Walking

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Walking Track, Walkway, Sidewalk, Pedestrian, Pedestrians, Pedestrian Route, Pedestrians Permitted, Pedestrian Access, Walker,
Race Walk, Race Walking, Racewalking

Category

Activities, Recreation, Road Signs, Athletics

Message / Function

To indicate the activity of walking
Note: This collection does not cover specific images regarding Elderly Walking and Walking Impairment

	Source	Description
	Schiphol	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Wien BfS	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	UBC	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	W-RSFI (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking
	Québec	Side view of human figure walking
	Dreyfuss (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking
	SSRS	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	StVO A (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	W-JAP (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Hora III:HS (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	MUTCD	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Parks Canada (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Prague WS	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Louvain Bionics	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	NZS 8603	Side view of human figure walking
	StVO D	Side view of human figure walking
	RVV 1990 (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking
	SFO	Side view of human figure walking
	BS 8501:2002	Side view of human figure walking
	Transport for London	Side view of human figure walking
	Walk Rio	Side view of human figure walking
	Aragón (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	W-RST	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	ÖNORM A 3011 (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking dynamically
	Adrien Coquet	Human figure walking dynamically
	NYC BBP (Detail)	Human figure walking
	Tern	Side view of human figure walking dynamically, or jogging
	StVO A (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking
	MTA (Detail)	Side view of human figure walking
	Picto'grafics	Human figure walking, arm position indicating activity
	DER (Detail)	Human figure walking
	Tern (Detail)	Human figure walking
	Extremadura Detail	Human figure walking

Sport of Athletics: Race Walking

	Erco	Human figure walking, arm position indicating forced activity
	CNIS	Human figure walking, arm position indicating forced activity

Note: Some of the examples shown above were mirrored horizontally to contrast differences.

Discussion

Besides pictograms displaying a specific component of the gait cycle regarding the usual human activity of moving from one place to another as a low-impact type of exercise, some pictograms focus on the typical long-distance discipline of Walking within the sport of athletics. Furthermore there also is the need to distinguish walking as displayed above, from other types of human terrestrial locomotion like Hiking, Jogging, and Running. Several images of walking persons show in the table above are details or parts of more complex signs, as for example Pedestrian Access, Pedestrian Traffic, Residential Street, Moving Walkway, and Footbridge. As the table shows, the side view of a human figure walking can be seen as visual stereotype for the referent Walking, and pictograms differ basically just regarding details like which part of the gait cycle is displayed, stride length, end how arms are shown.

Test data for the referent Walking is rather limited:

In a project concerning the comprehensibility of graphical symbols used on highways using a Comprehensibility Judgment Test (identical with the Comprehensibility Estimation procedure), five pictograms were examined in four countries regarding their suitability to convey the message Pedestrians on road. All variants were displayed in low resolution as this research was focused on symbols to be used on Variable Message Signs (VMS). All images displaying a walking person in side view were judged more positively than the only variant showing an actively moving human figure in frontal view (Brugger, 2006).

Concerning the use in road signs we have a comment from an expert in this field (Egger, mail to author, 17 April 2026):

"Since it is meant for use on road signs such as A, 12 „Pedestrian Crossing", E, 12 „Pedestrian Crossing“, which both have the purpose to help pedestrians safely cross a road by signaling vulnerable road users (pedestrians) to drivers approaching with considerable speed, the Tern-example attempts to create a sense of urgency by hinting at the movement to be irreversible (due to momentum) as e.g. seen in the graphically more detailed example „StVO A“, where (at least) the pace shown can’t be stopped. As opposed to more static representations of movement, which might be legitimate due to their use in non-dangerous circumstances, the assumption seems inherent to the United Nations’ set of road signs that drivers would rather break or stop for vigorously moving entities than those represented statically. Sign A, 15b, which warns from the danger of crossing wild animals presents a deer at full momentum, seems to confirm this notion. Of course, for the ease of recognition due to unification of the appearance of a pictogram referent, the same determinedly pacing pedestrian pictogram used in signs A, 12 and E, 12 is shown in sign C, 3i „No Entry for Pedestrians“.

As for frontal depiction of a person to indicate walking or pedestrians, it finds utilization in signs C, 3i „No Entry for Pedestrians“ and D, 5 „Compulsory Footpath“ in the United Nations’ set of signs. It is unclear why pedestrians are shown from the front here, where it seems more suitable to employ just one (the same) pictogram throughout the set as otherwise, there is clear evidence of the systematic built of the set. Interestingly, some nations (such as Spain) seem to acknowledge this problem, as in this country, the pedestrian in side view is used in all signs that relate to pedestrians - including C, 3i and D, 5.

In conclusion, it seems to be advantageous for comprehension to prefer the depiction of a walking person in side view, as renderings in frontal view seem to have difficulties to convey the notion of walking in an unambiguous manner."

It should be noted that according to results reported by Cian et al. (2015) symbols with more active figures possibly capture attention faster, heighten vigilance, and elicit faster reactions, supporting the statement above regarding the Tern-example's pace.

Recommendations

Regarding the results available we recommend showing a side view of a human figure walking dynamically, indicated by a significant stride length and at least one leg bent plus supporting arm design.

Tests of pictograms of referent Walking

Brugger Ch. (2006): Comprehensibility Judgment Test. Report In-Safety, Contract No 506716.