Illustration by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com

• I AM almost 80 and my wife a mere 76.

Every day we go for a walk to keep our young bodies in shape. Very conscious of our social distancing, it has been most interesting to observe the pavement etiquette that has evolved in recent weeks.

Our estimate is that perhaps 90 per cent or even more walkers and runners display a fair amount of sensitivity and courtesy. But, we have identified three types who seem to have somehow missed out on that.

• The family play group: Understandably there are a number of family groups including at least one parent and two children.

The majority of parents with young kids make sure that half or more of the pavement is free for those passing. But we have encountered several who feel they must walk three and four abreast, or have paused and spread themselves across the width of the pavement.

We have had to detour ourselves on the roadway. Polite suggestions that they might move around the corner have been met with glares or suggestions that we don’t appreciate the needs of young children.

• The clueless teens: Again we have encountered many teens and 20s who have been most considerate and perceptive. So it is a small minority who fall into my “clueless” group.

I’m not sure if this is a gender thing, but all of the cases I have encountered have been pairs of girls or young women.

They have been engrossed in conversation, sometimes sharing images on their phones. But they walk right down the middle of the pavement, seeming oblivious to anyone else around.

In one case a quiet comment on “social distancing” received only a split-second glance of the eyes and absolutely nothing more.

• The “I own the pavement” joggers: I should again stress that the overwhelming majority of runners and joggers have proven most sensitive, many swerving into the road to pass us at suitable distance.

But it seems every day we encounter one or two who seem to believe that it their right to run right down the middle of the pavement, of course, breathing hard through their mouths freely distributing whatever particles their systems may host. We have had to quick dodge ourselves to create more than a metre of distance.

Perhaps someone can suggest and publicise a short code of dos and don’ts of pavement social distancing in times of the pandemic.

S UMEMOTO
NW8