Why do men do this.

[Bestcatmum]

Why do men wander about like a fart in a trance completely and totally spacially unaware.
I've lost count of the times a man has backed right into me, stepped back and right into me, forced me off the pavement because I am apparently invisible and just walked into me in the supermarket because he wasn't paying attention. It really makes me fume. Women hardly do this, they are aware of everyone around them.
Today a group of three men in their 60's were laughing and joking and heading right for me on the pavement and about one second before on of them crashed into me I yelled STOP at the top of my voice (I am completely shameless).
He was so shocked he staggered about on the kerb and fell into the road (no cars around). He looked at me astonished as if I had just teleported in front of him.
I didn't say sorry, I just went on my way.

I never noticed it until someone pointed it out on MN a couple of years ago. They really do expect you to swerve round them. I've now got into the habit of stopping and consulting my watch/phone, and standing stock still until they have had to walk round me. Last did it yesterday, funnily enough not for a man (it's not just them), but for a gaggle of teenage girls.

Cool story

I stand my ground these days, I just stop and wait for people to notice me. I will move to the side, but I will not concede the whole pavement to a group. I have had bad reactions from both men and woment to this. I just give them a death stare.

No, the OP opened with “Why do men wander about like a fart in a trance completely and totally spacially unaware.”

It’s women that I’ve noticed doing this more. We know that males are more spatially aware than females as a cohort, so it’s never surprised me.

www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00128/full

We got 4 posts in! 4 posts! 😂

Anybody who hasn't noticed it or thinks women do it more - PLEASE try this experiment next time you're out (assuming you are also a woman)

When walking along do not move out of the way for any younger able bodied adults. Stay on your trajectory, do not move. I guarantee that other women will get out of your way whereas men will collide with you. Guarantee it.

www.newstatesman.com/politics/2019/02/how-play-patriarchy-chicken-why-i-refuse-move-out-way-men

I was about to come back and post this link.

I stand corrected, it wasn't from lockdown it was from the 1970s!!

Oh wrong link. Sorry. Same newspaper 🙄

www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2019/09/i-decided-start-walking-down-street-man-spoiler-it-didn-t-go-well

Yes I’ve noticed! Always men

Why do men wander about like a fart in a trance completely and totally spacially unaware.

Probably similar reasons to women and children, not paying attention.

No, the OP opened with “Why do men wander about like a fart in a trance ...

Yes - she's talking about men moving about, you described women standing talking.
If (and there is conflicting evidence) men really are on average more spatially aware than women, there's even less excuse for the behaviour which so many of us have observed.

Ugh, men, they make me sick! I hate them, especially woman haters.

Also old people....right ladies? We hate them too amiright?

You are probably just experiencing confirmation bias.

I read about it a few years ago - "manslamming" was how it was labelled then. I did the experiment myself (in London's Oxford Street!) and got the same results - men walked into me, women didn't because they altered their course.

Here's the old thread that alerted me to the phenomenon:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/2280168-walk-like-a-man

It did make me aware of how I normally walked down a street. I realised that I unconsciously clock how people are moving and pick a path that avoids bumping into anyone.

I have since amused myself my just stopping dead in the street when I can see someone is going to plough into me - they are startled that I have not moved out of their way (even if me getting out of their way would involve stepping into a busy road), they're not used to it.

It's also interesting if you act as if you are not looking where you are going - head obviously turned facing a shop window, say. Somehow, that seems to work and they alter their path. I think it is all at an unconscious level. They expect women who are paying attention to move themselves out of the way, but they accept that a woman not noticing them or their chosen path will not, so they must.

For those of you saying you've never noticed this - neither did I, before it was brought to my attention. I was just always adjusting my path automatically and assuming everyone else - everyone - did too. I didn't notice that some people don't, and that those people were predominantly men.

And women they're awful.

Don't forget the children, absolute horrors.

They don't.

Yes, @user80808 - it is disappointing 3 other posters had responded before anyone pointed out what a ridiculous statement the OP has made.
I seem to see more of these mass generalisations on MN in the last couple of years.

I am a man, well over 6 feet tall and broad of shoulder. I NEVER walk in to anyone or make them move. Interestingly, no one ever walks into me either.

I am mindful of this, I think because of my size, shame more men are not as mindful of themselves.

It really isn't just men. I had precisely this in the supermarket the other day - three women coming towards me so engrossed in their conversation that they just barged straight into me. I couldn't move out of their way because it was quite a narrow aisle, nor could I turn and walk back easily as I had toddler DS with me, so I stayed still hoping they'd notice. Having bumped into me and narrowly missed DS, they didn't even apologise, there was an awful lot of tutting as if the whole thing had been my fault.

I've never known a man to not move to the side and I do the same (opposite ones luckily)

I actually did think I'd trey this after reading about it previously on here but I've never had to.
Strange that

Genuinely never noticed this. Even thinking over the past few days, any man has stopped or moved out the way. Including one today where there wasn't enough space for us on the pavement due to a parked car, I automatically stopped first as he was closer but he then moved back to let me go. Perhaps it's particular places where people aren't paying attention?

not trying to be all PC here but women do this too.

I'm astounded the number of times women in shops have stepped in between me and the shelf I'm reaching towards. Or inserted their lardy arses and trolleys between me and the stuff I'm looking at. And I'm not standing on the other side of the aisle either! I've had some move my trolley as I'm taking too much time to read what's in some tin or something.

Even during the height of covid this was happening. I tended to cough loudly at them - very effective if one is not wearing a mask. Alternatively I've been known to say loudly "I'm sorry!! Am I in your way??" but rarely are they shamefaced.

I'm not sure the statistics back this up in fact there are large numbers of studies showing women lack spatial awareness and for parking whilst men are more likely to crash at speed it is women who are more likely to bump into things at slow speed whilst parking.

I find women do this way more!

Men tend to go out of their way to step off the pavement or step aside in some over the top gentlemanly act.

Whereas women will just keep walking and expect you to move.