Men DO NOT have right of way!

[CalmDownCats]

Has anyone else noticed this?

Since around my mid-40s I've noticed that, in particular older men my age or above, just barge straight towards me and expect me to get out of their way.

Since realising this seemed to actually be a thing, I now just hold my ground and keep going. I sometimes even get silly, smirky looks from them as they go around me, as if they know exactly what they are doing.

It's usually older guys, never really younger ones.

Is this just me or does it happen to others too? Is it something that's always happened to middle aged ladies or just a sign of the times?

They have right of way in the swimming pool too. Boils my piss. (That's very bad language for me).

It’s a phenomenon, for sure. In fairness, though, I probably play more pavement chicken with pairs of women, each with a double buggy, walking abreast and chatting, who seem to assume I’ll be delighted to walk into the road and possibly the path of a bus so that they don’t have to pause their conversation and go single file for five seconds.
Reader, they always get a surprise.

Walking to school one day with my 12 yo son.
Two men walking towards us taking up whole path.
My son moved onto the wet grass to avoid being trampled over (he's a tiny kid)
I told him to never lower himself by stepping in dirt for someone else.
Yes, we can go single file but do not walk on dirt for other people.

It boiled my blood that day that they had absolutely no consideration for other people walking on the path.

Not had this whilst out and about but I get it in the swimming pool ALOT. It drives me absolutely nuts. Older men who just swim at me or who I am faster than but won’t give way, it’s just rude. (And yes, I’ll be in the right lane for the speed I’m swimming)

At a basic biology level, it very much is about breeding. Men don’t find women sexually attractive once they have outlived their usefulness. That’s WHY they don’t like how women look after a certain age. Grey hair, changes in body shape/skin etc. So they don’t have any base drive to pander to you anymore. Obviously there are many men who don’t behave like this, but I think they are often the exception that proves the rule.

I live in an area which is known for fashion. You can tell the locals because we don't bother to dress up to walk down the street. In my 20s, if I was wearing drab clothes the girls who were there to be seen would expect me to get out of their way, and so too, occasionally, would camp young men. Both groups would glare if I didn't make way for their fabulousness.

Now no one does to me, so I must be in a sweet spot of perceived age and style.

But I have seen this behaviour towards my mother who uses a cane and she will sometimes let it hit the ankles of a barge -arse when they storm past, and towards my MIL who will give them a right telling off, which always surprises them because she has a strong voice like a posh radio announcer which carries very well, and embarrasses most men who do it.

Is this not just then you barging past everyone on account of some perceived slight?
Sounds like my mum, who is not a nice person.

Oh my god - I had never considered this and am one of the most upfront, gobby women I know, fully paid up feminist etc… but I did NOT realise how much I move out of the way for people. Now that I’m aware of it, it is shocking! Well from now on, fuck them - I’m going to be bulldozing my way through every street and pathway.

Stop.

I discovered that if you stand still in a crowd, or when a group is coming towards you, then people mostly go round you, if you are moving then you get jostled. I can't work out why, but it generally works that way.

Yes, this is real and I also stand my ground where appropriate.

Not just men, but often men.

Also in cars/van, they expect me to capitulate and let them in when they’ve queue jumped or are just barging their way in. They picked the wrong woman there, I don’t give an inch, beep and deliberately laugh at them. Oh their faces. Highly satisfying, almost makes the commute enjoyable.

Yes, and despite the 'women do it too' protestations it is nearly always men.

Patriarchy swimming is a thing, too.

All those women you think are refusing to shift have noticed it too and have decided to hold their line like you….

This is my tactic for the aforementioned pairs of women, for boorish men, and for cyclists on the pavement. And don’t make eye contact. Eye contact seems to be perceived as a tacit agreement that you’ll get out of their way.

No it isnt, you want it to be so you can have a whinge, but doesnt make it true. I swim a lot and there is an odd man who doesnt like it when i am faster than them (im slow) but women swimming wont let you past because they are doing wide breaststroke really annoys me or even worse back breaststroke.

Ah yes the 2 headed monster who cannot be separated for any reason.

I’m definitely well over 40!

I swim at least a mile a week. I have rather extensive experience) I'm well aware who the aggressive swimmers (and even the occasional swimsplainers) are.

My experience is that men are predominantly the ones barging women out of the way, encroaching on their space, or making demands on them when all they want is a peaceful hours; swim.

Your scepticism doesn't make this untrue, and if you choose to disbelieve me this has no effect on me.

Woman with prams are the worst offenders! They think they own the footpath

I didn't know there was a name for this and I can't say I've noticed it when I'm walking but I get it all the time when driving. If there's space for either to move a little to let the other one get passed or nobody has the right way it's always a man who expects you to move especially those driving big cars Or taxi drivers. Inevitably, if the person has let you past it will be a woman.

It's a shame they never found this man who pushed a woman into the path of a bus. He didn't want his jogging interrupted you see.

news.sky.com/story/police-give-up-hunt-for-putney-pusher-who-shoved-woman-into-path-of-london-bus-11419339

This is actually a game?? I am definitely not a willing participant but just so fed up of being barged out the way
It's not a game to me. Years ago I noticed that I had to move out of the way for nearly bloke regardless of their age or ethnicity and once I half realised it i made a conscious effort to watch out for it. Then it annoyed me. I noticed blokes on their mobiles not having a clue who was around them and would barge past women, women with push chairs, older women ( notice a common denominator here?) So i decided that if I didn't have e to, I wouldn't give way. The are obvious exceptions. If anyone got outraged with me I'd just look confused. I never apologise.
Its not a game I'm sick of the entitlement from some men

I know I will get yelled at but round me the worst offenders are women with pushchairs

Not especially noticed what OP said.
I do notice that often Men nudge their female walking partner to move aside for oncoming walkers (eg for me, a female), just as women nudge their children & most everyone recalls their dog.

What else I have noticed:
.... Women swimming in pairs in pool, I can't get by in the lane. Blokes never swim in pairs like that.
... Women in the medium lane who can't handle being overtaken, make no space to allow me to overtake, and may even complain about being splashed (shock, in a swimming pool!). Blokes seem to be more considerate & aware that faster swimmers exist and never complain that pools get you wet.
... Anyone swimming breaststroke, especially smack in middle of the lane, making it too difficult to get by them in the swimming lane
... People (more likely older adults than young people) walking very slowly & spaced just the right distance that I can't slip by, blocking supermarket aisles or other narrow spaces, have to wait ages behind them, show no awareness of other people
... People (more likely women than men) who just STOP in a doorway to check their phone, blocking entrance & egress
... Owners of boyracer or powerful cars speeding if at all possible & tailgating when I travel at 20mph in the 20mph zone; they must consider me a block, too
... newcomers to London on the escalators not knowing to stand on the right or keep their luggage on right, lol

you do know that "proves the rule" means "tests the rule" amd not "proves that the rule is right" don't you?

Yep, they’re all on this thread 🙄