High‐velocity disturbances are observed to propagate along the walls of a high‐explosive operated shock tube in advance of the plane shock. Experiments are presented which determine the dependence of the geometry, energy, and velocity of the disturbance on such variables as the gas contained in the shock tube, the shock strength, and the roughness and composition of the supporting boundary. A model is constructed to explain the flow within the disturbance. Arguments are presented which show the disturbance to result from radiation originating in the luminous plane shock.