Pedestrian rules

London cab drivers are amazing, aren't they? Very skilled bunch. My brother-in-law's father was a black cab driver; they go through an incredible training period of literally memorizing London streets just to be able to become one.

Love it.  I  mean, not to knock my beloved NYC cab drivers, but there have been more than a couple of occasions where I would get the new guy and he wouldn't know how to get around  Manhattan, and I  mean...let's say..midtown..it's a GRID.  Ordered numerically.  How hard can that be?

In terms of getting back to the pedestrian rules, though - I'm still trying to figure it out in terms of just walking traffic in the tube stations.  There doesn't seem to be a hard and fast rule with the stairs (in the US you'd just stay to your right, so one side of the staircase would always be free for people travelling down) and I haven't found that at my tube station so much.   Although, to be fair, not a lot of people ARE going down the stairs when I leave the station, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Oh I know, it's just a mess the way everyone walks in tube stations! You're right, there is really no sytem everyone seems to agree on by osmosis or anything, with the exception of the escalators -- there's definitely a "given" on those that if you want to stand, stand on the right, but if you want to walk up or down, keep to the left. That seems to work out most of the time.....! But the rest of the station --stationary stairs, passageways: just chaos. 

Some have signs on the wallls saying where to walk.

Vicky

I've noticed that in the bigger ones, and if the corridor is wide, sometimes there is a railing dividing it, which makes it almost foolproof.  Very handy. 

Best I can figure on anything else walking wise is just to leave enough room for people to pass, no matter what side of the sidewalk I'm on.  I thought I walked fast, but I've got nothing on my other morning commuters on the walk to the station in the morning. 

I've noticed that in the bigger ones, and if the corridor is wide, sometimes there is a railing dividing it, which makes it almost foolproof.  Very handy. 

Best I can figure on anything else walking wise is just to leave enough room for people to pass, no matter what side of the sidewalk I'm on.  I thought I walked fast, but I've got nothing on my other morning commuters on the walk to the station in the morning. 

It's funny about the fast walking -- I was originally a born and bred Londoner who then migrated to Austin TX. Well, much of the year it's too hot to move anything but slowly, and most everyone gets a languid pace ambling around the shops or walking from the car across the parking lot -- yet I would still be charging forward at London speed, and I was always conscious that people seemed to stare! In stores I think store managers thought I was walking fast because I was stealing something and making my getaway, hah! I used to try to slow down in order to fit in, but I never could. 

  If only to ease the worry of posters like elenas310.

lol well thanks. Now I am coming across as a weak pansy which is not the case whatsoever.

Having grown up learning and abiding by UK pedestrian rules, I was surprised that cars actually stopped for me in the US, lol.

I find it hard to get used to that too -- and I'm American.  I actually find it somewhat annoying to find them ceremoniously stopping for me after I've decided to stay on the sidewalk and wait for a natural break in traffic!  And besides, this is Boston and much more fun to dash across the street dodging the traffic!