I have ave been pacing distances for many years. I have always counted each step as one pace. In my case 1 pace equals 2.5’ or 40 paces equals 100’.
I am reading “The Lost Art of Finding Our Way” by John Edward Huth. He has a lengthy discussion about dead reckoning in which he talks about pacing. He defines one pace as equal to two steps. In other words every time your right foot (or the left depending on which steps forward first) comes down is one pace. So by this definition my pace would be 1 pace equals 5 feet, or 20 paces equals 100’. He goes on to write about the Roman legions pacing and 1000 paces equal to a mile; which is fairly close to my 2.5’ (2.6’) per step. The book is a good read by the way, I recommend it.
But my question is how do you count paces?
Same as Huth. 8 for 50',16 for 100'
I count every stride (same as you), 34.5 is 100ft. Our method is higher resolution than Huth's and no doubt more accurate. 😛
1 pace = 2 steps = 5 feet
Each step.
33 = 100ft on hard surface.
35 = 100ft on soft surface.
Each step is a pace. I have 40 per hundred, and can often be within a foot or 2.
I lead off with my left foot& count every time my right foot hits as 5'.
For me, same as Scott. 33 paces per 100 feet. One "pace" equals one step. B-)
Back in the day, when we did a topo, we laid out a grid. We wouldn't set every 50' and relied on pacing, eye-balling cross lines and diagonals to fill in the blanks. I would walk a normal stride and count between set lath. 19 paces for 50'; 38 for 100'. got pretty good at it. Still can get within a couple feet.
8 1/2 for 50, 17 for 100, 3 1/2 for 20, 6 1/2 for 36, 7 for 40, 1 1/2 + for 10. Adjust up for lots of gear or up grade, never really adjust down.
When in practice I can pace to a within a foot the majority of the time.
For pacing from a moving vehicle I count dash lines but I can't remember the distance off the top of my head.
Damn thought I was old..Thanks...B-)
Left/Right = 1 Pace, Per The BSA
Just because you have been wrong your whole life, you do not have to keep it up.
One pace = 5'+/-, 20 paces = 100', 100 paces = 500', simple and useful relationships.
Counting every step does not make it more accurate, it just gives more opportunities to make a mistake.
Paul in PA
Same here. Every time my right foot hits I count 5,10,15,20...
3.1' and I count each step. 32 for 100'. I learned dragging a 300' canyon chain, 98 steps. if I'm going far, I pick up a pebble every 100 paces and start a new count.
the real curse of pacing is catching yourself pacing down the aisle in the grocery store. it's a way of life
> He goes on to write about the Roman legions pacing and 1000 paces equal to a mile
1,000 paces in Latin is "mille passuum," from which we get the word "mile."
16 for 100'
50 for 300'
55 for 5 chains (330')
On old GLO cadastral surveyor told me to count by starting on either your left or right foot and count as 1 pace each time the opposite foot hit the ground and when, depending on how far you needed go, you hit 55 paces, curl a finger back and put your thumb over it, count another 55 paces, curl back another finger and put your thumb over the two curled fingers, etc., when you had eight curled fingers, you were out 40 chains. Also, said you only had 1/2 the numbers count to keep track of.
Always seemed to work pretty good for me in my head chaining days and pacing to search for corners. When dragging a 300' or 5 chain tape, the pace count kept you from going way past the stick point and having to pull the tape back.
Funny you should ask. I've spent the last week pacing off nominal 100 x-sections for a couple of rail jobs and boy my feet are sore.
I was taught that one pass equals two steps. I would like to say that 18 paces is 100 feet but from my data it looks like I've improved my footage to 104 feet for 18 paces on ties.
Back at it in the morning for the last mile.
By the way, does anyone know where to get iron rods in Bakersfield. I picked some up from a vendor on the way down only to find out in the field that they are 3/4".
Have a great night.
John
1, 2, 3, 10... 1, 2, 3, 20... etc.
> For pacing from a moving vehicle I count dash lines but I can't remember the distance off the top of my head.
In most cases, the spacing for broken line longitudinal pavement markings conforms to the "guidance" in Section 3A.06 of the MUTCD:
"Broken lines should consist of 10-foot line segments and 30-foot gaps, or dimensions in a similar ratio of line segments to gaps as appropriate for traffic speeds and need for delineation."
Once you know the 10 foot - 30 foot rule, you can almost always win free beer by betting on the length of the line segments and gaps while speeding down the highway. In my experience, most people guess in the 3-4 foot range for the yellow line segments.
Of course, you might have to stop and pace off the 10 feet in the middle of the road to prove your point, with the concomitant possibility of becoming road kill, a rather high price for free beer, relatively speaking.
I don't count paces, I count distances. I use the method listed above (except I lead with the right foot and every time the left foot hits, it is five feet)......so I don't have to worry about calculating the paces. I just start walking and count 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 etc.............