Your Other Left

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I don't know why I let it bother me, but it still really, really bugs me when I see people out walking on the wrong side of the street.  And especially when they're pushing small children in strollers, or have ear buds in their ears listening to music while they walk.  I guess I should be happy they're out getting some exercise and not just relying on fat burners that work fast while staying indoors watching TV or something.

But, pedestrians walking on a street or road where there is no sidewalk should be facing traffic.  That means on the left side of the street.  As consistent as people are about walking on the other side of the street, with traffic instead of facing it, I have to believe they don't care - or no one ever cared enough about them to tell them which side of the street to walk on.  Either that or they think they're walking on the left side - though they obviously don't know why.  To that I say, Your Other Left!  Thankfully, our streets aren't very busy and are very safe, but it's good to get in the habit of walking where you're supposed to, just in case you ever have to walk on a busy road somewhere.  See Rules and Pointers for Pedestrians and Drivers from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Oh, and you people on bicycles?  You ride with the traffic.  You have wheels.  And tell your kids.  It's even more dangerous when they don't really know where they're supposed to go, and two or more kids on bikes split up when a car comes toward them, going to either side of the street so that the car has to go between them.