Pedestrian Traffic Flow

I hate department stores. And I'll tell you why.

Imagine the typical layout of a department store for a moment...

Yeah, I know it's a grocery store, but the principle's the same.

Notice that there are many different places for people to walk or push carts and strollers: big, wide lanes around the outer ring, many aisles containing many different foodstuffs, plus various alleys and shortcuts to different departments. Seems simple enough.

Now ask yourself this: does this setup remind you of anything?

Hmm?

It sure reminds me of a city road system. I mean, think about it: the larger lanes around the outside are the highways, the various aisles are the local streets, and the shortcuts are alleys and driveways. And that's how I tend to treat department stores.

Now, when we learn to drive, we learn that there are certain rules to driving, and a certain 'flow' that traffic must take.

Whoa...heavy, man.

Now, these rules, such as 'slower traffic stay to the right,' and 'don't come to a stop in the middle of an intersection,' help traffic to flow much safer and smoother, and (when they're followed, at least) help to prevent accidents and keep drivers happy and peaceful.

Until some asshole in a Prius cuts you off on an on-ramp, that is...

But for some stupid reason, when people get out of their cars, this concept of traffic flow just goes right out the fucking window.

In the department store, people are walking right towards each other in the same lane, blocking aisles with their carts while they wander off for orange juice, walking at a snail's pace down the middle of the aisle, preventing anyone else from going around them. Which seriously pisses me off.

And, see, this kind of inconsideracy is generally annoying anywhere, like parks, or sidewalks, or sculpture gardens, or other places like that. But when you're in a department store, or grocery store, that annoyance is exacerbated, because you're in a confined space. You don't have the option of cutting across the lawn or the street to get around the slow people.

Which is why the Minneapolis Skyway system frustrated me so much.

And the fact that some people out there just don't get it is what drives me crazy.

...

I feel better now.

Good night, boys and girls.