to assume dog walkers will give way to me and my pram when passing on a narrow pavement

[thebirthlyhallows]

I try to get out with DD for a walk everyday. I'm amazed at how often dog walkers will not give way to me and my pram and let me walk on the safe side of the pavement away from the road when passing.

Aibu to expect this?

I wouild go to the left it wouldnt cross my mind to think about the 'safe side of the pavement'.

I am a bit tired of giving way to people who do not say thank you. I do it and then gnash my teeth because they totally ignore you and sorry to say that pram pushing parents are the worst .

Please at least look at the person who has kindly stepped into the gutter so you and your 1st/2nd/3rd born can pass safely.

I would certainly expect them not to force you out into the road and wait for you to pass safely. I would do that whether walking the dog or not tbh.

I see where you're coming from but I suppose to their minds, there is more of a chance Fido will bound into the road before they can catch him, than there is your baby leaping out the pram into six lanes of traffic.

Or maybe they're just unhelpful arseholes. covering all bases

When I had a pram/buggy I would automatically go to the outside of the pavement if someone with a dog, or a small child was walking towards me, easier for me to control the pram than them have to control a dog or child jumping onto the road.

Your pram is probably more controllable and reliable than some dogs. If I was a dog owner! I would want to keep my dog away from the road if at all possible.

The idea of a safe side wouldn't even occur to me. In fact I would be inclined to keep the dog further away from the road. Dogs can suddenly pull on their lead. As long as you are both on the pavement, I don't see the issue.

Based on the title I thought you meant they were forcing you onto the road, which would be unreasonable. Not moving so that you can walk on the safe side? It probably doesn't enter their mind.

Yes, YABU, and you sound very entitled.

You have no more right to one side of the pavement than anyone else.

I'd have thought that you would automatically walk on whichever side the dog wasn't, so that your baby is further away from the dog. When I'm walking my dog, I always make sure that I pass prams with me closest to it and the dog furthest away because I (maybe mistakenly) assume that's what most mothers would be more comfortable with, even though my dog is only little, on a lead, and I'm as confident as it's possible to be that he's harmless.

Why do you need the "safe side of the pavement" with a pram though? I wouldn't be impressed, although I think I generally go to the left on wide pavements, when I'm out with wriggly my toddler walking, but the pram is not going to decide to dash towards the road.

Yep, YABU, sorry!

Pushing a pram does not give you any special status / entitlement under the Highway Code or under any other code for that matter. I really don't understand what you are complaining about.

Biggest gives way - law of the road (or pavement)

Presumably your pram is bigger than the dog. It's you who needs an unbalanced amount of the pavement, therefore you must wait for it

I have a double. I always give way

Pram is safer on the road side of the pavement than someone with a dog or walking child though

Unless you are worried you might throw yourself under a passing car?

So long as there is enough space for you to pass each other on the pavement then I don't see the issue.

As a dog owner I would move in a way to give you space and keep my dog out of the road as if said dog managed to cause an accident you would could well end up hurt as well anyway. A pram is hardly going to jump into the road

Everybody should just walk on the side that the traffic drives, i.e in England everyone walk on the left. Much simpler that way

Dogs go on the inside - the 'safe' side. Are you likely to push your pram into the road?

Surely both sides are safe so long as you remain on the pavement?

Why is the outside of the road more dangerous? Aside from the risk of a car mounting the pavement (and then everywhere on the path seems pretty dangerous to me)?

Good lord - how entitled are you?

What makes you think you have any more right to the pavement than anyone else?

Words fail me, they really do

YANBU in the least.

I move mine off the path and make them sit if someone is either pproaching or needs to get passed. I appreciate that where I am we have the luxury of wide spaces beside the pavement, but I would do the same regardless. I have large dogs, German shepherds, and lots of people seem to not like getting too close.

Yabu. My dog is more likely to throw herself in the road than your baby. Is it just people with dogs and does every other dogless walker let you go on the side away from the road?

I always give way as my dog is big and over friendly - he would try and say hello so I make him sit and wait while people pass. I rarely get a thank you, just glared as my my dog might look a bit scary to some.

Adora, what - you'd get your dog to sit in the road so someone could pass with a pram on the inside of the pavement?

This is a wind up, isn't it?