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Confusion continues to reign around Jamaica Pond: Which way to walk?

At Jamaica Pond, stay six feet apart and to the left

Councilor O'Malley's proclamation on proper pond etiquette in the time of coronavirus.

City Councilor Matt O'Malley probably thought he was ending all the confusion about how to space walkers and joggers out around Jamaica Pond when he declared the other day that everybody should a) walk around the pond clockwise and b) stay to the left, because, you know this is JP, ain't nobody on the right here.

Nobody had any problems with going around the pond clockwise (ed note: Having written that, how long before we get outraged e-mail from somebody who does?). But stay to the left? No way, some cry: This isn't England, everybody should stay to the right! Where do slow walkers stand on escalators? One person suggested that if O'Malley doesn't like the way things have always been done at the pond, he should go back to where he came from (O'Malley is from Roslindale, so at least he won't have to travel far).

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Comments

Or instead of treating Social Distancing like some cute thing, they could encourage folks to STAY THE HELL HOME.

Christ, it isn’t that hard.

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Always walk counterclockwise...around the pond...not stopping. Can't stop...won't stop.

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Jamaica Pond is likely to crowded for me to go visit, but yah, stay RIGHT!

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As in, the direction you turn when going clockwise, in relationship to yourself. Turning left will point you clockwise. Though, of course, we bear right and move in rotaries counter-clockwise...

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I know we don’t have dog racing anymore in Massachusetts but if you follow the route of the dog track you would walk counter clockwise we with rescue greyhounds know their proclivity to taking left turns.

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rotaries in the Commonwealth. And the rotation of the earth and its revolution about the sun. And the rotation of the moon and its revolution about the earth. And the way my toilet flushes. What is wrong with these people?!

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I find this confounding as well. Like when someone walks on the left side of the sidewalk instead of the right side. We're not in Britain damnit.

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If it was England, the Ministry of Silly Walks would settle the question.

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The only jogging I do is when I have to jog my memory, but even I know that (whatever direction everybody is going on a circular track), it's not left/right. It's walk: innermost lane, run: next lane, pass: outermost lane.

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what if they can't walk all the way around? LOL

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Nevermind that would be going counter-clockwise.
How about if you can't walk all the way around you should be doing something else? If 1.4 miles is too much, walk around the block. Whatever. I'm glad someone is taking action to address this issue!

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Then they should be hiding from the virus in their home because they are in terrible shape and would not survive the virus.

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Now we are shaming people who can't walk all the way around the pond?

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Always on brand, always full of hate for the less fortunate.

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They more than anyone need exercise, sunshine and fresh air to keep stress levels low and immune response high.

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I'm glad you posted that at 11:14, Kinopio - fitting that such a useless utterance came before the noon deadline for nonessential movements.

It's a one-and-a-half-mile circuit around the pond, genius! That's not a practical walk for some people who at the same time are entirely safe to be outside.

What other arbitrary standards do you have? "Only those who can safely dive from a three-meter platform should be allowed to swim?"

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His suggestion just advises to take a left when coming into the path, not to walk/run on the left side. Fake news ;-)
So yes, the sign should say One Way not stay left.

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Yeah, the sign should have said "One way", or "Walk this way". But it didn't. It said "Keep left," which has a specific meaning, a meaning that is entirely unrelated to whether you're walking clockwise or counterclockwise around the pond.

One of the jobs of the City Council is to draft legislation. Some members even went to law school. Have you ever read legislation passed by the City Council? For the most part, the quality of the drafting would embarrass a sixth grader. It depresses me, but doesn't surprise me in the slightest, that they can't even draft a directional sign without fucking it up.

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Is all the ideas he has for "fixing" things.

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Until we are under Marshall Law, I will walk any way my heart desires around the pond.

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band that did "Heard It in a Love Song".

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Clearly, a jousting tournament of some sort (maybe on fixies?) needs to be held. To the victor go the spoils, which in this case will be going left or right when you reach the pond.

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Just as long as your lance is at least 6' long

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Holy crap! Boston is a city of top-notch universities!! Figure it out!!!

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n/t

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The Central Park Reservoir in NYC has had a one way rule for years, due to general crowding and traffic flow. And they go counterclockwise.

There even used to be one of the old cutout one way signs on the fence. So this rule might have existed in the 1960s. Other former examples: https://forgotten-ny.com/2017/03/one-way-1999/

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