[Parallax]

It's been so long since I went to England, I can't remember, but while walking on a hiking trail here today I realized Americans naturally walk on the right in a crowd, except for those few who float along in everyone's way. Is it natural for those who drive on the left to walk on the left as well?

Yes. And you can spot the tourists by that fact.

This is quite interesting to me as I have noticed the people who come into the gun shop I work in (if they're "just looking") will, almost without exception, go to their right when they come in the door and circle the shop counter/anti clockwise. I wonder if this is a natural thing or if it's related to whether they're somewhere where they drive on the right vs wrong left side of the road.
I read some time ago that if a person is blindfolded and told to walk in what they believe to be a straight line that he will walk in what is actually a very slight arc to the left.

[BigMackCam]

I read some time ago that if a person is blindfolded and told to walk in what they believe to be a straight line that he will walk in what is actually a very slight arc to the left.

That probably depends on which side you "dress"

[Parallax]

That probably depends on which side you "dress"

I totally forgot to factor that in; however, that doesn't explain why the women do the same thing. Perhaps how a person is "endowed" is not gender dependent?

[mkgd1]

This is quite interesting to me as I have noticed the people who come into the gun shop I work in (if they're "just looking") will, almost without exception, go to their right when they come in the door and circle the shop counter/anti clockwise. I wonder if this is a natural thing or if it's related to whether they're somewhere where they drive on the right vs wrong left side of the road.
I read some time ago that if a person is blindfolded and told to walk in what they believe to be a straight line that he will walk in what is actually a very slight arc to the left.

I never gave it much thought, but as far as I remember, the last couple of times I was in the local gun shop, I went the other way round, It could be that I'm left handed, or it could be that the owner's dog usually sits by the register to the left and I always go to greet the dog first.
My wife is right handed and she always shops counterclockwise in the supermarket.

[Mooncatt]

I read some time ago that if a person is blindfolded and told to walk in what they believe to be a straight line that he will walk in what is actually a very slight arc to the left.

Mythbusters tested this, and you're not far off track. (See what I did there?) When they walked, they went in random, meandering directions.

[GUB]

Mythbusters tested this, and you're not far off track. (See what I did there?) When they walked, they went in random, meandering directions.

Did they check in the Southern Hemisphere? Water goes down the plug hole the other way down here!!

[carlb]

This is quite interesting to me as I have noticed the people who come into the gun shop I work in (if they're "just looking") will, almost without exception, go to their right when they come in the door and circle the shop counter/anti clockwise. I wonder if this is a natural thing or if it's related to whether they're somewhere where they drive on the right vs wrong left side of the road.
I read some time ago that if a person is blindfolded and told to walk in what they believe to be a straight line that he will walk in what is actually a very slight arc to the left.

I was watching a programme about marketing the other night (a light entertainment panel show called Gruen, named after Victor Gruen) and one of the guests commented that research has shown that around 90% of people turn to the right when they enter a larger shop. Retailers use that info to set out their store designs to maximise sales.

[Liney]

What about up? Do you look up?

No but I do look down a lot....

One of the big cities in Germany trialled putting the pedestrian crossing lights in the pavement for all those who won't lift their eyes off their phones. Apparently it worked quite well, and the number of car/pedestrian impacts at crossings fell.

[slartibartfast01]

Has anyone ever approached a roundabout with what appears to be traffic lights on the entrance to it (green light) then abruptly realised that the traffic lights were actually attached to a pedestrian crossing immediately before the roundabout? It's a good way to test your brakes

[Serkevan]

Has anyone ever approached a roundabout with what appears to be traffic lights on the entrance to it (green light) then abruptly realised that the traffic lights were actually attached to a pedestrian crossing immediately before the roundabout? It's a good way to test your brakes

If a roundabout in my region of Spain is within city limits you can bet there will be traffic lights before and probably after , mostly for pedestrians. Additionally, all roundabouts have a 40 km/h limit on approach, regardless of location. During driving lessons you're actually instructed to go into them in second gear (well, or third depending on how long your car's gears actually are).

[stevejo]

Anyone wanting a real white knuckle ride should try the Coventry ring road in rush hour. It is a bit like a giant magic roundabout, but the entry and exits are scissor junctions with traffic entering and leaving in a space of about 150 yards. You are not expected to stop (which would be very unwise), but to slot into gaps in the traffic. You get very little time to read the various signs before having to commit one way or another. When I visit I checkout my planned route, visualise it on Google street view, and invariably miss my junction. The only thing going for it is that it only takes a few minutes to go right the way around so you can have a practice or two before hand. The traffic usually sticks to about 40 mph but it is scary.

[Serkevan]

Anyone wanting a real white knuckle ride should try the Coventry ring road in rush hour. It is a bit like a giant magic roundabout, but the entry and exits are scissor junctions with traffic entering and leaving in a space of about 150 yards. You are not expected to stop (which would be very unwise), but to slot into gaps in the traffic. You get very little time to read the various signs before having to commit one way or another. When I visit I checkout my planned route, visualise it on Google street view, and invariably miss my junction. The only thing going for it is that it only takes a few minutes to go right the way around so you can have a practice or two before hand. The traffic usually sticks to about 40 mph but it is scary.

Ooooh I hate those. In Santiago de Compostela one of the junctions of the highway is merging the traffic from two different areas of the city and then distributes it to two directions of the highway within 150 meters... by using two parallel lanes. Of course, there IS a "yield" sign in one of the lanes but a lot of drivers kinda ignore those so good luck with criss-crossing people . Luckily everyone knows this and speeds are very low...

[PDL]

No but I do look down a lot....

One of the big cities in Germany trialled putting the pedestrian crossing lights in the pavement for all those who won't lift their eyes off their phones. Apparently it worked quite well, and the number of car/pedestrian impacts at crossings fell.

When I was last in the UK, when waiting for the bus or the light to change I would yell "EYES UP" before people would wander into the street or off the train station. I do it once in a while here (before the pandemic) because in downtown Seattle, nearly everyone walks staring at their phone.

[Parallax]

Anyone wanting a real white knuckle ride should try the Coventry ring road in rush hour.

Anyone wanting a real white knuckle ride should drive anywhere, at any time, on a California freeway.

[Mooncatt]

Anyone wanting a real white knuckle ride should drive anywhere, at any time, on a California freeway.

Can confirm, and for that extra bit of challenge, many of their roads have narrowed lanes and removed shoulders to fit an extra lane without widening the roadway. If that isn't enough, you then get the idiot lane splitting bikers with a death wish.