Why do people.......

[ComedyPilot]

....scuff their feet, and drag their heels when they walk?

The body language would suggest they don't want to walk (for whatever reason), but surely dredging their feet (as if making troughs in the pavement) is adding a considerable amount of previously non-existant friction to every step and making it harder to walk?

Well?






WELL!!!!





[Obvious medical reasons aside]

 

[Mr Pig]

They are lazy. Walking correctly requires effort.

 

[Aperitif]

The scraping noise is sometimes caused by feathers - particularly when people are feeling 'down at heel'...

 

[ComedyPilot]

They are lazy. Walking correctly requires effort.

I agree, but seeing a girl do it today in York made me think. Then I watched her trudge along and came to the conclusion it must be harder to scuff your feet than walk with a clear, pronounced gait?

 

[yello]

I do think it's cultural as well. Have a walk through China Town sometime, you'll see a great many Chinese/Korean/etc dragging their heels... dunno why

 

[darkstar]

I do think it's cultural as well. Have a walk through China Town sometime, you'll see a great many Chinese/Korean/etc dragging their heels... dunno why

Never saw people dragging their heels in China itself though.
I reckon it must be simple bad habits.

 

[just jim]

A practised insouciance, the walking equivalent of "Whatever".

 

[slowmotion]

It's partly down to the shoes, I think. One of my pairs of shoes makes me feel positively listless ( no, not the nine inch stilettos), while a pair of trainers makes me feel like I'm walking on air

 

[Fnaar]

Sorry for my delay in answering your question. I was dragging my heels.

 

[rich p]

The scraping noise is sometimes caused by feathers - particularly when people are feeling 'down at heel'...

Eider way, it can be irritating

 

[Mr Pig]

A practised insouciance, the walking equivalent of "Whatever".

I agree. It's just slobbish behaviour, there's nothing more complicated about it.

 

[arallsopp]

A practised insouciance, the walking equivalent of "Whatever".

Beautifully put. Agree entirely. I have sections on my commute where peds compete nervously at each crossing for the elusive "last to reach the kerb" award.

The key to doing it well is to tilt the pelvis back, drop the shoulders, and generally act like the urban undead.

 

[darkstar]

I agree. It's just slobbish behaviour, there's nothing more complicated about it.

Wouldn't go that far! it's not slobbish, just a bit lazy perhaps.
A slob doesn't change clothes, never washes and generally is a...... slob

 

[Fnaar]

I agree, but seeing a girl do it today in York made me think. Then I watched her trudge along and came to the conclusion it must be harder to scuff your feet than walk with a clear, pronounced gait?

She could try pronouncing it as 'geet', to see if that helps?

 

[Noodley]

I had a very hard paper round and could barely stand with the weight dragging me back and have always scuffed and dragged since.

But 'my full bag' <eh c'mon missus, eh wink wink> did act as a good brake on my rear wheel...until it emptied