Man and Woman Walking on Street Etiquette

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What is the proper situation when a man and woman are walking on a street or sidewalk together.

Where does the male position himself - inside or on the outside?

― YaYa Horton, Monday, 14 October 2002 18:16 (twenty-three years ago)

No more of this "men of the outside" BS. It's about time sistaz have a CHOICE on being the recipients of emptied chamber pots, dammit! *cue Arethra Franklin and Annie Lennox*

― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 14 October 2002 18:22 (twenty-three years ago)

Most males would prefer to position themselves inside.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 October 2002 18:23 (twenty-three years ago)

*cha-BOOM!*

― suzy (suzy), Monday, 14 October 2002 19:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The gentleman walks on the traffic side.

― dan (dan), Monday, 14 October 2002 19:37 (twenty-three years ago)

The gentleman should walk on the outside of the lady - i.e. between the lady and the kerb. This is because in Medieval Days people used to throw rubbish, urine, and potato peelings etc out of their upstairs windows all day long, so the gentleman would chivalrously place himself in the line of fire and protect the lady from having garbage dumped all over her. Or something like that, anyway.

― C J (C J), Monday, 14 October 2002 19:43 (twenty-three years ago)

But which bit of the pavement you're on won't much change your odds when things are tipped out of upstairs windows. The reason is to protect the woman when vehicles splash in the puddles.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 14 October 2002 19:57 (twenty-three years ago)

The man should always stand on the same side as the woman's purse.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

he should walk 5 paces behind her with his head bowed hahahahaha.
only kidding.

― donna (donna), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:03 (twenty-three years ago)

wow, it never occured to me that there would be any ettiquette involved.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:10 (twenty-three years ago)

there's an element of sniffing involved presumably

― coxcombe, Monday, 14 October 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

one of my male friends very ostentatiously opened a door for me this weekend for me to walk through and then smacked me on the ass

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, sorry about that.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:48 (twenty-three years ago)

that's okay, I would consider it in poor taste if you hadn't.

― felicity (felicity), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:51 (twenty-three years ago)

BOON-GA BOON-GA

― jess (dubplatestyle), Monday, 14 October 2002 20:51 (twenty-three years ago)

I am for unknown reasons MUCH more comfortable when my walking companion is on my right side. I notice that on TV talk shows, the guest is always seated to the host's right. Is this truly the "better" side or is it just me?

― Paul Eater (eater), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 03:41 (twenty-three years ago)

*rummages in the ILE store-cupboard*

*finds a dusty, disused 'Dang is a Bad Mang' placard or three*

*hangs sign up*

― petra jane (petra jane), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 05:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought it was about traffic splash too, but that documentary on sewerage the other day insisted that it was to do with crap being thrown from windows, as CJ says. I guess people threw it out at an angle, to try and reach the street.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:13 (twenty-three years ago)

My cousin was the first and last man that EVER tried to do this with me, and it fucked me off on such a basic level that I couldn't even begin to explain.

When I walk with people, regardless of gender, I tend to position myself so that I am walking on the right side, and they are on my left. This has nothing to do with politeness or etiqutte, it has to do with the fact that I have 30% hearing loss in my right ear from spending ten years with that side up against a bass cabinet. So if you walk on my right, in a high-distraction situation, I won't hear a word you're saying.

― kate, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:26 (twenty-three years ago)

What sort of a fool would give a stuff about this (hearing difficulties etc. excepted. If there's a good reason to walk on a particular side the do it, duh)

Opening doors, letting people past, respecting personal space - all politeness with a purpose, and whether or not you do them has a practical effect on another person's fate. However if someone (without practical reason like kate's) gets sniffy with you for walking on the wrong side or sitting down before them I heartily encourage you to stab them in the face

― Sofa King Alternative (Sofa King Alternative), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 11:15 (twenty-three years ago)

What if you're romantically wandering down a central reservation? Or waiting to cross the road ona traffic island?

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 11:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't care where he walks as long as he carries my bags.

― Madchen, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:16 (twenty-three years ago)

so what about gay couples?

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:47 (twenty-three years ago)

They must walk behind one another.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:50 (twenty-three years ago)

Good euphemism!

― Sofa King Alternative (Sofa King Alternative), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:59 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm still trying to formulate a good street-walking joke.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 14:26 (twenty-three years ago)

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