Which way do I walk as a pedestrian?
Which way do I walk as a pedestrian?
"We're a walking group of about 20 people. Opinions differ as to which way you should walk on a road with traffic and no pavement. What about it?"
Christiane, Carouge
Schoolmistresses generally teach small children that they should walk on the left side of the road to see danger coming; is this just common sense?
Legally, article 49 of the Federal Road Traffic Act (LCR) stipulates that pedestrians must use the pavement; offenders can be fined CHF 10. However, if there is no pavement, pedestrians must walk along the edge of the carriageway and, if particular dangers require it, they must walk in single file. The law stipulates that pedestrians must keep to the left-hand edge of the carriageway, particularly at night outside built-up areas.
However, the Ordonnance sur les règles de la circulation routière provides for an exception to the rule set out above, in that pedestrians must walk on the right rather than the left of the carriageway when they can only protect themselves from danger on that side. They should also avoid changing sides frequently. Pedestrians should also avoid lingering unnecessarily on the carriageway, particularly in blind or narrow places, at intersections and at night and in bad weather.
You should know that this order, which is very instructive to read, also specifies that pedestrians undergoing driver training should use the pavement if possible; if the movement of other pedestrians is hindered, they must then walk along the right-hand edge of the carriageway. Long queues on the carriageway will be broken up to make it easier for vehicles to overtake. Finally, at night and when weather conditions so require, queues of pedestrians on the carriageway outside localities will, at the very least, be marked at the front and rear, on the left-hand side, by a non-dazzling yellow light.
