‘Keep left lah!’ — SG man calls out ‘people who walk slow and block the way in nature parks, train stations, escalators, and walkways’

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans are known for efficiency — until someone strolls in the middle of a walkway or driveway like they’re on vacation in Paris. That’s when one Singaporean took to the r/asksg subreddit to express that he just couldn’t take it anymore and dropped a reality check that many quietly agree with but rarely voice out: Keep left, lah!

“Are there ways to make or remind people to keep to their left when walking in nature parks, train stations, or even neighbourhood walkways?” the frustrated local asked, calling out the everyday slalom course of human traffic we’ve all endured — especially when one oblivious person blocks the entire path while checking their phone.

“In Singapore, traffic, escalators, nature parks, we keep to our left to let those who need to overtake or move faster than you, to move to the right and overtake you,” he explained. “Otherwise, they gotta keep asking you to excuse them to move past you… So how many ‘excuse me’ must I say to you in a day?” he asked, expressing his frustration.

“The worst is a group of 3 or 4 blocking the way and walking side by side to chat…”

The Reddit comments section quickly turned into a confessional booth for speed-walkers across the island. One commenter vented, “The worst is a group of 3 or 4 blocking the way and walking side by side to chat.”

Another echoed the pain: “My colleagues are awfully slow, and they walk in a row; I just end up walking ahead.”

Someone even name-dropped specific culprits: “I noticed it’s a lot of mainland Chinese who keep right and love to walk abreast… I’ve also seen ignorant locals doing the same. Especially family groups.”

It’s not just limited to parks or underpasses. “Yesterday, Clementi Mall was very crowded due to the new Hawkers’ Street,” one commenter wrote, because “Some aunty walking in a leisurely pace in the middle of the crowd… totally oblivious. I kept saying, ‘excuse me,’ and she just buahlonglong (Singlish for pretend not to hear). I was that close to shouting at her in the middle of the mall.”

“In over 2 decades of driving, I rarely see drivers keep left even when not overtaking…”

One Redditor took a more philosophical approach: “How do you solve a cultural habit? It takes time. Many years, to be exact… keeping left at all times will take 20 years too.”

Even vehicle drivers aren’t spared. “In over 2 decades of driving, I rarely see drivers keep left even when not overtaking… What more for pedestrian traffic, which is inherently disorderly?”

Another added in with resignation: “Singapore right now is a keep-left-but-look-out country.”

“Keep left, lah!”

Until the universal “Keep Left” signs are tattooed across the Little Red Dot, it seems we’ll all just keep muttering “excuse me” and weaving through human barricades. It’s not just a walking issue — it’s a national navigation crisis.

Singapore may be clean and green, but when it comes to lane discipline — whether on the road or on the sidewalk — it seems we still have some practising to do.

Read related: ‘WAIT FOR PEOPLE INSIDE THE TRAIN TO EXIT FIRST BEFORE ENTERING!’ — Angry Singaporean tells SMRT passengers, ‘THE TRAIN DOESN’T MOVE FASTER IF YOU ENTER FASTER!’