Sidewalk
Rules:
Walk bikes
No scooters or skateboards
Walk on your correct side
Move with a purpose (don't wander)
Don't take up the whole sidewalk
Walk in pairs or groups at night
Discussion:
This set of rules was created out of respect for campus property and those walking through campus. The socially constructed rules are important because they create a foundation for common courtesy amongst those walking on the sidewalk. Walking on the right side of the sidewalk is an important rule because it allows for foot traffic to progress without causing any disruptions in the flow of foot traffic. Sidewalks are designed as a form of passage between different locations and obstructions such as taking up the entire width of the sidewalk and wandering aimlessly to distract from those trying to reach their destination. The walking of bikes and scooters or carrying of skateboards prevents any incidents and allows everybody to travel at the same pace. The rules created mainly allow for a regulated flow of foot traffic and courtesy to those walking on the sidewalks. Similar to the rules for College Green sidewalks, the article Walking While Black mentions how the streets or sidewalks have rules too. The rules also change based on the surrounding environment. For example, at nightime on College Green, people usually tend to walk in pairs or groups, it could be considered unsafe to walk alone at night time. However, in Walking While Black, it was normal for the individual in Jamaica to walk on the sidewalks alone at night, “I’d begun hoofing it after dark when I was 10 years old. By 13 I was rarely home before midnight, and some nights found me racing against dawn.” The socially constructed rules implicated for sidewalks change based on the environment and individuals within the environment.
Walking along the sidewalk on College Green, as with the rest of the campus creates a sense of identity as being a college student. Walking on sidewalks in various residential neighborhoods, commercial areas, or other locations with sidewalks do not allow the walkers to identify a connection in the same way as the sidewalks on College Green. For example, sidewalks in one’s own residential neighborhood may create a sense of feeling at home and connecting with others residing in the same neighborhood. The sense of belonging in the neighborhood differs from the sense of student and campus connection from the sidewalks on campus. Sidewalks can also serve as a gathering place for those sharing the same beliefs and participating in protests for social change. Many protests have taken place throughout history, most recently, protests for Black Lives Matter have taken place across the country. A prominent gathering place for protesters includes sidewalks along streets or other locations. For example, the link below leads to an image from The Tennessean of multiple protesters lined up along the sidewalk of Brentwood, Tennessee, protesting for the Black Lives Matter movement. The sidewalks in Brentwood, Tennessee served as a gathering place for those advocating for change.
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