Let me begin my first posting by stating the definition of the word 'sidewalk' according to wikipedia:
"A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade (height) and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb (British English: kerb). There may also be a road verge (a strip of vegetation, grass or bushes or trees or a combination of these) either between sidewalk and the roadway (British English: carriageway) or between the sidewalk and the boundary.
In some places, the same term may also be used for a paved path, trail or footpath that is not next to a road, for example, a path through a park."
[Note on the photo:Taken during my photowalk with Klickr's friends around KL-a view of petition writer and his client,rarely seen on any roadside or sidewalk nowadays]
In the following blog postings,I shall use the word 'sidewalk' in term of the above phyical definition as well as the metaphorical sense,depending on the context.
This word 'sidewalk' came to my mind while I was doing some research on cycling path network. In my housing estate where I live there is none.All road pavement are made for the motorised vehicles. Cyclists have to beg for space on these roads,even in their own neighbourhood.This is one subject that I shall elaborate in my future blog posting.InsyaAllah.
In Malaysia,our sidewalks are not only for walking but they are also used by bicycles, motorcycles, cars and lorries.At night,food venders will put up tables and chairs for their customers.At times, shopowners take almost all the space of sidewalks to exhibit their wares for sale!Anything is possible on our Malaysian sidewalks,including mugging and snatch thefts-day and night.
About seven years ago,I set up a Flickr photo group entitled Kaki Lima Kuala Lumpur,and later renamed Kaki Lima,Malaysia and invited others to upload photos they snapped while they were on the sidewalk/kaki lima.More than 40 persons had submitted more than 200 photos of what they saw and captured with their cameras and uploaded to this group.You can see all of them via this link.
If we stand on the kaki lima(five foot way) along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman Kuala Lumpur, we shall see a lot of ordinary people doing their own things.By standing or walking on the sidewalk,we see,hear and smell what is going on around us.These are about ordinary people going in all directions to earn their own living.How about those people in corporate offices towering KL City and the various ministries in Putrajaya?
Views from The Sidewalk is about being an observer of what is really happening on the streets-literally and metaphorically speaking.See you again next Wednesday 9th January, 2013. InsyaAllah.