# Arrogant Sidewalk Hogs! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 2, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211 "2004-06-02T05:07:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/41 "2004-06-05T14:22:08Z")
I’ve observed and been irritated by this phenomenon for quite some time (sidewalk hoggery, that is). I have a question that I pose with straightforward curiosity and no mysogeny, I assure you. Also, I pose these hypotheses as applicable to groups in general, and not typifying all those of either gender. Are there gender differences in sidewalk hoggery? My anecdotal observation (working on a college campus) suggests that women far outnumber men in the commission of this behavior. Like many others, my first preference would be to start throwing shoulders at sidewalk hogs, but my sense of chivalry generally prohibits this. The way groups of women walk, almost exclusively walking abreast, rather than any one member lagging behind or preceding the others, I’ve wondered if it is a status thing among women. However, I also give thought to the possibility that women, more often than men, are relatively oblivious to what is going on around them. I take my anecdotal observation of gender differences in those who ride slowly in the fast lane on the highway as supportive of this hypothesis as well. I allow for the possibility that it is just me, too, and that I harbor unconsious biases that influence my anecdotal observations. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![dublos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f08c70/32.png) [@dublos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dublos)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/42 "2004-06-06T14:48:26Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > Are there gender differences in sidewalk hoggery? In the St. Paul skyways my observation is that it’s usually men. Men in suits. Wide shouldered men in suits talking. And walking slowly. Over lunch hour. Two, even three of them walking side by side I can usually find a way around. Four? No chance. I don’t care how enthusiastic you are about kvetching about what your boss said about you during the last board meeting. MOVE OVER boys. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/43 "2004-06-06T15:41:10Z")
> [@dublos](#): > > In the St. Paul skyways my observation is that it’s usually men. Men in suits. Wide shouldered men in suits talking. And walking slowly. Over lunch hour. Interesting. Perhaps we have an age by gender interaction? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Winterwren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Winterwren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winterwren)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/44 "2004-06-06T15:58:09Z")
When I become God… after I take care of world peace and people who have converted their cars to mobile boom boxes (there will be a lot of fried cars and SUVs on the streets for the first few weeks; be warned), I’m going after the sidewalk hogs. This includes all the ones listed above (and the bikes parked to inconvenience everyone else will be turned into safety pins and stabbed into the asses of the former owners), and the gaggles of people with dogs on extended leashes who stop to talk in the middle of the sidewalk, and the women who feel that stopping at the intersection to talk with other mothers, so that when I try to cross the street at the crosswalk, I have to walk in the street, past two parked cars, to get back on the sidewalk, because four strollers are blocking the corner… and the gum throwers, and the assholes with cigarettes who toss the butts aside without checking to see if anyone is walking nearby… The world will be full of lightning bolts, and the smell of charred flesh, and grief and lamentation will be heard rising to the heavens… And then, in a few weeks, it will be quiet and polite. (Maybe I should cut back on the coffee.) ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/45 "2004-06-06T20:10:29Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > May I add, “New York is _not_ for moseying!” If you want to “mosey,” get the hell back to East Assboink, Iowa—I have places to go and things to do and I _will_ push you right in front of that speeding cab. I am from East Assboink, Iowa, and it doesn’t go over any better there. ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Train\_Song](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Black\_Train\_Song](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Train_Song)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/46 "2004-06-07T16:54:39Z")
Another thing: Children don’t seem to give the right of way to adults they way that they did when I was a kid. The whole thing is just a product of the times we live in right now. Selfishness rules. I say installing wider sidewalks is more likely to cure the problem than hoping people suddenly acquire manners. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/47 "2004-06-07T17:21:21Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > My wife just about had to mow down three women hogging nearly the entire width of the local hike & bike trail the other day. Ack! The innumberable blocking abuses of the multi-use trails. People walking abreast to form walls, groups of kids on street bikes who are inevitably looking back at the center of mass of their group (as opposed to the trail ahead), rollerbladers blasting music on their headphones doing power kickouts. People dare then to ask me why I am biking in the road. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/48 "2004-06-08T10:39:40Z")
> [@Go You Big Red Fire Engine](#): > > This problem has an easy solution. > Get a peice of wood. Carve out to look like Machine Gun. Buy Trenchcoat. Put Tranchcoat on. Put machine-gun shaped peice of wood under jacket. Walk down street. Ah you forgot step #7. Get shot 26 times by frightened cops. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/49 "2004-06-08T13:20:31Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The second is – well, let me explain. This happened all over town, but especially in front of one certain store. Poster kids for botched lobotomies would park their bikes in front of the store. No, I don’t mean set upright against the wall next to the door. I mean laid down, in the doorway itself, thus blocking all entrance and egress from the store. That is, to exit the store, you’d have to literally jump over the bike. There is no way around. And of course, the intellectual colossi that did this traveled in packs, so it was usually more than one bike. Usually there were enough that they covered the entire width of the sidewalk. You’d have to walk in the street just to get by. > > Many times I was tempted to simply move the bikes (into oncoming traffic), but I had a feeling that these poor excuses for fecal matter would have either cried to mommy or pulled a knife on me. If you just step on a few wheels, and maybe break some spokes, when you exit the store they might get the message. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/50 "2004-06-08T15:25:37Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > Ack! The innumberable blocking abuses of the multi-use trails. People walking abreast to form walls, groups of kids on street bikes who are inevitably looking back at the center of mass of their group (as opposed to the trail ahead), rollerbladers blasting music on their headphones doing power kickouts. > > People dare then to ask me why I am biking in the road. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Here’s my own personal hierarchy for when I’m out hiking where multi-use is allowed: On top, horses and other animals, but especially horses. They’re large, powerful, and can spook easily. I go slowly if I’m passing by while they’re stopped and move off the trail if they’re coming by. Generally it’s worth waiting for a word from the owner, as they know their animal. Next, cyclists. They’re moving at a good clip and you can’t just stop on dirt. I don’t know what would happen if a cyclist met a horse, but I get the feeling the universe would implode or something. Once again, I’m happy to move off the road if I see you coming. If you’re coming up from behind, an “on your left” is helpful to me so that I can move right and give you some room. Next, joggers. Once again they’re moving at a good clip and I can move out of the way a lot more easily than they can. Same with cyclists in that I’m happy to move off the trail if I see you, but give me some warning if you’re coming up from behind. Finally, at the bottom of the hierarchy, hikers like me. Even then, I try to discriminate a bit on things like how much gear a guy is carrying and the slope of the land. If I’m out for a nice walk with my daypack, you bet I’m gonna get out of the way of someone with a backpack lugging some serious weight. If I’m going uphill, I’m gonna get out of the way of the guy going downhill. I try not to walk in the middle of the trail, unless of course the trail is that narrow. I appreciate it when others do the same for me if the situation is reversed. Plus, a nice friendly hello the people you meet is, to me at least, a definite courtesy. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/51 "2004-06-08T15:31:46Z")
Back to sidewalks for a moment, the only thing more obnoxious than a H2 on the road is a golf umbrella on the sidewalk. People have no business carrying a golf umbrella unless they have cleats and ugly pants on. (Although if you’re willing to humilitate yourself by walking around in an urban area wearing white-and-black saddle shoes and checkered pants while carrying an extra-huge umbrella, I might just give you a pass.) ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211/52 "2004-06-08T21:42:48Z")
> [@Rooves](#): > > I say installing wider sidewalks is more likely to cure the problem than hoping people suddenly acquire manners. Somehow I think that’ll just encourage people to walk in BIGGER groups. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrogant-sidewalk-hogs/248211.md?page=2)