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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Families visiting London

28 replies

Prole · 19/07/2018 14:47

At my wit's end with this one...

I cannot understand why families visiting London love to walk in a line the full width of the pavement.... slowly... Oh so slow!. If I'm walking towards them they don't appear to notice me until I'm right in front of them and then seem confused/annoyed that they need to move to let me through. If I'm behind them they don't seem able to hear my "Scuse!".

Whilst it might work for them, there's a whole city of other people to consider. So it doesn't work.

Why are they like this and what do to?

OP posts:

runningkeenster · 19/07/2018 14:54

Not just families. Everyone. People tell me they don't like London because everyone rushes around. They really don't.

If you walk slowly PLEASE keep to one side of the path or the other and DON'T walk along looking at your mobile phone.

Totally with you OP. My stress levels rise as soon as I get off the train...

Liftconfused · 19/07/2018 15:18

And none of them understand stand on right walk on the left on the tube!

PitterPatterOfBigFeet · 19/07/2018 15:19

I don't think that specific to families in London. Groups of friends, families, colleagues anywhere that's busy seem to want to walk in a throng across the entire pavement.

blackbirdbluebottle · 19/07/2018 15:20

I hate when people do this and then act like I’m the one in the wrong when they are practically forcing me to walk on the road to get past. Same thing when 2 mums with pushchairs talking take up the entire pavement, I wish we could put lanes on the pavement so we could overtake 😂

Scribblegirl · 19/07/2018 15:23

My sister is convinced that DH and I walk at a million miles an hour. We don't, but because we don't keep a car in the city we need to make it to trains and bus stops on time and being able to cover 0.7miles in under 10 minutes is just useful! They amble, ffs

Original poster

Prole · 19/07/2018 17:02

Ok it's not specific to families. I'm not going to get through to overseas tourists here, so was just a clumsy attempt to give it some MN context.

I do see this kind of behaviour as a kind of "Fuck you I'm walking here" so wondered if that is the actual intent or are people just clueless? Probably a bit of both...

OP posts:

ItchyBitchFace · 19/07/2018 17:04

Can't wait to visit London as a family this summer.....

MinaPaws · 19/07/2018 17:08

And the ones who stop at the foot of the escalator to decide wher ethey might want to go next. I picked one up once and put her down out of danger because she was about to cause a serious accident of people falling on top of her. She looked mystified till I showed her all the crowds behind her trying to move through the space she'd blocked.

loobyloo1234 · 19/07/2018 17:12

and what do to?

Say excuse me and walk around them

DPotter · 19/07/2018 17:14

Am just back from Oxford - it's the same there with large groups of student and other visitors. My favourite is when they all stand waiting taking up the whole width of the pavement!

Original poster

Prole · 19/07/2018 17:15

itchy please do come and enjoy the city. Just remember you have to constantly check your position in relation to other people. Yes it's a bit hard work but very necessary.

I've no problem with visitors as a a whole. Just the ones who seem to have zero regard to anyone else.

minapaws I'll trump you with being hit by a suitcase an idiot tourist dropped down the escalator. Twice.

OP posts:

Sashkin · 19/07/2018 17:17

Say excuse me and walk around them

I do when there is a way around them, but these fuckers walk three abreast on pavements with a wall down one side and a metal railing down the other, holding their kids’ hands so I can’t cut down the middle.

I did see somebody vault over a toddler once (true story, it was near Oval and the vaulter looked like a mentalist), I guess I could keep that option up my sleeve.

Original poster

Prole · 19/07/2018 17:18

loobyloo how does that work then? They are the full width of the pavements between the buildings and the parked cars/traffic. If I could simply walk around them I would.....

As you've quoted my first post, you might have seen the bit where I say they don't respond to "Scuse!"

OP posts:

Sashkin · 19/07/2018 17:18

“Hurdle over a toddler” is probably a more accurate description thinking about it. Running jump over the child’s head.

noselimit · 19/07/2018 17:30

This isn't specific to either families or London. Lots of people are just twats.

MargeryB · 19/07/2018 17:37

Not sure 'Scuse!' would work on me either. Excuse me please would work just fine.

Train101 · 19/07/2018 17:45

Gets on my nerve this .
I'm a quick walker and when people block my path I do get annoyed, some people think it's only them that has to get anywhere, so amble along.

It's not just a London thing, it's an everywhere thing. Before moving to London though I admit we had no system of where to stand on escalators so I still forgot for a while.

flugelhorn81 · 19/07/2018 17:47

Oh my gosh yes OP. But absolutely agree it's not just families. I got stuck behind two sets of parents with buggies yesterday, two abreast, taking up the entire pavement. If I can, I step off and overtake them, and step back on right in front of them. Petty I know...! But it's so frustrating when you're in a rush and why on earth do they think it's ok to take up the whole pavement?!

SyrilSneer · 19/07/2018 17:55

Yea! Most of the annoyances of travelling around London would be sorted if we all just agreed to look where we were going and walk on one side of the pavement instead of strolling along in the middle so no one can pass you in either direction.

TheDowagerCuntess · 19/07/2018 17:56

We were a family visiting London a couple of weeks ago, and did our best not to be a pain in the arse - aware of others moving on quickly from escalators and standing on the right.

If I'm behind them they don't seem able to hear my "Scuse!"

"'Scuse" won't mean jack shit to many people, to be fair.

MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 19/07/2018 18:26

As you've quoted my first post, you might have seen the bit where I say they don't respond to "Scuse!"

I completely agree it's annoying when groups of people walk side by side taking up the whole pavement. But I'm not surprised they don't respond to someone shouting "Scuse!" as they probably don't know what you're on about.
Why not just say "excuse me, please?"

Lethaldrizzle · 19/07/2018 18:55

Jeez just chill out. Leave your house earlier if you're in a rush, or take a quieter route. People should be free to walk whatever pace they like - it's still a free world.

barleyfive · 19/07/2018 18:56

runningkeenster

Not just families. Everyone. People tell me they don't like London because everyone rushes around. They really don't.

is the truest thing ever!

dancinfeet · 19/07/2018 19:29

OP you would love our rural northern town. People stand in the middle of the pavement and have lengthy discussions about the weather / the next door neighbours / their next door neighbour's brother's cousin's great aunt Mabel who they met once upon a time back in 1967. For some reason, it's the law that they have to stand in the middle of the pavement not to the side, completely blocking it for all passers by.
Any attempt to get past is met with a baleful look and lots of head shaking, whilst switching the conversation on to how impatient the youth of today are. it's a refined skill (the art of pavement blocking) that Yorkshire pensioners have got down to a fine art.

Train101 · 19/07/2018 19:53

@lethal.
If they can walk whatever pace hey want then surely I should be able to do so too?
I'm fine with people walking slow of they don't block the way for others, leave space to get around not take a whole pavement walking 4 or 5 people across.

And there's no point in me leaving earlier or changing my route, as it would take the same time or longer

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