Society has degraded to the point where men hang back so as not to be pepper-sprayed or shot by a scared woman. Wouldn’t it make more sense to hang actual aggressors and rapists in the public square and make everyone safe again?
So a person with no bad intentions has to change his conduct to avoid trouble while a violent criminal does what he wants.
If you hang back too far she’ll accuse you of stalking.
I remember a time last winter, I was walking in the evening (it was also snowing), minding my own business, when I became aware of a woman walking in front of me. Judging by her body language she was extremely uncomfortable, but I didn't want to start shouting that I wasn't a bad guy or anything (which IMHO would be both weird and possibly MORE intimidating from her perspective). I tried to drop back a bit, but it was also cold as sin and I wanted to get where I was going, and it seemed like every time I turned a corner or altered my route a bit to try to NOT be behind her, there she was 20 feet in front of me. I decided to cross the street, and wouldn't you know it she crossed the street at the exact same time. At this point she started running and went into a public building (which, of course, happened to be my destination). At that point she was clearly certain that I was intent on some sort of mayhem, but of course I wasn't, and had she shot me I wouldn't have appreciated it at all. When I also went into the building and a little later was chatting with the guard on duty and, I think, an obviously harmless individual, she walked up and asked me if I liked scaring women or something, if I got some sort of rush out of intimidating people by following them. I had a few choice words in mind and wanted to ask her if she thought other people didn't have their own business, or if she thought the public sidewalks were her own personal thoroughfare...But instead I smiled ingratiatingly and said something along the lines of "What? Oh, you thought I was following you? I didn't even see you, I didn't even realize you were there, how long were in front of me? Oh, so sorry, sorry you felt uncomfortable. Stay safe, blah blah."
I don't want to make people uncomfortable, but neither do I want to radically change my own path to suit the feelings of other people.