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Waltz Around Corners

 Enables Sharper Turns, Fewer Steps
  (+2)
(+2) 		  [vote for,
against]

When you walk around corners, do you dislike the large number of steps required to negotiate them? Why not waltz around them?

It works like this:

1. When you see a right-turn coming up, time and space your steps so that your left foot just reaches the same line (perpendicular to your path) as the corner of the wall, and your right foot steps straight out.

2. Execute a counter-clockwise turn such that your left foot ends up stepping approximately parallel with the wall to your right foot.

3. Complete the counter-clockwise turn by bringing your right foot around to where it would normally be if you were walking down this new hall.

4. Continue on as though nothing had happened, completely ignoring the puzzled staring of the inefficient walkers around you.

Reverse right and left for left turns.

Note: this technique saves a step or two around a regular corner, but its real advantage comes about (no pun intended) when you have two 90-degree turns, one right after the other, as when walking up one side of a wall, around it, and down the other side of the same wall.

—galukalock, May 17 2003

Waltz around corners http://www.geocitie...oomfield/waltz.html
[hippo, Oct 05 2004]


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Annotation:







       //when walking up one side of a wall, around it, and down the other side of the same wall// you lost me right at the end when we are expected to climb walls.
—po, May 17 2003
   

       I always do a left- or right-face. Just like Uncle Sam taught me.
—phoenix, May 17 2003
   

       I slide into turns - will this idea benefit me?
—thumbwax, May 17 2003
   

       I think I want to croissant this, but I'd like to understand it fully first; can you be any more lucid? I've tried actually pacing out your description but I got confused and people looked at me funny, but then I have been at the beers...
—Zircon, May 17 2003
   

       hey [zircon] you think yo got problems - I fell flat on my face over my handbag <g>
—po, May 17 2003
   

       It’s Kata... Croissant for any idea that involves kicking the snot out of 3+ people while dancing like it never happened.
—Shz, May 17 2003
   

       Now that I think about it, we could "salsa" or "cha-cha-cha" around corners too. It would be less efficient, much more confusing... but more fun!!! +++
—Pericles, May 17 2003
   

       I thought this was a natural repercussion of falling in love! Or getting a degree in theater. In any case, I've been doing this for some time now! I don't know whether to bread you or throw you a bone. (?)
—k_sra, May 17 2003
   

       Thanks for the comments, guys (and gals).   

       [Zircon] I'll try.   

       1. L is left foot, R is right. -- and | are the wall. o means carpet.   

       oooooooooooooo
oLoooo---------
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooRoo|
oooooo|
   

       2.   

       oooRoooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooo
oLoooo---------
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
   

       3.   

       oooooRooooooooooo
ooooooooooLoooooo
ooooooooooooooooo
oooooo---------
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
   

       4.   

       ooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooLoooooo
oooooooooooooooRo
oooooo---------
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
oooooo|
—galukalock, May 17 2003
   

       I thought, for a moment, that I had discovered that [arthur] was actually the renowned Arthur Murray of Dance School fame. And then [galuckalock] cut in, and it turned out to be just another gay bar.
—jurist, May 17 2003
   

       <announcement>Don't worry. I am definitely not homosexual.</announcement>   

       You may now return to your irregularly scheduled typing.
—galukalock, May 18 2003
   

       I do this already, so huge croissant.
galukalock, is that you who has been following me about and taking photos?
—my face your, May 18 2003
   

       Heh, funny idea, but I think it is no more efficient than taking a nice racing line through the corner.
—RoboBust, May 18 2003
   

       It isn't much more efficient on 90-degree turns, if any more efficient. Its real advantage is in negotiating 180's around walls.   

       Heck. I just restated the last paragraph of the idea.
—galukalock, May 18 2003
   

       I used to do this trick playing basketball, to outwit the opponent with my superior skill and footwork whilst keeping my body between the opponent and the ball.
—Trodden, May 19 2003
   

       Hehe, yes [galukalock], I did read your idea in its entirety, you needn't repeat yourself. I stand by my previous post, but I seem to be the only one who thinks this way, so maybe I'm an unco waltzer or something!
—RoboBust, May 19 2003
   

       See link
—hippo, May 19 2003
   

       It's perfect for those moments when you unexpectedly meet someone head-on at the corner. Replace the multiple-false-starts embarrassment with a quick whirl... leave 'em stunned, but unharmed.
—lurch, May 19 2003
   

       I would prefer to do a 630º spin followed by a splits-and-rise, James Brown style, around the corner.
—friendlyfire, May 19 2003
   

       <Obligatory> Sounds like one for the ministry of silly walks.   

       I use this trick to avoid being tagged when playing with the kids.
—egbert, May 19 2003
   

       Great job, hippo. I believe that's exactly right. Can ya do one fer 180's?
—galukalock, May 19 2003
   

       how do the army do about-turns?
—po, May 19 2003
   

       As far as I've been able to find out, thusly (from attention): the right foot (I think--maybe substitute right and left here) goes back and left about 16 inches (40 cm), the toe grips the ground, and pulls one around while one allows one's elf to spin clockwise on the other toe, until 180 degrees come around. The right foot snaps to 'attention' position.
—galukalock, May 23 2003
   

       Very impressive 1 3/4 turn there, friendlyfire.
—thumbwax, May 23 2003
   

       At a corner I always come to a full stop. Then I stick out my periscope to see what's there. If it's safe, I proceed. But that's just me.
—pluterday, May 23 2003
   


 

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