There's even an etiquette to walking in the street.

When I was in Cairo in May and June of this year (2015), at first I thought it was odd that nearly all Egyptians walked in the street. There were some who used the sidewalk, but most walked on the street side of the curb. I myself did quite a bit of walking, and found my own reasons to walk in the same way. Other countries I have visited have strengthened my resolve to leave the sidewalk behind.

The main reason are the tourists. They use the sidewalk. They hang out on the sidewalk. They take selfies on the sidewalk. They stop and look at those huge tourist maps on the sidewalk. They walk in huge groups in the sidewalk, taking selfies, and looking at those huge tourist maps. They are such a nuisance! Sure, I'm a tourist, but I take steps to be sure no one pegs me as one, but that's for another post.

I walk in the street. I feel free. I feel alive. OK, maybe that's overdramatic. It's easier to get around in the street. But, there's an etiquette to walking in the street with others. An etiquette that I must explain here. 'Cause when I follow the rules of the road, people smile at me.

So, here's the skinny on street walking etiquette (no pun intended). There are no differences for walking in right hand drive road and left hand roads. Quite a bit of this will seem elementary to some, and outrageous to others.

If you're walking with the traffic, you cannot see the cars coming from behind you. So, when you got a guy walking towards you, walk close the the curb. He can see the traffic, you can't. So, it is a courtesy to you that he must walk on the traffic side.

When a female is walking towards you, walk on the traffic side. Even though you cannot see the cars, the drivers can see that you are showing good etiquette. This is the essence of street walking etiquette. Looking out for, and walking on the traffic side of, women.

When walking with the traffic, and overtaking someone; if it's a guy, curb side. If it's a girl, traffic side. If it's a guy that is walking close to the curb, traffic side.

When a guy-girl pair is walking towards you: if the guy is on the traffic side, then walk curb side. That's how you're supposed to walk with a girl anyway, whether you're walking in the street or sidewalk. That's the way I was trained. If, by chance, numb-nuts is walking curb side, then you walk traffic side. Same rules apply for overtaking a guy-girl pair.

If it's a group of people coming towards you, or overtaking, and a girl is present, then the same rules apply: traffic side.

If it's a pair or group of girls, you're on traffic duty. If it's a pair of group of guys, you can kick yourself to the curb (if there's room).

If you're walking against the traffic, you walk traffic side regardless of the situation. This is the courtesy you show, guy or girl.

As you walk, your gonna encounter guys and girls that walk outside of where normal etiquette can be safely and courteously applied. If they wanna walk traffic side, use your best judgement. Don't insist to walk traffic side if a girl is well away from the curb.

The people you cross, or overtake, may never see you again and may not remember you. The courtesy you show is just in case you do meet again, 'cause they might indeed remember you.