"Jinx" wrote in message
...

[snip]

My wife dragged me around Bluewater the other day christmas
shopping. Whilst
she shopped I lurked out on the walkways and observed the flow of
pedestrian
movements. It quickly became clear that most - but not all -
pedestrians
choose to pass to the right.

[snip]

Pedestrians used to walk on the left. I have a Punch cartoon about
it, dating from the 1940s. In other countries where they drive on
the left, such as Japan and Australia, they walk on the left. I've
often had foreigners comment to me about how odd it is that people
don't walk on the left here.

I think the changeover took place in the 1970s, when Brit's started
going on package tours abroad. All those arrogant German tourists
not getting out of people's way subliminally converted the Brit's
without their even noticing. The odd thing is, when you ask anyone
about it, most people will deny choosing any particular side at all,
fiercely defending the right of free born Englishmen to walk any way
they want to

The London Underground standard is to keep left on the flat, and
right on stairs and escalators. The Highway Code - it's the very
first rule - says keep left on pavements, except on one way streets.
Rule 2 gives the rule for pedestrians on bike paths.

Jeremy Parker