Most of us are doing our best to keep our distance during the coronavirus pandemic, but what happens when there's just not enough space?
"If I’m taking my daily walk and moved to one side of the pavement, when I see someone walking towards me and they don’t move to the other side of the pavement, am I allowed to shout, ASSASSIN?!" asks one London pedestrian on Twitter, where many have shared narrow pavement experiences amid a heightened sense of space.
What are we pedestrians to do when some stranger, who may or may not breathe Sars-Cov-2 all over us, comes barrelling toward us on the pavement?
Walk out onto the side of the road, says Germany's Association for Pedestrian Traffic (FUSS).
While it may seem like a risky way to avoid a split second of close contact, health officials in many countries have stressed the importance of maintaining a 2-metre distance from other people at all times, especially for elderly people.
If you have to resort to this, however, you'll want to be looking both ways for traffic and stay alert. It's best if the road is clear and well lit, as you may not be seen at night.
You should also walk against traffic so that you can see and avoid any oncoming cars.
Where it's necessary and sufficiently safe, this can be better with reduced car traffic than coming dangerously close to other people on the path, says Roland Stimpel, head of the pedestrian traffic association.
"Elderly people, wheelchair users and the chronically ill now urgently need distance from others."
He also called on healthier and younger people to be considerate of others by giving them plenty of space on narrow pavements.
