Pavement Rage
It’s Oxford Street, London, 11 a.m. The pavements are crowded with shoppers and tourists. I’m going to an appointment at 11.15 and walking as fast as I can down the street. So far, I’m on time, but a group of tourists is walking along very slowly in front of me and taking photos of the shop displays. They block my way and don’t move even when I say politely, ’Excuse me…’ I go red and feel angry. I’ve got pavement rage.
Oxford Street is one of the busiest streets in the world. Two hundred million shoppers visit it every year, and sometimes people get angry with tourists and slow pedestrians who are texting, window-shopping or talking on their phones. According to a recent newspaper article, 9 out of 10 people experience pavement rage at some time. Ever felt the same?
One solution to this problem is a pedestrian fast lane. Most pedestrians travel along Oxford Street at a speed of 1 mile per hour, but in the fast lane, the minimum speed is 3 miles per hour. People in the fast lane can’t talk on their mobiles or listen to music, and they need to know exactly where they’re going. CCTV cameras check their speed and police officers fine people not following the rules.
What street is the text talking about?
