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Posted By: Hydra The pedestrian side-step - 12/18/06 09:27 AM
Is there a word or phrase for the absurd dance two pedestrians do when they bump into each other and then step left and right, moving side to side, but unable to get past one another?
Posted By: Faldage Re: The pedestrian side-step - 12/18/06 11:32 AM
I've always called it the sidewalk shuffle. Others may have other terms for it.
Posted By: Hydra Re: The pedestrian side-step - 12/18/06 12:37 PM
Someone agrees with you:

Quote:


Sidewalk shuffle

Well known dance routine, performed usually on the street. It happens when two people coming in from opposite directions realize that they are trying to walk through the same place. Then they both step to a side, while keeping their relative position. Afterwards, they repeat the same maneuver, alternating sides.

—everything.com




But how about "pavement shuffle"? (We don't say "sidewalk" in my neck of the woods.)
Posted By: AnnaStrophic Re: The pedestrian side-step - 12/18/06 01:14 PM
Quote:


But how about "pavement shuffle"? (We don't say "sidewalk" in my neck of the woods.)




You might want something a little more alliterative, say, "pavement pas-de-deux"?
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