I mostly use my dog as a way to introduce that I am near and mean no harm to anyone not expecting someone following the same path (mostly rather long streched bike&pedestrian roads with no exit but with park benches and geen patches for dogs and so on).

Simply by saying “Dogs Name, are you coming sweety?”.

Announces that I am nearby with a doggy and by no means any poser that wants to appear scary.

At dark day times I mostly have a flashlight with me to shine on my dog and whatever she is currently sniffing (or sneakingly trying to eat…). Which has the sideeffect of her being better visible to others. (She’s a bigger dog with black fur - so some people would be scared of her anyhow. Especially in the dark if there is a barely visible big dog. Which is why I hope to make people not that uncomfortable by speaking softly and shining light on her. (And of couse because bicicle riders need to be able to see her, to not run her over))

That must be a sign of the times.
That has never crossed my mind.

I personally do this, especially now that I live in a rural area and enjoy taking night walks. If I encounter someone, but particularly a woman, I make some noise and slowly move away so they’re not caught off guard if they see me around doing my own stuff. In the city, I also move to the other side of the road and walk faster to give people space. Part of this behavior is influenced by my OCD and ADHD.

I have to do it just walking around the house. If I’m not in the room for a minute and suddenly appear my wife gets scared. I’m not intentionally quiet, but I walk gently most of the time. I’ve joked that I need to get a bell around my neck.

I do try to make some sort of noise, or i will shift what i am holding to what ever side i am passing a woman, or will cross the street to avoid having to cross paths… mainly because accusatory stares, or women clutching their children as i pass is too hard to bear

Yes! Another one is ‘the sniff’.
There’s been so many times when I walk past somebody and they do that weird outward sniff thing, like they want me to know they’re there.

Nope but I sing and whistle when im alone walking my dog. Maybe if I have headphones and im going along with the song. Nothing to do with proximity of womenfolk though.

I often “accidentally” drag my feet a little bit to make my footsteps are a little bit more audible.

I’m usually a very quiet walker, so I just want to make sure my presence is known, as opposed to startling people.

One time I was out walking someplace and a woman was walking about 20 feet in front of me. I just took out my phone and called my wife and rather loudly announced where I was walking to, asked her about her day etc. The woman visible seemed to relax.

Humming seems a bit odd. I wonder if those people are just humming to themselves.

I’ll do things like scuffing my feet, jingling my keys, or pretending to talk on my phone. I am a large guy and I naturally walk very quietly. I have scared quite a few women, and honestly, it is unpleasant for both of us.

I try to do something to make my presence known because the number of times I’ve frightened a woman by, from her perspective, appearing out of nowhere, is quite high. I’m a pretty quiet walker too.

I also make extra space on the sidewalk or I’ll cross the street at night when I’m overtaking less than 3-4 in a group.

I took a different approach, I put my keys on a carabiner so I jingle when I walk. It makes it really hard to accidentally startle people.

I’ll ‘walk heavy’ in stores or stairwells whenever there is a blind corner

I’ll clear my throat, jingle my keys, make louder footsteps to make my presence known, especially at night or when turning a corner. It’s not just for women, but for any person or animal to not be startled.

I think it’s a combination of courtesy, habit from having worked in a restaurant kitchen, and camping in bear country.

If I am alone I will announce myself, but I am usually with my dog and they see her first.