To think this is pretty gross and irresponsible?

[OTTMummA]

Running a few errands this morning, walking back from the post office and was behind 2 women, one 30ish, one 60ish, i pressume mother, daughter, and the younger one holding a very young toddlers hand walking along the pathway on a busy retail area.
The toddler ( no more than 18months ) was walking with no shoes and no socks on.
This isn't ok is it? I mean, the path was covered in gum, dirt, fag butts, and other crap, i even saw spit on the same bit of path, it is a busy high st pathway, it is not clean, not even in the slightest bit clean.
There are also pubs along this street which quite frequently have smashed glass outside of.
Why would you let a tiny toddler walk with no shoes or socks on in such a gross and dangerous area?
I really wanted to say, please go get him some shoes or plimpsole things, anything, but i didn't, and tbh, i feel really bad, like i let the kid down or something
and before i get a barrel load of biscuits, i have let my son walk around the garden or park with socks on before, but i made sure i checked the area quickly before and that had plenty of shoe off time inside the house to let his feet grow properly.
seeing this today made me feel really crappy.

YANBU I wouldn't let a child walk barefoot in the street or a park.

well I'm guessing they set off carrying the tot , who then insisted on being put down for a little walk.Footpath being 'dirty' wouldn't bother me in the slightest- i don't what damage you think fag butts , dirt and spit would do to its feet but I would be keeping an eye out for broken glass as I'm sure they were.

No, YANBU. They have such gorgeous feet too, I mean not all hard skin like an adult's. It doesn't sound right. I mean, would thge adults walk barefoot there? Ugh.

I think it's important that babies are allowed to walk barefoot, and don't have their little feet forced into shoes too early, but has to be e.g on carpet etc.

YANBU at all... no matter how much a small child demands, the adult should make sure the child is not in danger.

I admit it hasn't worried me at all when DS escapes and runs barefoot outside our house (grass and path made of paving slabs) - it's very quiet, no foxes etc and it's normally only a few seconds before we catch him...

But I wouldn't deliberately let him on some random pavement.

YANBU

I wouldn't even let a dog walk barefoot round here, the streets are full of filth and it must hurt, pavement is hard, tarmac is awful I remember walking on them barefoot when I was a kid.