Apparently, people rage while they walk. And we don’t mean in a fun way.
According to the Wall Street Journal, several groups of researchers have been investigating how people react when confronted with slow-moving walkers ambling ahead of them. Considering the number of studies and the development of a Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome Scale to chart how angered walkers vent, we’re guessing we don’t take it too well.
If you’re finding yourself muttering under your breath, feeling the need to explain to people how to walk or wanting to punch the person in front of you, you may need to take a breather. If you’re scratching your head right now, you’re probably living in peace with your sidewalk neighbors — unless you’re walking too slow for the person behind you.
We understand being in a hurry and wanting people to walk efficiently — handling school, internships and nightly obligations to a newspaper will do that to you — but to wish someone else ill because they’re not staying to the right as they stroll along is a bit too much. (Please note, however, that we don’t excuse clumps of people from running others off the sidewalk because they refuse to allow them a little edge of the pavement. That’s rude.)
We hope we’re doing a service to the community by asking everyone who silently — or not so silently — fumes to take a walk in the other people’s shoes. Most aren’t trying to annoy you. Some people are just slower. Some have time to kill. Some are trying to smell the roses. And maybe you should too.
