Dog haters and how to deal with them as a dog owner.

Have you ever experienced this problem where home owners become unreasonable and treat the public places close to their homes as their private property? Blame YOU for droppings left behind in inappropriate places by OTHER people's dogs? Hold monologues to you about their EPIC SUFFERING, all that is wrong in this neighborhood? Try to prevent your dog from even peeing against a nearby tree? Just come out guns blazing and being rude and unreasonable, and becoming even more angry when their bullshit makes you angry in turn?

Would the best tactic be to just avoid such people if at all possible?