There are certain things in this world that shouldn’t have to be explained. Sharing the sidewalk has to be one of them. This is one overly huge issue I find myself consistently frustrated with while walking the streets of Vancouver. Yes, this is an incredibly friendly city when it comes to walking, biking, and even rollerblading. In fact, I was told that it’s quite common within the city for sidewalks to be constructed where paths have been worn into areas that are covered with grass. That could be city code, a low of some sort, or something I’m completely making up, but I swear I was told this. It’s great. It’s like I’m back in college, walking all over campus to get anywhere and everywhere. When you are a poor college student, that’s what you have to do. These days I seem to prefer walking.
However, when it comes to walking, there is this one issue that pains me to no end. It shouldn’t be that difficult to understand that one should share the sidewalk, no matter how many people are in your group. Some days are worse than others, and certain parts of town are more notorious than others. Regardless, five people walking side by side is a far too common thing to have coming at you as you are walking in the opposite direction. They see you. They make eye contact with you. You are not invisible. You are a living, breathing, walking human being coming right at this group of fellow pedestrians.
They don’t move a budge. They don’t let you go through or make an attempt to be polite by making some space on the sidewalk. They simply don’t share. Sometimes you have no choice but to step off the curb and let this mass of a sidewalk monster go by you. And then, you prepare for the next one, only to let your anger flare and prepare to drop your shoulder the next time it happens.