Prams taking up the entire pavement

[giadak]

Hi all.

I was wondering if I could possibly get some opinions advice. I was walking down the street the other day. Two ladies were walking with their prams (towards me). As they were walking side by side - and engrossed in their conversations - they didn't seem to notice me walking too. I then said: 'Excuse me, could I get past, please?' They refused to move and gestured that I was in the road. Granted, it wasn't overly busy on the streets, but there were cars coming and going as it was around the time of day that the school finishes.

I know that it is 'easier' for me to walk in the road, but it's also potentially dangerous. One of them could have stopped for a whole second - so as to free up space on the pavement - I could have walked past quickly - thanked them - and that would have been perfectly fine for everyone.

I've also had experienced instances where parents just stand and chat in the street and again - there is no choice, but to walk in the road.

Worst of all - on that occasion, one of their older kids (who wasn't the one in the prom obviously) sped off on his scooter - and they didn't even notice.

Is it unreasonable to be annoyed? I'm the first to help women with prams up the stairs at train stations, I'm the first to offer my seat to anyone that may want/need it - young or old - able bodied or not. I do try, I really really do - but I feel like some people now are just taking advantage. Yes, it might be easier for me to move/walk into the road since I don't have a prom etc.... but why should I have to - and every time...?!

Please help/advise! I'm not trying to start a war - I'm genuinely curious and not sure what to do and/or how to feel.

Thanks.

I get this where I live too - busy area with lots of families, school run twice a day and I'm constantly going in the road to get round people pushing buggies side-by-side and blocking the whole pavement. And the ones who just stop still and block the whole pavement with their buggies while they have a chat They also tend to have dogs on extendable leads and several toddlers on scooters orbiting around.

It's not everyone - about 1/4 of buggy pushers are considerate! (And I tried to be when I was one)

I don't say anything, I just remind myself they're probably knackered and sleep-deprived and be grateful I'm not at that stage any more.

Agree it's annoying though.

Walking side by side with another pram-pushing person, and blocking the pavement, is rude and ignorant. It is exactly the same as any two people walking side by side and not giving way. People who do either of those things are ill-mannered.

The correct thing to do is to walk in single file for a bit to allow other pavement users to pass. Polite people do this automatically.

No one should have to step into the road because entitled mummies think they have special privileges.

So four humans were walking toward you and you couldn't step around?

Yabu I'd always move for a pram

I love these threads though. Why not entitle them "women, why the fuck can't they just stay home out of the way"

The road at the end of our road has very narrow pavements, such that it is hard for two people walking to pass each other without brushing elbows, and is a very busy road. I find that in general people are very accommodating and look out for each other when using it. Groups of people will go into single file. People will step aside into "passing places" (like the steps up to the pub) even when approaching pedestrians are quite far ahead. Others will cross the road to use the other pavement when they see someone with a pram approaching. It's all quite heartwarming really.

Having said that I have come across situations in other places where approaching groups clearly expect me to go round them on the road. I never do.

To the pram pushing, pavement hogging dads, I have rather long legs too (can nick my much taller partner’s Levis without needing turn-ups). And guess what, there are height/length adjustable, extendable pram carriage and handles for that very reason. And somehow, despite knowing super tall women, I have yet to see them do this anti-social way of pushing a pram.

Im pushing a double Pram at the moment. It's a beast. Would you mind stepping into the road for me? I often take up the breadth of the pavement all by myself around here.

No one should have to step into the road because entitled mummies ""people"" think they have special privileges

walking along the pavement having a chat isn't on

No, walking along the pavement having a chat that you decree is too important to be interrupted by going single file for 30 seconds, so someone else doesn't have to walk in the road, isn't on.

Was there actually a car going past when this woman who doesn't know her place gestured towards the road?

'woman who doesn't know her place' . That's quite funny. Who the fuck gestures for another person to step into a road? A Roman emperor?

I love these threads though. Why not entitle them "women, why the fuck can't they just stay home out of the way"
I'd actually suggest 'peop
le with prams/walking abreast/both/doing anything else to take up the whole pavement, and then expecting someone on their own to walk in the road for them, should get some basic fucking manners.'

Where I live there wouldn't be any opportunity to do this as it's often impossible for one pram to get by with all the whacking great 4x4s parked on the pavement.

I see your two prams and raise you two mobility scooters bearing down on you. I swear some of the people round here have 'over-clocked' theirs as they zoom about at quite a speed. Most riders are considerate of other pavement users, but there are a couple who are notorious for driving side-by-side, having a chat and they just will not make way for others, not good on a busy road!

One person could just reverse the pushchair so they're single file.

And no one would have to stand directly in front of people with pushchairs to get their attention if they just kept an eye out and got into single file when they saw someone coming the other way, instead of being oblivious or making the assumption that people will be just delighted to move out of their way.

I would have just stood there on the pavement looking at them and waited for them to go round me.

Where I work there is a hill with a 6th form college, huge pavement but so many of them walk in rows of about 8. I'm not stepping into I busy road when they are quite capable of letting me pass.

It really is just crappy people rather than because they are a parent or pram pusher.

Just yesterday I had the opposite situation where my pram was out of the way in a cafe (large seating area at a garden centre) and decided she was going to seemingly make a thing of trying to push past it to get to where she was going even though she didn't have to. Was very strange to watch.

Some people, and I'm sure it's the minority, are just awkward fuck heads.

Im pushing a double Pram at the moment. It's a beast. Would you mind stepping into the road for me? I often take up the breadth of the pavement all by myself around here.

That's completely different - you have no choice but to use the pavement width. The post is about the inconsiderates who could easily go into single file for a few seconds to share the pavement with others.

I don't see this very often, and never do it myself and I'm on my 5th consecutive year of pram pushing so far.
Pavement hoggers are the worst though. I regularly end up in the road with the kids because groups of oblivious (usually) middle class, middle aged men and women taking a casual three-abreast stroll. Perhaps that's just where I live though.

So you prefer women to be vulnerable and subservient?

How on earth do you get from the OP's post to this, Ladyroookwood?

JJPP123

Im pushing a double Pram at the moment. It's a beast. Would you mind stepping into the road for me? I often take up the breadth of the pavement all by myself around here.

The road is for cars. No I will not step into it. You should let the pedestrian pass since you are the one pushing the obstruction, as it were.

Or use a larger pavement.

Or use a larger pavement. Do you carry round your own personal pavements of different types and sizes, Rose? I'm imagining it a bit like the train-track-laying scene in The Wrong Trousers.

JJPP123, I'll happily edge round a large buggy, or step into the road if possible. I appreciate it when the owner smiles and says thank you or sorry or whatever. I would feel aggrieved if the owner didn't acknowledge me at all.

I get sick of having to put myself (and my baby now I'm pregnant though not yet visibly) in the way due to the hoggers you've described. But most people are selfish cunts and only think of themselves, so sadly it doesn't surprise me