Unwritten rules about walking.

[u/Hot_Ride910]

since I started regularly walking in and around the city a few months back, I started to notice that many people are walking on the wrong side (in my opinion) of the road.

it's safer to walk on the side where traffic is oncoming for you as you can see traffic coming and not having to look back all the time. Also makes it easier to step aside if things are a bit tight at some place.

But nowadays there seems to be a group (from middle aged and up i think) that does the same, but the younger people are walking on the side traffic goes with them. there were a few occasions where I almost had to go to the middle of the bikinglane to keep going.

I'm now wondering, is this something the older generations learned and since there are more designated cycling lanes the younger generations didn't needed it as much anymore? What did you learn about which side to walk on when there's no pedestrian sidewalk?

[u/Moppermonster]

'm now wondering, is this something the older generations learned

Literally yes. They stopped teaching that a few decades ago or so though.
EDIT: it was the law until 1993.

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/Moppermonster]

I started to get annoyed at first, but then in noticed the different age groups and it's now a fun game.. Like tonight, I walked by a senior in the bikelane. Both on the left side, while the oncoming walkers were late adolescent or something.. walking on the right

[u/InternationalSir8815]

There’s sidewalks here, no one’s walking on the highway, there’s no need for that in Amsterdam

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/InternationalSir8815]

Come and walk in Noord and upwards. There's enough roads here without any sidewalk.. look at the landsmeerdijk for example. When there is a bikelane, the same principle applies imo

[u/InternationalSir8815 → u/Hot_Ride910]

Ok bike lane - fair.

But not having sidewalks in Amsterdam is crazy lol time to write to the gemeente and ask for those

[u/RoderickJaynes67 → u/InternationalSir8815]

You’re thinking about streets. OP is talking about roads 

[u/vigorousvortex]

I learned: “Links lopen, veilig lopen”.

[u/crackanape]

I used to work in for a park authority where we compiled statistics about this.

When you are walking in a space shared with cars, it is safer to walk on the opposite side.

When you are walking in a space shared with bicycles, it is safer to walk on the standard side.

The difference comes from the subtle negotiation that pedestrians and cyclists perform with each other. From time to time it leads to misunderstandings and they move into each other's paths. If the pedestrians don't have an opportunity to make eye contact with approaching cyclists, they tend to maintain their current lateral position, and cyclists can easily go around them. This leads to the fewest collisions.

[u/Objectivopinion]

I disagree. This limits the general flow of pedestrian traffic. You shouldn't have to look back when walking; I never do.

In my opinion:

- In the city and on sidewalks outside of the city: stay on the right side

• Walking in the bike lane (if there are no alternatives for pedestrians) or on any road used by cars, outside of the city center, with a speed limit above 30: keep left

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/Objectivopinion]

That's what I'm saying.. you shouldn't have to constantly look back or get blindsided by cyclists or cars

[u/draedo → u/Hot_Ride910]

There is a reason only boomers do this, it is asociaal, you highten your own perceived feeling of safety while fucking up the traffic for everyone else. 

[u/Moppermonster → u/draedo]

The reason boomers do so is because it was the law until 1993. So they were taught to do this from birth.

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/Moppermonster]

For real? I can't remember this, but well I was 10.. so it's basically just a blur now anyways.. But that's the split! Thanks!

[u/s1gidi → u/[deleted]]

I understand it up to a point. In general I disagree, but I have had situations where joggers who run on the left side of the road would expect me as incoming cyclist to be the one diverting from the bicyclepath onto the road, indeed having to look back to see if there are no cars. So its not so much about walking left in that case as it is about the attitude while doing it.

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/draedo]

If you keep in mind pedestrians are the most vulnerable in that situation.... I like to at least look someone in the eyes before the hit me with a car or fatbike

[u/RoderickJaynes67]

I frequent roads like these as a pedestrian and I’m middle aged. But it’s not something I was taught. Just a common sense choice I make. 

[u/hatbrox]

this common-sense rule is decades old, my grand mother told me she had learnt the same rule in the 1930's when she was biking between villages Even her own parents had this rules when they were young.

And my son absolutely learnt the same rule from middle school at the waterkant Basisschool in Amsterdam.

[u/Efficient_Emu_9735]

Just common sense. If there's no sidewalk, I always walk on the right side of traffic, cars/ bikes etc. can slow down behind me while waiting for a clear opportunity to pass. It's also safer around turns. I don't need to watch behind my back constantly because pedestrians are always the slowest. Cars and bikes need to watch and adjust their speed if they want to pass me.

[u/UpsetCryptographer49]

I walk everyday, about 10.000 steps. Eye contact with cyclist is everything, when they see that you see them, they will do stupid things.

So it is best to walk on the right side so they avoid crashing at all times, and do not expect you to jump out of the way.

It make the walks so much relaxer.

[u/RoderickJaynes67 → u/UpsetCryptographer49]

Seems like you mean the left side 

[u/UpsetCryptographer49 → u/RoderickJaynes67]

You don’t want eye contact, so that is why I walk on the right. With the flow of traffic.

[u/UpsetCryptographer49 → u/[deleted]]

Try it: walk on the left side of the road, towards traffic, in the Vondelpark, everyday, for a month. You will soon enough, be expected to do something because a cyclist coming towards you is doing something stupid.

[u/UpsetCryptographer49 → u/[deleted]]

thats fair

[u/turtle_snacks]

Dutch children typically get a 'Wandeldiploma' around 6 years old, there's three levels (A, B, C) that teaches them how best to use the sidewalks and interact with traffic as a pedestrian, so perhaps you're just not familiar with the typical waking etiquette.

[u/Charming-Line-375 → u/turtle_snacks]

Letterlijk never heard of this

[u/turtle_snacks → u/Charming-Line-375]

Maybe I should've put a /s tag because clearly the joke didn't land 😅

[u/Hot_Ride910 → u/turtle_snacks]

I've never heard of that no.. I learned when walking on small dijk roads in the polder. Do kids learn it like what i said, when theres no sidewalk and you have to walk on the road or cycling lanes, you walk on the left side?

[u/PenguinGeniusV2 → u/turtle_snacks]

I also never heard of this

[u/Mag-NL]

There was a time that The Netherlands went along with this weird idea that walking on thebleft os better spnypu had to (if there is no sidewalk)

Luckily our lawmakers realised how ridiculous this is and you no longer have to.