AIBU to expect someone with a dog to give way?

The woman with the dog was being unreasonable because she had a clear view of any oncoming traffic and she also made a confrontational comment. We have a footpath like this near my house and any time I run into anyone walking towards me on it it’s always the person who has the clear view of oncoming traffic who steps out. If the person with the view doesn’t step out both people are then forced to stop anyway. The alternative would be that you’re expecting the other person to do a 180 turn to check for traffic, which would involve them stopping and blocking the pavement anyway surely?

As someone who has had babies (now adults), there is a human instinct that makes you feel your child always comes first, it is evolutionary IMO, hence the precious first born threads. As those children grow and become more independent it dilutes until you reach a point where new mothers irritate you with their entitlement.

I also walk DS's dog, and there are lots of dog owners that assume their dog is more important then you or anyone else, I have had rows with other dog owners who expect me to step into the road whilst they with their reactive hounds take priority on the pavement because I should know that their dog will lunge and bark if I pass with the dopey labrador.

Don't lose sleep OP, we are all different. I have had a lovely walk on the moors today with lots of dog walkers, and young children, and every single one, including me was respectful of each other to the point it was "you go first" "no you go, I insist" - It was lovely. The world is a better place without any entitlement.

Her dog would have had to walk in the road, your baby didn’t. Had she been carrying the dog, you would be in the same situation. It’s not about who is more vulnerable or whose life is worth more (of course it’s a baby over a dog) but it boils down to you being able to take your two legs in to the road for three seconds or her having to take six legs.

But yes I would have stepped in the road to let her pass, obviously checking it was clear to do that.

Why should she move? You're not more important just because you chose to have a baby. Christ, entitled much? Your child isn't more important than anything to anyone but you.

You are aware the dog comes with a human, right?

Having already been hit once in my life by a car as a pedestrian, I am not putting myself in the position that it could happen again so an animal can stay on the pavement.

I will wait for them to go past, or the owner can move on to the road if they want to.

i am not putting myself at risk for a dog.

If it's safe for you to step into the road then I fail to see what having a 'tiny baby' has to do with anything.

The road is either safe at the point of entry or it isn't 🤷‍♂️

I've got both. Well, not a baby anymore but he was a few years ago and I used a baby carrier. If it was a baby in a pram or a walking child it would probably be easier for the dog owner to step aside. A baby strapped to an adult is just as easy as an adult alone stepping to one side

You're not moving for a dog, you're moving because it's the safest option. You may be cold enough to not care about a dog but surely you care about the driver that hits the dog? Or the driver that swerves to avoid the dog and hits another car?

The best trained dog in the world would be unpredicatable if you walked them in traffic. A baby strapped to it's parent is totally predictable.

It is utterly ridiculous to expect a dog to walk in the road. Grown ups would just acknowledge the problem and wait/hang back until it was safe enough for either one to carry on but it seems that grown ups are not always grown up.

You presented as one person as a whole.

She presented as one person, a wire and an animal.

It's in your best interest just to wait.

I don't care actually.

I move over if easy to do so and hope others to do the same. I wouldn't deliberately not move over because I had a baby and so ranked myself more important than the other person

It's not about importance. The baby is literally strapped to you, it can't go anywhere it is fully under control whereas a dog on a lead is considerably more unpredictable and therefore risky. A dog stepping into a road is hugely risky from a drivers point of view. You were definitely in the wrong.

What do you do? Barrel along barging in to everyone or step aside for every single person?

If not one of those two, you must be applying some sort of criteria, ie ranking your priority! Even if subconsciously.

I mean, sure, they can and should be trained. But on mat leave I soon enough learned not to leave it to judgement. Dogs have zero sense when it comes to prams, let alone when it comes to slings. I'd have stopped and let her pass just to avoid a potential lead across my shins.

This is what happens in a society where people increasingly put their own needs first.

In an earlier era this would have led to each of you standing aside and saying "After you," "No, after you".

The person facing the oncoming traffic should always be the one to step into the road. It has nothing to do with rank or risk.

Surely you cross roads fairly frequently whilst baby is in the carrier. This is no different.

I've used baby carriers for many years (including with a child who needed it well into primary school age due to health stuff). I'd have moved out of the way as it's far easier for you to than someone with a dog.

Just be careful on the kerb. That the most dangerous bit really presuming you don't step into traffic.

Blows my mind that people actually rank their importance over others 🤦🏻
Yeah she shouldn't have commented. But no, you're not a higher rank than her. Everyone has equal right on a pavement, baby or no baby.

Your thread title makes it clear that you approached the encounter with the idea that she should be the one to give way. I think she understood this from your body language and bridled at the expectation.

The more normal way to approach this sort of situation is that both parties make micro-observations and micro-adjustments to arrive at a consensual way past each other. By very small signs you let her know this wasn't what you had in mind: As your thread title said, you 'expected her to give way'.

As a dog walker, I do think that people with small children (or at any rate, people with small children who are walking with their parents rather than being strapped to them) have priority, and I step into the road where appropriate.

But I would be a bit antagonised by body-language announcing hat I should defer to them, especially if they were simply carrying a baby rather than wrangling toddlers who were on foot.

It all smacks a bit of what MN used to call PFB syndrome.

How long is the path?!?

You seem to make it very clear you would normally always move and are happy to move, so idk why you picked today not to move.

Are you maybe embarrassed she called you out?

Not saying you are in the wrong, by the way. But, I mean if you had a pushchair or baby was walking then I'd absolutely expect the dog walker to move, but you was just walking as one and holding his hat. Soo much easier to control than a dog.

I think the whole thing has been a storm in a tea cup. Nothing really happened, no one was hurt or put in danger from what you've described OP. Don't let it bother you any further, forget about it and and enjoy the rest of your day.

You’re being precious.

Humans are a different issue. I’d move into the road for a person with their children or someone disabled if there was no other option. I just wouldn’t move for a dog.

I wouldn’t use a pavement where there was a long stretch where going into the road was the only option, though.

I guess I don't really understand why this has to turn into an existential dogs vs babies thing? For the record, I've had both. Really it's just a 'she's a dick' thing. So why give her more mental space?

I usually try to be aware and polite, regardless of whether I have a dog with me or not, but as a pp pointed out, most people sort of exist in their own bubbles. I have a close friend who recently lost a child and her dog is her world at the moment (although she wouldn't be rude).

I have neither a dog nor a baby but my first thought was that the woman could have just picked up her dog and stepped aside.