I have been trying to put a name to this for a while...

[LondonHuffyPuffy]

And today someone did it for me!

PATRIARCHY CHICKEN!!

Have you noticed that men rarely, if ever, move out of the way for you if you happen to be walking towards them? I started noticing this a couple of years ago when I started doing a lot of walking in London. If I happened to be walking the same trajectory as a man I either had to move out of the way or get shoulder bumped.

One extreme example - a couple were walking towards me, holding hands. There was actually room for us to pass but deep in mansplaining something conversation, the man started moving into my pathway. The woman tried to move to the right but as he was holding her hand quite tightly she sort of stumbled. I ended up shoulder bumping him. He tutted at me.

I thought much of this was probably my imagination but it turns out other people notice it too and the author of the article
I linked to has now given me a name for my refusal to move out of the way.

Apologies if this is obvious/ old news to you, but this article has been a revelation to me and has made me realise that I am not going mad. This happens. Men, or most men, do not get out of the way for women

I don't get out of men's way and haven't for some time. Nor do I allow them to interrupt or talk over me or other women, and just walk away if they start mansplaining. They always look so bewildered. It's very refreshing.

Ive posted about this before and other Mumsnetters have confirmed it works for them: when you are walking focus your eyes ahead on where you are going. Don't look at other pedestrians to anticipate avoiding collision with them. The theory is that people take their cues from where your eyes are focused and adjust their trajectory subconsciously. My theory is that women are probably more socialised to anticipate a man's trajectory whilst a man is probably socialised to assume people will get out of his way.

Going to read the article now so sorry if I've just repeated what she said!

• whilst a woman

Very late, can't sleep.