Before you set out along a sidewalk today, a quiet word – you’ve been walking on sidewalks all wrong.
A ridiculous idea? Well, according to etiquette guru William Hanson’s book, Just Good Manners, you walked in the wrong group formations, failed to give way and, what’s more, failed to operate crosswalks in an appropriate manner.
Scandalous.
But fear not, as William, a veritable Merlin of manners, has all the guidance you need to ensure you don’t make a fool of yourself the next time you walk along a sidewalk.
NO PLAYING HORSES
Don’t treat the great British pavement as your own personal party space.
William says: ‘When in public, on a pavement or otherwise, Britons don’t like loud, disruptive displays of bacchanalia (celebration). The sidewalk is a public, shared space, and anything that makes others assume you’re not playing the game of consideration for those around you will annoy them.’
GROUP FORMATIONS
In his new book, Just Good Manners, William Hanson has revealed how to walk right along a sidewalk
William, above, says: ”When in public, on a pavement or otherwise, Britons don’t like loud, disruptive displays of bacchanalia”
Avoid blocking sidewalks with too wide group formations, orders the duke of decorum.
He writes: ‘When you are in large groups, do not walk in a horizontal line that blocks the passage of others. Instead, break up into smaller groups of two or three if it’s a wide sidewalk – and keep going.
“If there are a lot of other people heading straight for you and the sidewalk is too narrow to fit everyone in, it’s polite to stop and let the other people pass.”
ALWAYS GIVE PEG
Always accept those coming the other way are more important than you, emphasizes the emperor of etiquette.
He explains: ‘Accepting automatically (those that come the other way) is more important than being healthy, and a good way to live a congenial life. Hopefully they’ll stop for you too, resulting in both polite parties giving small chuckles at how polite you all were and how you’ve succeeded as people.’
William’s new book, Just Good Manners (Penguin Random House), is out now
WEAVE
Walk in a straight line, says William, ‘rather than driving around, getting in everyone’s way’.
PUSH THE BUTTON!
William includes a ‘note for visitors to Britain’ in his book, which is as follows: ‘When you stand at a pedestrian crossing, you will stand there for an awfully long time if you haven’t pressed the button to cross not.’
WALK OUTSIDE
“If you know the person you’re with will like your supposed protection, position yourself on the outside of the sidewalk,” says William, who explains that this rule dates back to a time when gentlemen were expected to protect women. to protect against splashes from passing carriages. .
He adds: ‘With a shift in gender norms and expectations, this rule can be used in moderation and depends on your company.’
For more from Mr Hanson visit her TikTok and Instagram profiles.
Just Good Manners – an essential guide to courtesy, charm, grace and decorum (Penguin Random House), is out now. It is billed as ‘a witty and authoritative guide to British etiquette’.
