Stopping Dead in the Tracks

The Riverwalk is a great place to get out and walk around. The serious power walkers and joggers are down at the Museum Reach or King William areas. The people who are just out for a stroll are hanging around the horseshoe where all the shops and restaurants are located. It's typically really crowded on weekends. Cold and mildly drizzly weekends are no exception. It's bumper to bumper, except everyone is on foot. And unlike traffic lanes that are clearly marked, people just walk anywhere they can find a spot to put their feet in front of them.

So it's very cozy. You have to watch out for people gesturing with cigarettes in hand and kids who are excited at the sight of ducks. But what I find amusing (and somewhat annoying) is that people can be walking along and all of a sudden, without any warning whatsoever, they just stop.

Sometimes several people stop at once. Sometimes it's only one. Sometimes they've been distracted by something shiny or interesting in a window - or something (someone) a bit bizarre. Sometimes they have to stop because the way has been blocked by other people, or by baby strollers, or by people gesturing with lit cigarettes. And sometimes they just realize they're going the wrong way and turn around right into you.

I'm almost certain that I've been guilty of this offense, but after this weekend, I'm certainly more aware. I'll do my best not to stop dead in my tracks ever again.