A man asked me why I crossed the road

[berriesinthesummer]

I was on a walk minding my own business. A man was walking towards me and taking up most of the pavement, so I crossed over to the other side - I would usually cross this road at some point anyway as part of my usual route.

The man then called across the road to ask why I had crossed and ‘am I that scary?’ I just looked around puzzled and said ‘no?’

AIBU to feel a bit unnerved about this? I didn’t cross because he was a man, I would have done if it was anyone taking up most of the pavement as there were parked cars everywhere so it’s a bit awkward to cross people. As I had to cross at some point, I may as well have done it at that point. I find walking close to people generally very irritating whoever they are.

I wouldn’t even bother replying to him. I am so fed up with male entitlement.

Ah, male attempt at humour . Very tedious 🙄

I was taken aback tbh. If I had remained walking toward him one or both of us would have had to have stopped or slowed to let pass each other and o couldn’t be bothered to slower my pace. Nothing to do with him being male, it would be the same if it was a woman or kids etc

I thought this was going to have something to do with a chicken...

Well the correct answer is “yes, and coming over here makes you more so”. But being truthful might escalate the situation so ‘no’ and moving off if the best you can do.

"Maybe it was nothing to do with you? It's not all about you, fuckwit."

Main character syndrome, as my kids would say.

Sounds like a joke that didn't land.

I wouldn't pay it any more thought.

When I moved to the town I live in it used to have a great reputation for hardly any crime. So sometimes I would walk down to the seafront- a few minutes walk from my house really late at night. Then one night I walked down the deserted street and there was a guy coming towards me on the same side of the road. I crossed the road as an instinctive safety precaution and as soon as he saw me doing that he deliberately started to cross the road too. He walked past me and didn't do anything or say anyhmthing. I was really angry because it was done to scare me. And it worked because after that I stopped going out late at night.

The guy you encountered sounds a similar type of nasty man who enjoys the thought he can intimidate women OP.

Indeed, but I don’t think they would have shouted at you about it.

My DS is 26 and he knows to cross the road to avoid lone women, especially at night. As for shouting at one???!!!

I think this is probably the answer.
Some people don't have much filter.

My first response to his question would be: 'to get to the other side' (like the chicken) but on second thoughts - totally ignore like he doesn't exist.

Who got shouted at?

I love reading about male entitlement before I’ve had my morning coffee (I know it’s 12:30; I don’t want to talk about it).

Point being, ignore it.

This is what they want: you to waste your brainpower thinking about their stupid shite so you can’t use that time for ANYTHING more worthwhile, which includes pretty much anything on Earth except more of male felony-stupid bollocks.

He showed he was that scary, feeling confident enough to get annoyed and speak at a woman crossing the road. Imagine feeling you can just do that , I'm not sure many women do!

Who got annoyed?

I mean it's possible he was annoyed, but just as possible it was a silly joke that didn't land.

Either way the OP hasn't stated he looked annoyed and she also didn't state (as per PP) that he shouted at her.

It’s in the OP!! The bloke she crossed the street to avoid then shouted across the street at her.

Maybe his anxiety got triggered by someone rejecting a pavement sharing moment with him. Maybe he’s socially awkward.
maybe he thought he was being reassuring.
maybe he’s a twat.

maybe vast amounts of people are twats.

Unless it was said in an aggressive manner this is the most likely scenario.

Can you quote it then please?

Because all I can see is "The man then called across the road"

It doesn't say he shouted at the OP.

If she'd got shouted at for crossing the road it would be quite different.

I call across the road to my neighbour on the way to work so say 'Good morning'.

I don't shout at him.

It’s a bit silly of him but you don’t need to be ‘unnerved’ about it.

Absolute hair splitting. I couldn’t call at someone across the road without raising my voice. Aka “shouting”

I'd have told him I moved because he was hogging the pavement. But I'm gobby and have zero fucks left to give.

It does sound a bit 'methinks he doth protest too much'. Maybe he was intending to interact with you in some way - whether to look you up and down at close quarters, 'accidentally' brush past you or even just enjoy the thought of making you have to step into the road to get past him. I agree with PP on 'main character syndrome'.

Somebody else happening to be using the same pavement as you and then crossing the road at some point isn't anything that most normal people would give a moment's thought to; much less ask you to justify. Why would you remotely care?

Clearly he was a bit scary if he chooses to shout at strangers questioning their movements and use of public space?!