Oct 17, 2008

Letter to the Editor - The Economist.

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Sir - Wandering down a street in London is a nightmare for walkers trying to determine on which side to pass, with oncoming pedestrians as likely to veer to the right as the left (in North America, people usually extend the rules of driving to the sidewalk and stick to the right). The escalator signs on the Underground read: "Stand on the Right Except to Pass". London's street-crossings alert us to "look Right" and "Look Left", but the warnings are presumably for foreigners. Leave London and the rules are more haphazard.

Cultural left-right chaos abounds. Drive on the left, stand on the right, and walk somewhere in between. Labour frees the central bank, balances budgets, and invades Iraq. Conservatives support universal health care, gay rights, and are concerned for the poor. Is New Labour dead? If Britain has no rules for left or right, how can it even identify the body?

Amen.

Mike & I had this exact same conversation (regarding walking, driving & standing on the left vs. right- & the confusion we often felt) just a few days before I read this on the flight home.

1 comment:

Lindsey said...

Haha. I remember you asking me about this. Oh, and as a sidenote. A goal of mine is to have a letter printed in the economist.