Why can't people with children share the sidewalk?
Dear Ismael,
How do we get people with kids to share the sidewalk?
— Elbow Room in North Center
Dear Elbow Room,
Try walking around with a large shopping bag. It helps me assert dominance around little people learning about spacial awareness.
"Move or make it a lesson, buddy."
It's also easier when I'm out running. A 200-pound man sprinting toward you? I'd move quickly out of the way, too.
In all seriousness, I understand children have wandering bodies and minds that parents can't control at all times. And when parents do try to control them, they are stuck in tunnel vision and forget about the world around them as they understandably work to keep their kid alive.
I understand your frustration, though. I've been guilty of being annoyed when a large family stalls and blocks everyone from being able to enter the CTA platform and, like you said, when they take up the sidewalk while others are trying to pass.
But I've also been guilty of having what my little brother calls "main character energy" — when I freely stretch my arms and accidentally hit a person walking behind me because I thought it was just me taking up space.
So I try to be patient with little kids who are still figuring out how they fit into civilization.
A good old "excuse me" should help.
If not, we can only hope that, when people notice the inconvenience they are causing others, they try their best to fix it. Or learn it the hard way the next time they cross paths with someone who is fed up with their nonsense.
Email Someone in Chicago at someoneinchicago@suntimes.com.