Why does everyone walk counter-clockwise on the promenade?

[mtnmusic]

I've wondered about this so thought I'd ask.

 

Maybe "everyone" doesn't walk counter-clockwise, but it seems like most everyone does. Especially the morning power walkers.

 

I've never seen any signs on the deck telling people which direction to go, nor have I seen any other mention of it.

 

The ship is moving away from you if you walk counterclockwise and it actually takes fewer steps to walk the same distance than if you are walking in the same direction as the ship moves and you appear to be walking faster. DUH!

 

This holds true until you reach the opposite side of the ship in which case you seem to cover less distance with shorter shorter steps and appear to walk slower.

 

Therefore the fastest walkers walk aft and the slowest walkers walk forward. In any event I have some ocean front property for sale in Arizona. LOL!

[ouse456]

The ship is moving away from you if you walk counterclockwise and it actually takes fewer steps to walk the same distance than if you are walking in the same direction as the ship moves and you appear to be walking faster. DUH!

 

This holds true until you reach the opposite side of the ship in which case you seem to cover less distance with shorter shorter steps and appear to walk slower.

 

Therefore the fastest walkers walk aft and the slowest walkers walk forward. In any event I have some ocean front property for sale in Arizona. LOL!

Yup. I think we've milked this topic dry. About that ocean front property, however,............

[Je Souhaite]

Probably because most of us drive on the right. I gotta assume it's clockwise in the UK.

[TakesNotes]

My anthropologist friend says that it is genetically ingrained in most people to circle counterclockwise in order to "defend" ourselves from attackers using our dominant right hand. (she had a longer explanation that involved wagon trains circling counterclockwise to defend against Indians).

 

For what it's worth, I'm left handed, I like to walk fast, and I tend to stay inside going clockwise. I've NEVER seen a sign on a HAL ship suggesting that one direction is preferred. No one has ever said anything to me about being "gauche."

[OBX-Cruisers]

Never thought of this before but upon reflection of our last cruises...........YOU are right, great question for Trivia since it has no one correct answer like some of their questions where the "CD is ALWAYS Right"

I will accept all of the "expert" reasons already posted and remember that on our next cruise and explain it to the next person who asks me that question.............that won't take long I would anticipate.

[OBX-Cruisers]

This thread is very entertaining.

 

My husband and I are taking a neural plasticity class at our fitness club. There is a lot of emphasis on doing things both directions, using both sides of the brain, etc. This is supposed to help stave off dementia type illnesses.

 

Maybe we should ask HAL to reverse direction each day.

 

PERFECT, thank you for my daily chuckle.

I would add they could put the instruction on the mat in the elevators that also keep our brains in tune for WHEN we are during a cruise.

[Wehwalt]

All this is why, given ANY opportunity, I get my distance in on land.

 

As for trivia with no one right answer, as someone who's been playing organized and disorganized trivia much of my life, such questions can cause ill-feeling.

Edited July 4, 2016 by Wehwalt

[veryseasonedtraveler]

Love walking the deck and try to do 3 miles every sea day. If 97% of the walkers are going one direction for whatever reason, as a walker, that should be the accepted norm. There are usually one or two going the opposite way and that makes it difficult for others at the turning corners. I find myself trying to figure out where the contrarian might be.

[Crusin Kelly]

BUT what if you are using the outside deck instead of the passageways inside - just to get outside - AND you are closer to the "wrong" side of the ship for the correct counter-clockwise flow... I'll just go to the closest door, and use the outside deck and then go back inside when I get to where I am going.

[cavecreekguy]

BUT what if you are using the outside deck instead of the passageways inside - just to get outside - AND you are closer to the "wrong" side of the ship for the correct counter-clockwise flow... I'll just go to the closest door, and use the outside deck and then go back inside when I get to where I am going.

 

Actually, that was the exact situation I was in!

 

I had an inside cabin on the lower promenade on the Maasdam that was near the back of the ship. I wanted to be near the back because I like to look at the wake - it mesmerizes me. The deck plan led me to believe there were actually aft-facing doors I could use, but that was not true.

 

The cabin door faced towards a starboard exit door. So my choice was to exit that starboard door and go the short distance clockwise to get to the back of the ship, or walk way up a hallway to where I could cross over to a port side exit door then backtrack to the back of the ship. So I went out the starboard door and walked clockwise that short distance, being very careful of people coming around the corner.

 

So I started looking for signs or notes in my cabin that said to walk counter clockwise because I didn't want to get in trouble by disobeying a rule. But, as I said, I never saw such a sign on that ship. Nor did I see one on the Statendam.

 

I realized that whether there was a sign or not, counter-clockwise was the way to go. So on the Statendam I booked a cabin with a door facing a port side exit onto the lower promenade.

[veryseasonedtraveler]

I only complain about the people that are doing repeated laps.

[donaldsc]

I've wondered about this so thought I'd ask.

 

Maybe "everyone" doesn't walk counter-clockwise, but it seems like most everyone does. Especially the morning power walkers.

 

I've never seen any signs on the deck telling people which direction to go, nor have I seen any other mention of it.

 

It actually depends upon whether you are north or south of the equator. If you are north of the equator, you walk anti-clockwise. If you are south of the equator, you walk clockwise.

 

Seriously - there are no rules as to which way you walk. What I do is that if everyone is walking anti-clockwise, I walk clockwise just be to be different. However, that is just me. You can walk anyway you want.

 

DON

[lvhh]

I was wondering how that worked in the southern hemisphere.

[ellieanne]

I only complain about the people that are doing repeated laps.

 

I'm not sure what this means. I do laps all the time on the Promenade deck and I've never heard anyone complain. Many others do laps as well.

[veryseasonedtraveler]

I'm not sure what this means. I do laps all the time on the Promenade deck and I've never heard anyone complain. Many others do laps as well.

 

 

My complaint was those who do repeated laps going the opposite direction of everyone else. When you turn a corner either forward or aft, you have to be extremely careful as the offender might be there.

[Hlitner]

On HAL there are simply rules, and since old cruisers do not learn new tricks, they have lived by the rules for their past 85 years of cruising. So here are just a few of the HAL basic rules: 1. If under 75, expect to be among the younger crowd. 2. Must be in line by 5pm for the 5:30 sitting! 3. Must be in bed by 10pm (9:30 on port intensive cruises). 4. Must hate any popular music written after 1960 (1940 on long cruises). and yes (almost forgot) 5. You must walk counterclockwise

 

Follow these rules and you will be right at home :).

 

Hank

[PatsyAnne]

My complaint was those who do repeated laps going the opposite direction of everyone else. When you turn a corner either forward or aft, you have to be extremely careful as the offender might be there.

 

 

Offender? You should be careful anyway going around a blind corner. There are often people working in those areas, or walking slower, or walking faster, or standing, or equipment (hoses, etc.). This discussion reminds me of something my brother told me once, but I can't use the actual words here. Anyone driving faster than him was an %^&* and anyone in front going slower was a %^&*(.

[I_r_a]

For the same reason that people go around the roundabouts, except in British countries.

[rkacruiser]

When the weather is too bad to walk outside we walk at the mall. Everybody there goes counter clockwise too.

 

I'm a mall walker as well, particularly when it is warm/hot and humid. You know, I never thought about your observation before, but you are spot on!

[Caribbean Chris]

BUT what if you are using the outside deck instead of the passageways inside - just to get outside - AND you are closer to the "wrong" side of the ship for the correct counter-clockwise flow... I'll just go to the closest door, and use the outside deck and then go back inside when I get to where I am going.

 

This is my situation when taking my service dog to the "Relief Box" forward. Sometimes time is if the essence.