Red** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:31 pm

Dedman: yes. Tube hallways are a good place to observe this, where there enough people that everyone sticks to their own side.

Trivia nugget: european countries drive on the left side of the road because that keeps your sword arm (you would probably be burned for a witch if you were lefthanded) on the inside to protect you.

North American countries drive on the right because of wagon architecture that had the driver seat on the left side.

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:39 am

Yep in New Zealand people move left and walk on the left side of the pavement mainly. We drive on the left in case you didn't know.

Tricord · Post by **Tricord** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 4:15 am

Whenever there's a need to make way for someone on foot, I move to the right, as I would on the road. I'm aware of that though, but I guess most people aren't.

DC, the escalator rule is known here in Europe as well, particularly in England. But since it's an "unwritten rule" there are always idiots who never heard about it. They're not always fatass tourists either

I went to england by car once, and enjoyed very much doing everything at the wrong side of the road. Crossroads become very complicated all of the sudden, because priorities and trajectories are all mirrorred. Also, driving in England with a LHD car, you sit at the side of the road. Excellent for parking and driving through narrow passages..

DCrazy · Post by **DCrazy** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:36 am

What I find weird about it here in the States is that it doesn't flip, i.e. passing traffic on the right, stationary people on the left.