A photo showing a man and woman walking on the sidewalk has triggered debate.
As some users noted, the man is allowing the woman to walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk, or the side closest to the road. They noted that the photo doesn’t show proper etiquette.
It’s in the same category of things like holding open a door, offering an umbrella, or placing a coat on a puddle for a woman to walk on, according to them.
“I’m sure half of you guys don’t even know what’s wrong with this picture. Smh (shake my head),” wrote one commenter on Twitter of the photo.
Said another person: “Bruh (brother) needs to switch sides with her. It bothers me when I see this in real life.”
For men, “While walking down the street you, should walk on the right side” closest to the road, according to Modern Gentleman magazine.
It adds, “No need to mention but if you have an umbrella with you, you should not swing with it. You never know who you might hit and hurt.”
“If you are walking down a street in the company of a woman or a man know that the right side is honorary side. You will let a woman walk on the right side of you or a man if he is a senior person. In this way we honor them,” the magazine says. “This custom dates from the middle ages when knights wore the sword on the left side keeping the right side free, since the right arm was ‘fighting arm.’”
And, according to the Etiquette School of Ohio, “Traditionally, when a gentleman and a lady walk together down a street, the gentleman walks on the outside or curb side of the sidewalk. When a couple is walking somewhere other than on a sidewalk, the gentleman always walks on the lady’s left side. This is the same position a wedding couple will exit the church after the ceremony.”
Modern Gentleman magazine notes that the woman should walk on the “protected side” in the case she is exposed to an unpleasant situation.
“For example, if the road is filled with water ponds she might get splashed from passing by cars. This is why you should walk on the outer side of the pavement, no matter if it’s left or right,” she said.
However, depending on the situation, the man typically walks between the woman and the road, but in some cases at night time, the man walks between the woman and the buildings if there are lots of alleys.
“If you are the youngest person you should walk on the outer, unprotected side. In the company of the two men, the most senior one walks in the middle,” the publication also says.
If there are two men and one woman, the woman should walk in the middle of the two men, the magazine also says
