Walking dogs on sidewalks: Bad?

I just got home after being yelled at and harrassed by another older, African American woman who doesn't want me or my two small dogs walking on the sidewalk in front of their house, or sniffing in the tree well in front of it. I might add that I pick up any poop from the street within literally 3 seconds after it's been deposited there. This is the second time I was asked to move on, and this time I answered back. The script is the same: Keep the dogs off the sidewalk in front of their house because they've been in the neighborhood for a long time, and I should go back to my own neighborhood. I answered that this is my neighborhood, and I refused to "move along" until I was ready.

I feel it's a weird control issue to tell strangers doing nothing wrong what to do, and I don't understand it.

The sidewalks are public, and I'm extremely careful to leave everything as it was. All we are doing is walking slowly by, the dogs sniffing around, which they do everywhere. I feel like these ladies are frustrated by the large piles left behind, of which there are plenty, and are taking it out on me. There are plenty of guys who walk pit bulls off the leash here, and I'll bet $100. they say nothing to them. Even after I show my plastic bags at the ready, it makes no difference.

Anyone else encounter this? How do you handle it? I'm getting fed up. :x