Are you suffering from sidewalk aggression?
The Wall Street Journal chronicled the question before.
Have you ever walked the streets of Philly, getting annoyed or even angry at innocent strangers, those a bit lagging?
It’s common. So much so, one scientist theorizes there’s an existing ‘Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome.’
Would you be characterized as exhibiting ‘pedestrian aggressive’ behaviors?
While anger or aggressiveness is not socially acceptable, it’s not safe either. Let’s put a stop to aggressive sidewalk steps.
Perspective
Who’s more of a nuisance on the sidewalk? It’s a matter of perspective.
Source: ‘Pedestrian Level of Service Study, Phase I’ from The City of New York and NYC Department of City Planning, April 2006. Observed: 8,978 pedestrians at various sidewalk locations in Lower Manhattan over about four weeks.; Wildlife Conservation Society
Who are the speediest on the sidewalk? It may not be you.
Tourists walk 3.79 feet per second
Smokers: 4.17 feet per second
Cellphone users: 4.20 feet per second
Headphone listeners: 4.64 feet per second
Large pedestrians: 3.74 feet per second
Men: 4.42 feet per second
Women: 4.10 feet per second
People with bags: 4.27 feet per second
While it’s easy to assume ‘tourists’ or ‘gapers’ are slowing up the sidewalks, there actually amongst the speediest. Ensure your perspective is aligned with reality. For example, “This always happens to me” is broad and untrue. The next time you’re in an inconvenient predicament, consider thinking, “I’ll be on my way in moments.” The former is negative, and latter is positive.
Empathy
I will relay an anecdote. I once was walking briskly down Market toward the Patco train station. I was thinking about myself, how I wanted to meet friend over the bridge for dinner, one of them mentioning how I’d be the last one arriving.
Source: lolroflmao.com
I was in a rush. I was inside my own head, my own experience.
I quickly came upon ‘one of those’ people walking too slow for me at that point in time. I sighed in annoyance upon passing a man, looking back with a scowl to see a blind man.
I felt horrible. I was only thinking of myself and my own plans. I wasn’t thinking about living in a city filled with other people, living at their own pace, wanting to get to their own destinations in peace.
While we don’t know exactly why someone may be walking slow (or slower than we’d like them to be), it’s better to be empathetic. Maybe they’re walking as fast as they can, rather than taking part in an evil plan to hold us up on our way.
Humor
It’s much more fun (and takes less effort to smile). Rather get annoyed or enraged the next time you find yourself in an unfortunate sidewalk predicament, be thankful you’re not inside your car, making the following annoyed faces:
Image source: lifehack.org
The Wall Street Journal chronicled the question before.
Have you ever walked the streets of Philly, getting annoyed or even angry at innocent strangers, those a bit lagging?
It’s common. So much so, one scientist theorizes there’s an existing ‘Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome.’
Would you be characterized as exhibiting ‘pedestrian aggressive’ behaviors?
While anger or aggressiveness is not socially acceptable, it’s not safe either. Let’s put a stop to aggressive sidewalk steps.
Image source: lifehack.org