Now police warn you NOT to step in road to dodge fellow pedestrians… because briefly crossing someone’s path carries a very low risk of transmitting coronavirus
- Police have warned pedestrians not to try and social distance on pavements
- It comes after reports of clashes between people trying to walk past each other
- Scotland Yard says crossing paths with someone ‘won’t give you Covid-19’
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Stepping off the pavement and into the road to avoid fellow pedestrians has become part of lockdown etiquette.
But police are now saying we should stop this practice because it is dangerous and there is a low risk of passing on the virus by briefly crossing paths.
There have been a number of reports of clashes between pedestrians trying to walk past each other while maintaining two-metre social distancing.
But police warned it was not worth the risk of potentially stepping into traffic.
Pedestrians have been warned not to step off the pavement into traffic in order to keep a two metre distance from other walkers while social distancing in the coronavirus lockdown
Police are now saying we should stop this practice because it is dangerous and there is a low risk of passing on the virus by briefly crossing paths. Pictured: Plastic fencing marks off a temporarily widened pavement, facilitating social distancing in Camden, London
Scotland Yard’s advice states: ‘If you do go out, please don’t walk in the road to avoid passing pedestrians on the pavement.
‘Momentarily crossing paths with someone won’t give you Covid-19.’
But charity Living Streets has launched a campaign for wider pavements and said it is up to motorists to take more care.
Its communications manager Kathryn Shaw said: ‘Police should not be saying don’t walk in the road. Jaywalking is not a crime.
Scotland Yard’s advice says: ‘Momentarily crossing paths with someone won’t give you Covid-19’
‘People may need to walk in the road… to feel safe and can do so safely.
‘The onus should be on drivers to be vigilant that there might be more people taking up space.’
Some councils including Bristol and Manchester, as well as the London boroughs of Richmond and Lambeth, have already begun widening pavements and introducing one-way systems for walkers.