Don't stand so close to me..

[pax]

I have problems with people getting in my personal space, particularly in shopping centres and grocery stores. They tend to stand in the middle of the walkway, walk straight up to me expecting me to get out of the way, or literally stand on my heels at the checkout. Arggh.

 

[Harrison]

I agree, why do people need to get that close. I avoid busy places now because I'm fed up of people invading my space.

 

[Ylva]

Be as obnoxious back. Kick their shins (lightly) with your heels if you must.

 

[wyverary]

I encounter this a lot at work, customers, even large groups of customers, who seem to take up much more space than necessary, and move so slowly, that it's really hard for me to get to where I need to be to finish a task. Alas, some people are just inconsiderate, whether they mean it or not.

 

[Judge]

Sometimes I wish I had an electric cattle prod to "remind" strangers not to invade my personal space.

 

[Sydney]

I can't even function in Walmart. Ours has big piles of packaged foods, toys, etc. in the middle of the main aisles, like a median on a road. Well, just like on a road, I'm assuming you're supposed to walk on the right side? And yet too many Walmart patrons are not quite intelligent enough to arrive at that conclusion, so everyone ends up with a basket-on collision

 

[wyverary]

I can't even function in Walmart. Ours has big piles of packaged foods, toys, etc. in the middle of the main aisles, like a median on a road. Well, just like on a road, I'm assuming you're supposed to walk on the right side? And yet too many Walmart patrons are not quite intelligent enough to arrive at that conclusion, so everyone ends up with a basket-on collision

The only time to shop at Walmart is at 1 am. Otherwise? Count me out!

 

[Cali Cat]

I hate that too. My friend figured out how to keep them off my heels in the checkout lane. He suggested I put the trolley behind me. Now I take a trolley even if I'm only getting one item.

 

[anne.bc]

I can't even function in Walmart. Ours has big piles of packaged foods, toys, etc. in the middle of the main aisles, like a median on a road. Well, just like on a road, I'm assuming you're supposed to walk on the right side? And yet too many Walmart patrons are not quite intelligent enough to arrive at that conclusion, so everyone ends up with a basket-on collision

YES. I try to treat it like on-the-road traffic flow and no one else seems to, I get claustrophobic and it makes me VERY irritable! Do not get me started on the days when it's a major sport event, like today with the World Series... OMG!

 

[umbrellabeach]

I can relate a lot. When I had my old job and would bring in carts from the parking lot, people leaving the store would sometimes head straight for me, as if they didn't even see me. Even if I stepped to the side and tried to go around them, I somehow couldn't. It was like they were doing it on purpose. I hate it when people do that and make no indication of which side of me they'll step to, because it leaves me with no idea where to step myself, and of course we end up stepping to the same side. >_<
Yesterday I went to Payless in an attempt to replace my five-year-old sneakers, and it was more crowded than usual. The other people in there seemed oblivious to me and my family, and one lady walked by really close to me, smacking her gum. I ended up getting shoes from Amazon - which was really because none of the physical stores had the kind I wanted, but still, the other people were extremely inconsiderate. Experiences like that make me want to buy absolutely everything online, even though you can't try on clothes that way.
What confuses me even more: People in my area walk and stand super close to other people in person, but when driving - notably at red lights - they leave an unnecessarily long distance, sometimes enough room for another car to fit in, between them and the car in front of them. So what is it about being in a car that makes them want so much space all of a sudden?
I also wonder how it is that people are so oblivious to me and yet they STARE at me all the time...

 

[AsheSkyler]

And I am completely sidetracked now. Shopping carts, trolleys, and buggies. Same basket on wheels, many different names. Cool!

 

[Cali Cat]

I just got home from Walmart. Now I'm suffering from Post Traumatic Shopping Disorder. I sh*t you not. Has anyone else ever noticed that many of their customers bear an uncanny resemblance to the living dead? If a zombie apocalypse ever breaks out, it will start at a Walmart.

 

[OddGirl]

I loathe shopping and malls with the intensity of a thousand supernovas. Even doing groceries is a giant pain in the ass, largely due to the social types stopping right smack in the middle of the aisle, usually in a big group complete with shopping carts and giant strollers full of annoying brats, to have their ever so important chat about absolutely dick all. I swear, every time I've tried to do groceries for the last six weeks I've had to find some way around these human traffic jams. I even changed the day of the week and time of day I shop, going from Saturday in the very early afternoon to Friday during the morning. And yet, the socially adept but functionally brainless are still there, blocking aisles and making shopping take so much longer.

I remember when my Dad was dying, 10 years ago.. I had not done groceries in months, as I was spending so much time at the hospital with him that I usually just ate there. Finally, I realized I was out of everything at home and had to deal with it. But my emotions were shattered and I was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally from the stress of Dad's cancer and approaching death, so I was not in a good frame of mind. I had gotten through the shopping and lined up to pay when the woman in line behind me crashed her cart into me hard enough for it to bash into the backs of my legs badly enough to draw blood. I chalked it up to an accident and said nothing, despite the lack of apology. A couple of minutes later, the woman did it again. This time, I gave her a dirty look and said "Do you mind?"
Clearly, she did, because a few seconds later, she bashed me with the cart again. I was getting close to the cashier at this point, and she could see what the woman was up to as well. This time, knowing I had a witness, I turned around and told the woman that if she bashed me with the cart again, she'd regret it.
Of course, barely two minutes later, she did it again. And this time, I grabbed the front of her cart and pushed it violently back at her. The handle caught her in the solar plexus and knocked the wind out of her, and the force of my push sent her sprawling backwards onto her ass. I'd just had way too much to cope with lately and could take no more.
Of course, assholes never know when to quit. She leapt back up and started screeching that I assaulted her and that she wanted the police called and was going to sue me for everything I had. At this point, the cashier spoke up and told her that she'd been witnessed assaulting me numerous times before I reacted and if she really wanted the cops called, she'd be the one up on charges. The cashier paged the store manager, who banned the woman from the store after being told what had transpired and seeing the blood running down my legs. It took weeks for the shredded skin to heal. To this day, I have no idea why the woman decided to go after me.
Needless to say, shopping is absolutely not my favourite task.

 

[giraffesec]

I found a solution to people invading my space. I'm 6"5 shaved head
Ear spacer piercings and tattoos. People cross the street to avoid me as I look scary (wife's words)

 

[Judge]

I just got home from Walmart. Now I'm suffering from Post Traumatic Shopping Disorder. I sh*t you not. Has anyone else ever noticed that many of their customers bear an uncanny resemblance to the living dead? If a zombie apocalypse ever breaks out, it will start at a Walmart.

Could be interesting if they put on "Thriller" on their intercom...see if the patrons suddenly fall in line.

 

[Amee]

It gives me such strong anxiety. Panic attacks.

 

[umbrellabeach]

I remember when my Dad was dying, 10 years ago.. I had not done groceries in months, as I was spending so much time at the hospital with him that I usually just ate there. Finally, I realized I was out of everything at home and had to deal with it. But my emotions were shattered and I was exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally from the stress of Dad's cancer and approaching death, so I was not in a good frame of mind. I had gotten through the shopping and lined up to pay when the woman in line behind me crashed her cart into me hard enough for it to bash into the backs of my legs badly enough to draw blood. I chalked it up to an accident and said nothing, despite the lack of apology. A couple of minutes later, the woman did it again. This time, I gave her a dirty look and said "Do you mind?"
Clearly, she did, because a few seconds later, she bashed me with the cart again. I was getting close to the cashier at this point, and she could see what the woman was up to as well. This time, knowing I had a witness, I turned around and told the woman that if she bashed me with the cart again, she'd regret it.
Of course, barely two minutes later, she did it again. And this time, I grabbed the front of her cart and pushed it violently back at her. The handle caught her in the solar plexus and knocked the wind out of her, and the force of my push sent her sprawling backwards onto her ass. I'd just had way too much to cope with lately and could take no more.
Of course, assholes never know when to quit. She leapt back up and started screeching that I assaulted her and that she wanted the police called and was going to sue me for everything I had. At this point, the cashier spoke up and told her that she'd been witnessed assaulting me numerous times before I reacted and if she really wanted the cops called, she'd be the one up on charges. The cashier paged the store manager, who banned the woman from the store after being told what had transpired and seeing the blood running down my legs. It took weeks for the shredded skin to heal. To this day, I have no idea why the woman decided to go after me.
Needless to say, shopping is absolutely not my favourite task.

Wow. Some people are unbelievable. I would have done the same thing to her.

 

[Stacey]

I used to struggle with people getting in my way. If I really have to go into a shop, I just march into it like I'm on a mission, and woe betide anyone who gets in my personnel space , because i'm not budging and inch. It's pretty much how everybody else shops, so if you can't beat them, join them.

 

[pax]

The other day I had a guy stand right in front of the card machine as I'm trying to pay. I thought I'd be assertive and stand in front of him and force him to get out of the way. Not a chance. I could feel him breathing down my neck as I'm punching in my pin and trying to shield it from his prying eyes. The memory is giving me cold shivers.I tend to go mute under stress. So it's hard to tell someone off when you can't speak.

However Yesterday I went to the supermarket and dragged the trolley behind me, so it kept the old duck behind me off my heels. I also had a lovely conversation with the young fellow serving about cooking, halloween, and what he was going to whip up for dinner. The old duck behind her complained to the old duck behind her that she was in a hurry and her husband was waiting for his dinner. (She was 65 in the shade[retired], and it was 7pm.) Incidents like these make me wonder if I'm really the disabled one.

but the young man was lovely.

 

[DarkAscent]

I've never liked it when people stand too close to me. It feels like a invasion of privacy and unnerves me too.

I will only go into the supermarket if it's nice and empty with only a few other customers inside. Going in on Sunday is a massive no. Even with my mum and dad with me, I'll still refuse. It's worse because I'm so small and still look like a little kid so a lot of people tend to walk into me or just don't seem to care at all.

Would be nice to have a taser or something similar if someone much bigger decided to invade my personal space. That would be great.

-zap-
"WAAAARGH!"