http://blogs.villa...idewalk_raging.php

In New York City, we have all sorts of rage that other people from other places don't get to have. Many of those rages are proximity-based. Because there are a lot of us, and we like to get to where we're going in a hurry. Damn right! The Wall Street Journal has dissected the phenomenon of sidewalk rage, revealing important learnings to anyone who hopes to imitate a real New Yorker. In doing so, they have also uncovered some intriguing stats. Did you know that we walk at an average speed of 4.27 feet per second?

In a mere second, you speedy New Yorker, you have moved the approximate height of a very short human, or perhaps a child. Aimless, meandering tourists, however, walk a mere 3.79 feet per second. No wonder we hate them so.

But now our hatred is scientific. Yes, scientists have determined that sidewalk rage is a real thing.

One scientist has even developed a Pedestrian Aggressiveness Syndrome Scale to map out how people express their fury. At its most extreme, sidewalk rage can signal a psychiatric condition known as "intermittent explosive disorder," researchers say. On Facebook, there's a group called "I Secretly Want to Punch Slow Walking People in the Back of the Head" that boasts nearly 15,000 members.

Make that 15,001. The scientists don't like that.

"We're trying to understand what makes people angry, what that experience is like," says Jerry Deffenbacher, a professor at Colorado State University who studies anger and road rage. "For those for whom anger is a personal problem, we're trying to develop and evaluate ways of helping them."

You know what makes us angry, Deffenbacher? When an "academic" like you tries to figure out what makes us angry! Anyway, if you have sidewalk rage, or any rage, you probably know it. But if you don't know it, the Journal has some clues to identifying yourself

Signs of a sidewalk rager include muttering or bumping into others; uncaringly hogging a walking lane; and acting in a hostile manner by staring, giving a "mean face," or approaching others too closely, says Leon James, a psychology professor at the University of Hawaii who studies pedestrian and driver aggression.

ALSO:

* Having denigrating thoughts about other pedestrians
* Walking by a slower-moving pedestrian and cutting back too soon (feels hostile or rude)
* Feeling competitive with other pedestrians
* Acting in a hostile manner (staring, presenting a mean face, moving faster or closer than expected)
* Feeling stress and impatience when walking in a crowded area (crosswalk, staircase, mall, store, airport, street, beach, park, etc.)
* Walking much faster than the rest of the people
* Not yielding when it's the polite thing to do
* Walking on the left of a crowded passageway where most pedestrians walk on the right
* Muttering at other pedestrians
* Bumping into others
* Not apologizing when expected (after bumping by accident or coming very close in attempting to pass)
* Making insulting gestures
* Hogging or blocking the passageway, acting uncaring or unaware
* Expressing pedestrian rage against a driver (like insulting or throwing something)
* Feeling enraged at other pedestrians and enjoying thoughts of violence

Well, that's just life, isn't it?

Psychologists say we should calm down and pretend the pedestrian is "lost or confused," but we know that already and we still just want to punch them in the head, except that would only backfire and make them walk slower. Campaign to make the Tourists/New Yorkers sidewalk line an enforceable reality?

I too want to secretly punch slow moving people in the back of the head.
I know what facebook group I'll be joining next.

I hate to admit it, but I have a bit of sidewalk rage. I can't stand people that take up the whole sidewalk, walking like they're 80 years old. If you want to walk slow and window shop, stay to the right that way people who need to get somewhere can pass! I also hate it when people just stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk just to chat with their friends or because they're on the cellphone!

Can this be applied to shopping cart rage? Ya know, your at walmart, your going down a fucking ten foot wide aisle, and parked right in the middle of the aisle is some asshole who is telling another asshole about some asshole event they wanted to share with each other. TREAT IT LIKE A FUCKING ROAD, PULL OFF TO THE FUCKING SIDE OF IT. GODDAMN IT. I WANT TO PUT A BRUSH GUARD ON THE FRONT OF MY FUCKING BUGGY AND START PLOWING THE FUCKIN ROAD. I HATE YOU INCONSIDERATE PRICKS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WALMART IS NOT A SOCIAL EVENT. GO IN, GET YOUR SHIT, AND GET THE FUCK OUT. DON'T FUCK UP MY RYTHM BY BLOCKING THE FUCKING AISLE!!!!



That is all.

^ Lol. I walk fast, sidewalks are meant for walking. Self absorbed slow thinking cretins who block the way, yapping to each other or on phones, at least move off to the side.

All said, I'm tolerant and respectful of slow moving old people, or handicapped people. I sometimes walk super slow beside an old person or handicapped if they are crossing an intersection, and there's no one else around. Just to hopefully make more presence and maybe make things a bit safer for them.

What invokes sidewalk rage in me more often than anything, are the people who feel the need to walk in a horizontal line making it impossible to pass them. GAHHH. Or the women (it's never men that do this) who walk toward you, stare at you blankly, and knock into you anyway.

I loved this article & I know a new group on facebook I'll be joining after work today.

While reading this all I could think of was a recent highly populated event in downtown Tampa, where they shut down the streets in order to make room for a parade. When the event is over EVERYBODY leaves at the same time. A herd of cattle moving towards the tunnel under the bridge, and you get the group of 5 idiot fucks that decide to STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE to the tunnel! Why??

One of my favorite things is when people walking toward me on the sidewalk refuse to yield enough space for me to get by, expecting me (apparently) to flatten myself up against a building like I'm avoiding a subway in a tunnel. I square up my shoulder real good and plow right through, and their resulting astonished indignation warms my evil, self-centered heart.

Even better are the people who try to crowd onto buses and trains at stops without letting people off first.

That article describes my life.

Every. Damn. Day.

I work in a mall which is often crowded with the slowest, most clueless walkers I've ever seen. The walk to work through the mall is seriously more stressful than my job.