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There is a street that goes from south to north. To its right side, there is a walk path, and then a pedestrian gate, directly facing on the walk path. There is also a car gate which is farther east than the pedestrian gate (i.e. its distance from the roadside is higher). It can be accessed from the walk path too.

When I talk of the position of the car gate compared to the pedestrian gate, what word/phrase can I use to describe it? May I say it's inner respect the walk path?

From the point of view of people who are driving a car, and coming from north, this is what they see.

screenshot

Moving closer to the car gate, it appears like this.

screenshot

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  • inner isn't the right word. The car gate is farther from the path than the gate is. Can a car enter onto the roadway through that car-gate? Is there a driveway that connects to the road?
    – TimR
    Feb 7, 2018 at 15:46
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    A diagram would be helpful here.
    – Davo
    Feb 7, 2018 at 15:51
  • @Tᴚoɯɐuo I called it car gate because cars can enter from that gate. So, yes, you can enter on the street (i.e. the street going from north to south) through the car gate, and there is a driveway that connects to the street.
    – apaderno
    Feb 7, 2018 at 15:57
  • If the street goes from north to south, and the path is on the right, then this would be on the west side of the street (since “from north to south” indicates facing south). A car gate being further east would be on the opposite side of the street.
    – Raketenolli
    Feb 7, 2018 at 16:26
  • @Raketenolli No, both the gates are on east, which means to the right side when you travel from south to north.
    – apaderno
    Feb 7, 2018 at 16:45

2 Answers 2

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If you are looking at the fence, then the car gate (called the "driveway", at least in the US) is to the right of the pedestrian gate.

If you are giving directions to someone who will be traveling in the direction shown in the picture, then say:

The driveway is farther to the right from the pedestrian gate

or

The driveway is past the pedestrian gate, on the left.

or

The driveway is farther along the street from the pedestrian gate.

or instruct them as if they are moving:

Go (about 50 meters) past the pedestrian gate, and you'll see the driveway on the left

or

Once you pass the pedestrian gate you'll see the driveway on the left.

If you're coming from the other direction, say:

The driveway is before (you get to) the pedestrian gate, on the right.

I'd avoid using cardinal directions like North, West, etc. In my experience most people figure out relative directions like "to the right of" or "farther along" than fixed directions, even when it's obvious which direction is which.

However, if you must, then substitute the appropriate direction for "left", "right" and "along" in the above examples.

The driveway is just north of the pedestrian gate, to the west.

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  • Is there a more idiomatic word for pedestrian gate? If the word is different enough from driveway, it's not possible people misunderstand what I am indicating. In Italian, I would use the same word in both the cases, and that is why I would need to make clear what I am indicating.
    – apaderno
    Feb 7, 2018 at 18:29
  • @kiamlaluno "Pedestrian gates" aren't common enough that we in the US have an idiomatic word for them. There's usually a "main gate" and a "side gate", but whether these are for people or for cars is unspecified. So even native speakers will make up a phrase, and "pedestrian gate" is as good as any. You could say "pedestrian entrance" to compare with the "vehicle entrance", but this is only marginally more idiomatic.
    – Andrew
    Feb 7, 2018 at 20:29
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I'd say they are 'juxtaposed' or 'next to' each other - as they are each clearly visible to each other - you can see one from the other. If you can see either one, you certainly don't need directions to the other - because you can already see it!

You could even say 'co-located' or, 'located together'. Or just 'together'. This saves you from needing to specify West etc - which might be confusing.

By the way, unless the gates are usually closed, I would call them the 'vehicle entry' and the 'pedestrian entry'. If you are telling people 'where to enter' then I would use 'entry' as it is then congruent with their action of entering. If you want people to not enter - then I'd use 'gate' which sounds more congruent with 'being prevented from entering'.

So, I would suggest: the pedestrian and vehicle entry gates are located next to each other, on the West side of the street.

(Or, ...are located on the left side of the street when coming from (eg) Cuddlestown (nearest local place name).

If you want to, you could say 'the pedestrian gate is on the left, just before the vehicle gate, and both are on the left side of the street as you approach from Cuddlestown'.

'Just before' means it precedes, and is very close to, the other gate.

Or, 'you'll see the pedestrian gate on the left, closely followed by the vehicle gate, also on the left, as you approach from Cuddlestown.'

The 'walk path' is more properly called the 'pavement'. Walk path isn't really idiomatic and doesn't sound correct. But I don't think you need to mention the pavement, I would just focus on the gates - if you are giving directions.

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  • BTW, what you call a "pavement" we Americans call a "sidewalk". For us, the "pavement" is the stuff the street is made of.
    – Andrew
    Feb 7, 2018 at 20:35
  • I was aware of ‘sidewalk’ but I didn’t know that you referred to paving stones as ‘pavement’. You don’t call it ‘walk path’ though, do you?
    – Jelila
    Feb 7, 2018 at 22:40
  • I think "footpath" is the Aussie term, although they also call it the pavement. Actually, to be accurate the "pavement" is the surface of the road. Most roads are paved with asphalt, but you drive on the pavement (and never the sidewalk). Hopefully British drivers don't make the mistake of driving in the wrong place if told to "keep the car on the pavement." I suppose it's enough trouble we drive on the wrong side :)
    – Andrew
    Feb 7, 2018 at 22:45
  • Oh funny! Footpath in English is more like a tiny path through the woods! Oh funny too, you can't really say a road is 'paved' with asphalt in English because 'paving' requires 'paving stones' of some kind. Asphalt would really be 'a road surface' not paving. Yes, if you told British drivers to drive on the pavement... we would really think you were bonkers!
    – Jelila
    Feb 8, 2018 at 0:16

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