Men DO NOT have right of way!

I experience this pretty much daily. I find it just as bad, if not worse, with male cyclists. They definitely expect you to get out of the way. They never ever slow down or make allowances of any kind if you have to pass by in a narrow space, whether you're on a bike yourself or walking.

Come on, this isn't a thing! People's manners have gone downhill in general but when I think about my recent experiences it's actually been women

‘There’s no right of way on a pavement’.
I have been puzzling over this for ages. I am sure we were always taught to keep left back in the day?
I always keep left when walking but am amazed at how many people insist on keeping right when walking in the opposite direction and expect me to move over.
AIBU?

If there are 2 people walking towards each other on a pavement, then neither really has the right to expect the other to move out of the way but it does get annoying when men assume that the woman will move.

What I really object to is when there are 2 or 3 people walking abreast who expect me to move aside for them. I won't do that.

Or dog owners who expect me and my grandchildren to step into the road so their precious fucking dog can walk on the pavement. I just stand absolutely still now when big groups, couples , men, dogs and their owners are nearly level with me, if they are clearly not going to move. They have to give way. If its a huge group of Italian/ French/ Spanish language school students ,moving as a pack, my husband will just aim for the middle and scatter them like skittles.

Yes, I saw that @CherryVanillaPie …

Not only do they not move OP but they will also sometimes move into your way to force you to move aside. So many men when walking towards me on the opposite side of the pavement actually move onto my side.

A good trick is stopping to get something out your bag they have to go around you then or look down whilst fiddling in handbag.

I'm old, female and taller than a lot of men, I haven't noticed it, as I said couples are the worst, also dog walkers of any sex and age.

Their username suggests male

Are you male or female? It is a thing that men expect women, especially older women to move. I also had it yesterday with two youngish women. I was on the path first and they joined and just expected me to move out of the way. I didn’t. I think they were rather confused as we nearly collided.

Edit - to add, there’s a boy, who does a paper round on a bike. He expects you to jump out of his way. He absolutely zooms past. I’m disabled and it’s a fluctuating medical condition. I can walk well some of the time but there are other times, when I can barely move.

Well no, if two people are oncoming in a pavement, both can route around each other (unless you do that dance thing where you both move one way and then the other trying to get out the way).

Patriarchy chicken is where one male person doesn’t do the mutual moving out the way thing but just barges on through and expects the woman to move. He doesn’t see it as a game, he sees it as his right so far as he even thinks about it. The surprise comes when said man realises that you won’t move for him if he won’t move for you.

i have not been playing recently as I don’t have the energy to take on the patriarchy but they definitely expect you to move.

I did not know this had a name! I’ve been back and forward to London loads these last few weeks and really noticed I’m shrinking to make space for men 🤬 fuck that, patriarchy chicken it is!!

So you're part of the problem?

YANBU
i also now hold my ground.

I was walking down a corridor in a sports centre recently, 2 older men were stood right in the middle having a chat. The moved aside so I walked between them then heard comments after I passed because I hadn’t thanked them. Possibly I should have but if they hadn’t been standing right in the middle they wouldn’t have had to move…

Yes, me too! In fact, it happened yesterday in the supermarket………..there was loads of space around me but this jerk just kept on walking and barrelled straight into me 🤬🤬. My mobility is so poor that I cannot dodge out of the way as quickly as I’d like.

I was a keen patriarchy chicken player but then I moved to Germany and the German Menz just move out of my way well in advance, like actual decent humans. No more chicken. Booooooo

I haven't noticed it, I'm old. The most ignorant are the couples of any age that take up the whole path

There is no ‘right of way’ on a pavement.

So, if two people collide, they are equally at fault and equally obstinate.

And if you see that as patriarchal, it is a great example of confirmation bias.

I’ve got an extra theory to this, after years of ‘playing’ patriarchy chicken and refusing to give way to suited commuters.

I notice taller men are more likely than shorter men to barge into you and assume you will move, and similarly taller women.

I’m pretty short, so most of the time they tower over me, but if they’re closer to my height they’re less likely to steam roll through.

I like to just stand still, it freaks them out while they go round.

Is this in cars or on foot? As I believe I encountered one the day before yesterday in a car. Utter dickhead who then stuck his finger up at me when he was the one trying to squeeze through behind a van and getting annoyed that he couldn't quite fit.

I think if somebody indicates the line they're taking then this is your cue to mutually work with each other to pass safely and without collision. Deliberately walking into them is kinda doing it wrong. It's no wonder that they'd look surprised!

I had the passive aggressive 'YOU'RE WELCOME' when I didn't say thank you to a woman who completely unnecessarily moved aside when I was riding my bike up a very steep track that was only about as wide as the M1 once. Baffling.

If she'd had half a brain she'd have realised that I was barely able to speak anyway but I don't know why she didn't just carry on her way seeing as there was more than enough room for us to pass unimpeded.

But I have 2 memorable incidences of patriarchy chicken. Once I was walking through the main walkway part of an airport shop when a man appeared from between the displays at the side and was intent on crossing the walkway to another display on the other side so obviously I should have anticipated his path and priority over me, a mere middle aged woman, and paused so he could pass but no, I just carried on going and my trolley case ran over his foot.

But sadly I lost when I didn't step aside walking along a not busy central London pavement once and the man coming the other way pretty much barged me into the gutter, clearly expecting me to jump in there anyway so he could continue striding along full of his own importance.

I just turned 30 but have noticed this my whole adulthood. One man physically picked me up once and put me in the road! That was extra shocking.