Are you a sidewalk pig? When you are in a group do you take up the entire sidewalk, forcing approaching pedestrians to step into the street? (Luis Gomez Photos)
Welcome to the second edition of Urban Etiquette. Every two weeks Borderstan contributor Mike Kohn will be writing about some common-sense rules of etiquette with an urban twist. Why? We live in a densely populated area of a big city, which makes treating others with basic respect and thoughtfulness even more important. We welcome your ideas for future columns.
From Mike Kohn. Email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @mike_kohn.
Let me paint you a picture.
You’re walking down the street. You’re a Borderstan resident, so you’ve got a political function to attend, a media party you’re stopping by, a happy hour you’re meeting friends at, etc. You did your best to get out of work on time, but that last minute crisis took longer than expected, so you’re of course running a few minutes late. You approach the light at Dupont Circle and you see the white man just about to change to the red hand and you think to yourself, “I’m gonna make it!” And then it happens.
One rule of the sidewalk: If you’re with a group, instead of forming a giant wall, break into smaller pieces to walk together. Don’t be those people who take up the entire sidewalk. It’s annoying.
